The Princess’s Rising Profile and Parallel Scam Risk
Her Royal Highness Princess Leonor (Princesa Leonor), born on October 31, 2005, has had her life closely followed by the public. In 2014, with her father King Felipe VI’s accession to the throne, she officially became the first in the line of succession to the Spanish crown. From her first public reading of the Constitution in 2018 to starting her comprehensive military training across the Army, Navy, and Air Force in 2023, Princess Leonor has cultivated a strong image as a future head of state. However, her growing fame has also been exploited by criminals. In recent years, fake accounts impersonating the Princess have proliferated on social media platforms like TikTok, being used to carry out financial scams.
How the Scam Works: A Victim’s Testimony
Scammers often contact victims via direct messages on social media, falsely claiming to be Princess Leonor. They then lure victims into transferring money under the pretext of needing to pay ‘taxes’ or ‘processing fees’ to receive a large prize or inheritance. One 39-year-old victim, Juana Cobo, revealed she was told the Princess had a fund of $100,000 for her, but she needed to pay approximately €245 in taxes to access it. After paying this fee, she was asked for more money until she realized it was a scam and was blocked by the fraudster, ultimately suffering financial losses and falling into debt. As early as 2024, major Spanish media outlets had already begun investigating similar fraudulent schemes.
Official Statement and Prevention Advice
In response to the escalating fraudulent activities, the Princess of Asturias Foundation (Fundación Princesa de Asturias) issued a formal statement on its official website in early 2026. The statement emphasizes that neither the Foundation nor Her Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias will, under any circumstances, offer grants, conduct prize draws, or in any way request, offer, or manage financial donations to or from private citizens. Officials advise that the only authentic sources of information are the official websites of the Princess of Asturias Foundation and the Spanish Royal House (Casa Real). Furthermore, the Royal House clarified that all public correspondence is handled by designated staff and answered with official stationery, and members of the Royal Family do not personally reply to strangers. The Foundation advises victims to report such criminal acts to the relevant authorities.
