Princess Leonor and King Felipe VI Complete First Joint Flight Training Over Mediterranean

Princess Leonor, the heir to the Spanish throne, and her father, King Felipe VI, completed their inaugural joint flight training session using aircraft from the Spanish Air Force.

Both the princess and the king piloted a two-seater, turbine-powered Pilatus PC-21 aircraft. Their flight commenced from the Spanish Air Force Officers Academy base and took place above the Mediterranean Sea, according to an official statement released on the Spanish royal family's website.

The General Air Force Academy is located in the Murcia-San Javier region in southeastern Spain and serves as the primary training institution for Spanish Air Force officers.

This military training forms part of Princess Leonor's rigorous preparation to assume the constitutional role of Supreme Commander of the Spanish Armed Forces, a position she will hold upon becoming queen.

Princess Leonor began her military training in August 2023 at the Spanish Army Academy in Zaragoza. She subsequently undertook a multi-month naval training voyage aboard the Spanish Navy's training ship, Juan Sebastián Elcano.

Since September of the previous year, the princess has been stationed with the Spanish Air Force, where she completed her first solo flight and received specialized training as a military paratrooper.

Starting with the 2026-2027 academic year, Princess Leonor is scheduled to pursue a university degree in Political Science at the public Carlos III University in Madrid.