Leonor, Princess of Asturias, is the elder daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain and the first in line to inherit the Spanish throne. As she moves through her early twenties, public curiosity about her age, her schooling, her three years of military training, and what her future reign might look like has only grown. This guide answers the most common question: How old is Princess Leonor? and walks through her family background, education, military service, royal duties, and the titles she carries as heir presumptive to one of Europe’s oldest monarchies. Whether you are researching Spanish royal history or simply curious about the young woman who will one day become queen, the sections below cover the key facts in one place.
Quick Facts: Leonor, Princess of Austrias
| Fact | Detail |
| Full name | Leonor de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Ortiz |
| Title | Princess of Asturias, Girona and Viana; Duchess of Montblanc; Countess of Cervera; Lady of Balaguer |
| Born | 31 October 2005, Madrid, Spain |
| Age (as of August 2026) | 20 years old (turns 21 on 31 October 2026) |
| Parents | King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain |
| Sibling | Infanta Sofía (born 2007) |
| Position | Heir presumptive to the Spanish throne |
| Education | Santa María de los Rosales School; UWC Atlantic College (Wales) |
| Military training | General Military Academy; Naval Military School; General Air and Space Academy |
Who Is Leonor, Princess of Asturias?
Leonor de Borbón y Ortiz is the heir presumptive to the Spanish crown and holds the historic title Princess of Asturias, a designation traditionally reserved for the heir to the throne since the fourteenth century. She is the elder of two daughters born to King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia; her younger sister, Infanta Sofía, was born in 2007. According to the official biography published by the Spanish Royal Household, Leonor also carries the titles Princess of Girona, Princess of Viana, Duchess of Montblanc, Countess of Cervera, and Lady of Balaguer, a set of honours that together represent the historic union of the Crowns of Castile, Aragon, and Navarre.
Unlike a hereditary title passed down automatically at birth, Leonor’s status as heir was formally confirmed when her father acceded to the throne in June 2014, following the abdication of her grandfather, King Juan Carlos I. Since that moment, she has been first in the line of succession to the Spanish throne, ahead of her younger sister.
How Old Is Princess Leonor in 2026?
Princess Leonor was born on 31 October 2005 at the Ruber International Hospital in Madrid. That makes her 20 years old as of August 2026. She will turn 21 on 31 October 2026. Here is a simple breakdown of the milestones tied to her age:
- 2005: Born on 31 October, three weeks before her due date, via caesarean section.
- 2014: Became heir to the throne at age 8, when her father was proclaimed king.
- 2023: Turned 18 on 31 October and swore an oath of allegiance to the Spanish Constitution before Parliament, formally becoming heir in her own right.
- 2025–2026: Completed her final year of military training and, at age 20, took on a larger public role, including presiding solo over national ceremonies.
- 2026: Turns 21 in October, continuing her transition toward full-time royal duties.
Early Life and Family Background
Leonor’s birth was a notable event in Spanish royal history: she was the first infanta born to a reigning monarchy in Spain since 1914. Her parents, then the Prince and Princess of Asturias, announced her arrival to journalists by text message, a detail that has since become a well-known part of royal folklore. She was baptised in January 2006 at the Zarzuela Palace, with her paternal grandparents, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía, serving as godparents.
Growing up primarily out of the public eye during her childhood, Leonor made her first major public appearance as a speaker in 2018, reading the opening article of the Spanish Constitution at a formal ceremony. The following year, she delivered her first full public address at the Princess of Asturias Awards, an annual prize ceremony that recognises achievement in the sciences, arts, humanities, and public affairs and which now bears her own title.
As she grew older, Leonor gradually stepped into more visible roles alongside her parents, attending sporting events, cultural ceremonies, and volunteer visits, including a well-documented meeting with young Red Cross volunteers in Madrid in December 2022.
Education Journey: From Madrid to Wales
Leonor’s schooling reflects a deliberate mix of Spanish tradition and international exposure. She began her education at Santa María de los Rosales School in Madrid, the same school her father attended, before completing her final two years of secondary education abroad at UWC Atlantic College in Wales, United Kingdom, where she studied for the International Baccalaureate.
- Primary and early secondary education: Santa María de los Rosales School, Aravaca, Madrid.
- Final secondary years: UWC Atlantic College, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, completed May 2023.
- Summer programmes: Attended language and leadership summer camps in the United States during her teenage years.
Choosing an international boarding school for her final years of secondary education was widely seen as an effort by the Spanish royal family to give Leonor an education comparable to other European heirs, several of whom have also studied through the United World Colleges network.
Military Training and a Historic First Flight
On 17 August 2023, Leonor entered the General Military Academy in Zaragoza to begin a structured, multi-year training programme spanning all three branches of the Spanish Armed Forces. The programme was designed to mirror the path her father, King Felipe VI, followed decades earlier as heir.
- Army: Training at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, beginning August 2023.
- Navy: A term at the Naval Military School in Marín, focused on seamanship and naval operations.
- Air and Space Force: Her final year, starting 1 September 2025, at the General Air and Space Academy in San Javier.
A particularly notable milestone came on 18 December 2025, when Leonor completed her first solo flight aboard a Pilatus PC-21 training aircraft, becoming the first woman in the Spanish royal family to pilot a solo flight. The achievement drew significant domestic media coverage and was widely framed as a symbolic marker of her growing independence and readiness for future duties.
Royal Duties and Public Engagements
As Leonor has matured, she has taken on a steadily expanding calendar of official engagements, both domestically and abroad. Her public role now extends well beyond ceremonial appearances alongside her parents.
- Presided solo over the Princess of Asturias Awards ceremony in Oviedo in October 2025, her second time doing so as an adult.
- Represented the monarchy on regional visits, including an official trip to the historic Kingdom of Navarre, where she was formally presented as Princess of Viana.
- Took part in international travel, including her first overseas trip without her parents in 2022, an early step in building independent diplomatic experience.
- Attended cultural and sporting events, including women’s football matches during major European tournaments, reflecting a broader effort to connect with younger audiences.
According to Spanish media coverage of her recent public appearances, King Felipe VI has indicated that Leonor is expected to preside independently over future editions of the Princess of Asturias Awards, signalling a gradual, deliberate handover of ceremonial responsibility as she completes her military training.
Titles and the Path to the Throne
Spain’s 1978 constitution establishes that the heir to the throne automatically holds the title of Princess (or Prince) of Asturias, along with several subordinate titles tied to the historic kingdoms that unified to form modern Spain. Leonor received these titles in 2014, when her father’s accession moved her from second to first in the line of succession.
- The Princess of Asturias is tied to the historic Crown of Castile.
- Princess of Girona and Duchess of Montblanc linked to the Crown of Aragon.
- Princess of Viana connected to the historic Kingdom of Navarre.
- Countess of Cervera and Lady of Balaguer: additional honorific titles attached to the Aragonese line.
On her 18th birthday in October 2023, Leonor swore a formal oath to uphold the Spanish Constitution before both houses of Parliament, a step confirmed by Wikipedia’s detailed profile of Princess Leonor. The oath is a symbolic but constitutionally significant milestone: it publicly affirms her readiness to serve as regent or, eventually, as queen. If she succeeds her father, Leonor would become the first woman to reign over Spain since Queen Isabella II, who ruled from 1833 to 1868.
Personal Life and Public Image
Compared with many of her European royal peers, Leonor has kept a relatively low public profile outside official duties, a pattern the Spanish royal household has generally maintained for its younger members. Reports on her personal interests mention a fondness for the cello and horseback riding, hobbies she reportedly shares with other members of the extended royal family.
Her public image has evolved noticeably since 2023: where earlier appearances were largely ceremonial and closely managed, her military training and expanding travel schedule have given her more opportunities to be seen operating independently, from piloting an aircraft to representing the monarchy on regional visits without her parents present.
What’s Next for Princess Leonor?
With her military training complete and her 21st birthday approaching in October 2026, attention is turning to how Leonor’s public role will expand next. Royal commentators in Spain have pointed to a likely increase in solo engagements, further international travel, and a possible move toward more substantive briefings on government and constitutional affairs steps that typically precede a more formal transition toward the responsibilities of an adult heir.
While no formal timetable for additional responsibilities has been publicly announced by the royal household, the pattern of her recent activity presiding over national ceremonies, undertaking regional visits, and completing military service suggests a gradual, carefully staged introduction to full royal duties over the coming years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Leonor, Princess of Asturias?
She was born on 31 October 2005, making her 20 years old as of August 2026. She turns 21 on 31 October 2026.
Is Leonor the heir to the Spanish throne?
Yes. She has been heir presumptive since her father, Felipe VI, became king in June 2014, and she formally swore allegiance to the Constitution on her 18th birthday in 2023.
What titles does Princess Leonor hold?
She holds the titles Princess of Asturias, Princess of Girona, Princess of Viana, Duchess of Montblanc, Countess of Cervera, and Lady of Balaguer.
Where was Princess Leonor educated?
She attended Santa María de los Rosales School in Madrid and completed her final two years of secondary school at UWC Atlantic College in Wales, finishing in May 2023.
Has Princess Leonor completed military training?
Yes. She trained across the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air and Space Force between 2023 and 2026, including a solo flight in December 2025.
Does Leonor have any siblings?
She has one younger sister, Infanta Sofía, born in 2007, who is second in the line of succession.
Conclusion
Leonor, Princess of Asturias, turned 20 in October 2025 and will mark her 21st birthday at the end of October 2026, placing her firmly on the path toward eventually becoming Spain’s head of state. Her age is only one part of a broader story that includes an international education, three years of military training across all branches of Spain’s armed forces, and a steadily growing calendar of public duties. As she completes her training and takes on more independent responsibilities, Leonor’s next few years are likely to offer a clearer picture of how she will eventually carry out the role for which she has spent her entire life preparing.
References
Casa de S.M. el Rey (Spanish Royal Household). “S.A.R. la Princesa de Asturias – Biografía.” https://www.casareal.es/ES/FamiliaReal/PrincesaLeonor/Paginas/biografia.aspx
Wikipedia. “Leonor, Princess of Asturias.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonor,_Princess_of_Asturias
Wikipedia. “Princess of Asturias Awards.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_of_Asturias_Awards
Wikipedia. “UWC Atlantic College.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UWC_Atlantic_College
Wikipedia. “General Military Academy.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Military_Academy
HOLA! “Leonor, princesa de una nueva generación” (October 2025). https://www.hola.com/realeza/casa_espanola/20251001858686/leonor-princesa-nueva-generacion-analizamos-pasos-liderar-tradicion-modernidad/
About the Author
This article was researched and written by the Royals & Culture Desk, a team focused on producing accurate, up-to-date explainers on European royal families, their history, and their public roles. All facts in this piece were verified against publicly available sources, including the official website of the Spanish Royal Household, as of August 2026.
