One more and, at the same time, unique. Leonor de Borbón, Princess of Asturias, swore the flag this Saturday at the General Military Academy (AGM) of Zaragoza, in a ceremony presided over by the Kings, in which four hundred other knights and ladies cadets also participated. The King, in his words at the ceremony, “from emotion and pride,” addressed his daughter, whom he reminded: “Dear Leonor, the commitment you have acquired carries the greatest responsibility with Spain. You know well , as crown princess that the Crown symbolizes her unity and permanence…. I know that you will always keep in mind your responsibility in any circumstance and at all times, it is to serve Spain with all your energy and determination, with true passion.”
The ceremony took place in the General’s Parade Ground, the name given to the Army center where the heiress entered two months ago and began her three-year training as the future head of the Armed Forces. Unlike her father, Felipe de Borbón, the Princess, with a blue jacket and red pants, has not sworn in alone, nor alone, she has done so together with her 409 classmates (49 of them women) and under the watchful eye , proud and excited, looked at by her parents, Kings Felipe and Letizia. The heir to the throne, at the same time as the rest of the cadets, answered with a resounding “yes, we do it”, after the general director of the Academy, General Manuel Pérez López, asked the regulatory question: “Gentlemen and ladies cadets! Do you swear or promise by your conscience and honor to faithfully fulfill your military obligations, to keep and ensure that the Constitution is kept as a fundamental norm of the State, to obey and respect the King and your leaders, to never abandon them and if necessary, to give your life for Spain? ?. Next, the director of the AGM replied; “If you fulfill your oath or promise, Spain will thank you or reward you, and if not, it will demand it from you,” ending his speech with a Viva España! and a Long Live the King! After the oath itself, the Princess led the march of the knights and ladies cadets and kissed the flag first and then paraded, with the rest of the students, under the banner in an act that symbolizes that Spain accepts its oath.
The flag that has been placed in front of the tribune where the Kings were is the same one that was used, at the time and in the same place, in the swearing-in of their father, Felipe VI, and their grandfather, Juan Carlos I, and which was once embroidered by her great-great-grandmother, Queen Regent María Cristina of Habsburg, 137 years ago. During the ceremony, Queen Letizia, who wore a blue dress with black polka dots from the brand
The ceremony began at noon after the arrival of the Kings to the enclosure, where they were honored before the King reviewed the knights and ladies in formation, passing at one point in front of his daughter, located in the first row. Next, the swearing in and the parade of the knights and ladies took place, led by the Princess; one by one they kissed the flag and, later, in groups of three they passed under the flag. After the speech by the director of the Academy, it was time for the King’s words, one of the most anticipated moments of the ceremony.
In his triple capacity as father, head of the Armed Forces and head of State. The King, who has not been able to hide his emotion, began his words by remembering his own swearing-in 38 years ago, “I think about what I felt then and what it means to me to preside – alongside the Queen and with pride – over the swearing-in of our daughter the Princess of Asturias. It is very exciting; and it is of great significance to see how today the Princess continues that oath.” Addressing the new knights and ladies cadets, he said: “this oath or promise that goes beyond its symbolism and solemnity, so present in this square, loaded with so much history – the memory of so many generations that have preceded you: implies a duty personal, moral and legal that has no expiration date.” The King also recalled in his words that “integrity, together with honesty and rectitude, must be a constant in your professional and personal career. They are capital virtues in the military, as well as in public service to the Spanish people, and are an essential guide to behaviors and attitudes.”
The event was completed with a tribute to the members of the Armed Forces who died in the act of service, the Academy anthem, the recitation of the Cadet Decalogue and a parade that closed the ceremony before the farewell of the flag with the regulatory honors.
The swearing-in is a key act in the training of every soldier, which, in the case of the Princess of Asturias, also marks the passage to the second year by virtue of the special study plan designed for her and precedes her swearing-in of the Constitution as future head of state in the Congress of Deputies on October 31, the day she reaches the age of majority.
Despite official attempts to convey normality, the presence of Lady Cadet Borbón has meant that this Saturday was not a usual swearing-in ceremony. The event was broadcast live on television, and the large media presence reflected the expectation generated. In the packed stands, some 2,500 people, including students, family members and authorities, have not missed a single detail on a day in which the sun and high temperatures have given a respite. The day was cloudy and the heat was transmitted through the emotion of those present.
Unlike October 11, 1985, when the then Prince of Asturias swore the flag, a solemn occasion in which the highest authorities of the State were present, including the President of the Government, Felipe González; that of Congress, Gregorio Peces Barba; or that of the Senate, Federico de Carvajal, this Saturday the representation of the Government has fallen to the acting Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, who had already announced that the princess would participate in the ceremony “with complete normality along with her companions.”
Also present were the President of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, and the Mayor of Zaragoza, Natalia Chueca, as well as the Chief of the Army Staff, Amador Enseñat y Berea, along with the Chief of the Defense Staff (Jemad), Admiral General Teodoro E. López Calderón, and Lieutenant General José Manuel de la Espernaza y Martín-Pinillos, head of the Madoc (Training and Doctrine Command) of the Army, on which the General Military Academy depends.
For this outstanding moment in their delivery to Spain, the cadets wore the period costume of the Army, a period uniform of a blue jacket and red pants accompanied by a pink hat with a red feather. At the end of the event, the young people were able to meet with their families present.
On August 17, Princess Leonor arrived in Zaragoza to begin a journey that will lead her to be, as the future queen of Spain, captain general of the Armed Forces. The slogan that has been launched since then is that the heir to the Crown receives similar treatment to that of her colleagues. She sleeps in a shared bunk bed, she follows the same routines and training as the rest and has enjoyed some group outings, such as a visit to a bar in the university area or another to a store to buy study materials.
He has also participated in the exercises carried out on the maneuvering field, where the cadets carried out shooting exercises, crossing the combat track or topographical tours, and has participated in official events such as the presentation of the beret gracé, that of the officer’s saber or yesterday’s offering in the Basilica del Pilar, where they invoked the protection of the Virgin.
According to what the director of the AGM, General Manuel Pérez López, said this week, cadet Borbón is “integrated perfectly with her classmates” and has developed “all the activities that the first years have carried out and the specific subjects of her study” without incident. . “It’s going pretty well,” he added.
Upon concluding his studies in the Aragonese capital in July 2024, the specific plan also contemplates that he continue his training at the Marín Navy Academy (Pontevedra) and, the following year, at the San Javier Air Academy (Murcia). .
