"European Royals Serving Military Duty: Why Undergo 3 Years of Training?"

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Leonor (17), the first in line to the Spanish throne, will undergo military training for three years from August until 2026. This follows the tradition of European monarchies where heirs to the throne typically have military careers.

According to European local media including DW on the 15th (local time), Margarita Robles, Spain's Minister of Defense, announced that Princess Leonor is scheduled to train with the Spanish military for the next three years. After the cabinet meeting, Minister Robles stated, "All parliamentary monarchies do this," and added, "The heir to the throne must have a military career."

Princess Leonor is the eldest daughter of King Felipe VI of Spain. She has also been granted the title Princess of Asturias, which is given to the heir apparent to the Spanish throne. She is expected to become Spain's queen for the first time in about 200 years since Queen Isabel II.

King Felipe VI of Spain (right) and his eldest daughter, Princess Leonor [Image source=Yonhap News]

In constitutional monarchies such as Spain and the United Kingdom, the monarch nominally serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Therefore, royal family members who are likely to become monarchs customarily undergo mandatory military training. Princess Leonor is no exception to this 'tradition.'

Minister Robles emphasized, "(The princess) will become the commander-in-chief of the military after completing the appropriate process," and added, "In recent years, we have made significant efforts to integrate women into the military."

Princess Leonor will first receive one year of education at the Army Academy located in the Zaragoza region of Spain, then transfer to the Naval Academy for further training. She must complete the process of boarding training vessels just like other cadets. The final stage is attending the Air Force Academy, thereby experiencing military training across the army, navy, and air force.

Crown Prince William [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, it is not new for European royals to receive military training. The United Kingdom, one of the most famous constitutional monarchies today, had most of its royal family members, including the late Queen Elizabeth II, undergo military training.

Notably, during World War II, the queen volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service and served as a truck driver. Her husband, the late Prince Philip, served in the Royal Navy and carried out frontline duties throughout the war.

More recently, King Charles III's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, served in the military for seven and a half years and ten years respectively. Both served as helicopter pilots, performing search and reconnaissance missions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.