Military Training Nears Completion: Royal Household Announces New Developments
The military training of Princess Leonor, the heir to the Spanish throne, is nearing completion. The Palace of Zarzuela (the Spanish Royal Household) recently released updates on the Princess’s latest training activities and her future career path in the armed forces, demonstrating the systematic preparation for her role as the future Captain General of the Armed Forces (capitán general).
Currently, Princess Leonor is training at the General Air Academy (Academia General del Aire, AGA) in San Javier, Murcia, with the rank of a fourth-year Cadet Ensign (alférez alumna de cuarto) of the Air and Space Force. She is expected to complete this stage of her studies in mid-July 2026.
Hands-on Air Force Experience: Observing the Typhoon and Flying an F-5
As part of her curriculum, Princess Leonor’s training is heavily focused on practical application. On April 21, she and her classmates visited the 14th Wing (Ala 14) of the Air and Space Force, stationed at the Los Llanos Air Base (Base Aérea de Los Llanos) in Albacete. During the visit, she gained in-depth knowledge of the operations of the Eurofighter Typhoon (C.16), which is responsible for securing Spanish and NATO (OTAN) airspace, and watched a flight demonstration. The base is also home to NATO’s Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP), which provides advanced air combat training for allied pilots.
The following day, the Princess traveled to the 23rd Fighter and Attack Wing Military School (Escuela Militar de Caza y Ataque Ala 23) at the Talavera la Real Air Base (Base Aérea de Talavera la Real) in Badajoz. There, she flew in an F-5 jet aircraft (avión reactor F-5) with an instructor, experiencing the aircraft’s flight capabilities firsthand. The F-5 is the training aircraft used by the Spanish Air Force for advanced combat and ground attack courses.
Future Promotion Path: Officer Commissions in All Three Branches by 2027
According to Royal Decree 173/2023 (Real Decreto 173/2023), Princess Leonor will complete her training at the military academies of the Army, Navy, and Air Force this July. Despite her condensed study program, her future officer status and ranks have been clearly planned.
Her classmates will continue with their fifth year of study until their graduation in July 2027. At that time, Princess Leonor will join them in the commissioning ceremonies and will be officially granted her officer commissions (reales despachos) as a Lieutenant of the Army (teniente del Ejército de Tierra), a Lieutenant of the Air and Space Force (teniente del Ejército del Aire y del Espacio), and an Ensign of the Navy (alférez de navío de la Armada). The corresponding ceremonies will be held at the military academies in Zaragoza, Marín, and San Javier, respectively.
