Now it's official: Princess Leonor takes the final step and impresses the royal family

Now it's official what many had been predicting: Princess Leonor will take her most symbolic and independent step to date. On July 14, the heir to the throne will receive one of the Gold Medals of Galicia in a ceremony that she will lead completely alone, without the presence of Felipe and Letizia. This gesture has been met with admiration within the Royal Household, which looks on with pride as the princess takes on her institutional responsibilities with determination.

The award ceremony will be held in Marín, the town in Pontevedra that marked the beginning and end of the princess's current military course. Why does this event mark a turning point in her path as the future queen? What does it really symbolize for the Crown and for Galicia?

Princess Leonor takes the final step and impresses the Royal Household with her first solo event

The official announcement comes at a key moment in Princess Leonor's public evolution. She is currently in her second year, which includes experiences such as her time at the Marín Naval School and her voyage aboard the Elcano. After setting sail in January, the ship took her to New York, thus completing a five-month journey full of learning and symbolism.

The connection with Galicia is not new. It was there that this demanding second year began, and it will also be the place where it ends. It is not surprising that Xunta de Galicia has decided to honor her in an institutional event, scheduled for the same day she returns to land.

The Gold Medal of Galicia will be awarded to Princess Leonor for completing her military training. According to Faro de Vigo, sources from Xunta confirm that this distinction "will be a way to show the affection and respect of the Galician people for the heir to the Crown".

On July 14, the day scheduled for the arrival of the Juan Sebastián Elcano in Marín, the princess will be the sole protagonist of the award ceremony. Although this ceremony is usually held on July 24, the presentation of the Princess of Girona Awards makes it impossible for her to attend on that date. For this reason, the ceremony has been brought forward exclusively for her, something that reflects the importance of the gesture for both Galicia and the Crown.

The tribute will not end with the presentation of the Gold Medal. Two days later, on July 16, coinciding with the Day of the Virgin of Carmen, patron saint of the Spanish Navy, Leonor will be named favorite daughter of Marín. This is yet another sign of the affection that this land has wanted to offer her after months of effort and dedication in its territory.

A solo institutional event: the maturity of Princess Leonor

What has truly made an impression on the Royal Household is not just the award, but the format of the event. For the first time, Leonor will be the only institutional representative of the Royal Family at a public event of this magnitude.

Without the physical support of her parents or Infanta Sofía, she will take on her role with complete autonomy. This time, she will have the opportunity to show not only her maturity but also her preparation to represent the Crown on her own.

This step inevitably recalls the one she experienced in Zaragoza last year. Then, upon completing her first military year, she was awarded the Gold Medal of Aragón, the Medal of the Cortes, and named adopted daughter of the city.

Those recognitions were the first sign of her growing institutional prominence. However, what will happen in Marín will go a step further: she will do it alone, as the central figure and future queen, before the people who welcome and recognize her.

The recognition of Princess Leonor in Galicia symbolizes much more than a simple distinction. It represents the public consolidation of her role within the Royal Household and her growing autonomy as heir. Her evolution, marked by perseverance and discipline, inspires admiration and anticipates a future full of symbolism and commitment.