18-year-old Princess Eleanor, daughter of King Felipe VI of Spain, took the oath of allegiance to the Constitution in Madrid. This event was celebrated on the streets of the city by thousands of people.
The passage of the royal procession in historical vehicles, accompanied by the Royal Guard, was broadcast on large screens installed on the facade of the headquarters of the regional government of Madrid. The city authorities distributed hundreds of Spanish flags.
A solemn ceremony was held in the House of Representatives during which Princess Eleanor, who celebrated her 18th birthday on Tuesday, swore to “protect the Constitution and ensure compliance with it, respect the rights of citizens and autonomous communities, and remain loyal to the King.” Then she received from the hands of her father, King Philip VI, the highest civil state award created in the eighteenth century – the Order of Charles III.
Princess EleanorSergio Perez/EPA
look: Princess Eleanor is 18 years old. Unique pictures of the heir to the throne were displayed
The ceremony was attended, in addition to the royal family, by nearly five thousand deputies of Parliament, representatives of the government headed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and 14 regional prime ministers, in addition to the Chief of Staff of the Army, Teodoro Esteban. Lopez Calderon, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Francina Armengol, and President of the Senate Pedro Roland.
King Felipe VI of Spain and his daughter, Princess EleonoraRespiratory/EPA
The retired king is missing
Representatives of the anti-monarchy separatist parties of Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia (ERC, Junts, EH Bildu, PNV and BNG) did not attend the ceremony. There were also no regional prime ministers – Pere Aragonés of Catalonia and Iñigo Urculo of the Basque Country.
King Emeritus Juan Carlos I, Felipe VI’s father, was not invited to the state ceremonies due to several scandals, leading to his abdication in 2014 in favor of his son. However, Juan Carlos participated in a family meeting at the Royal Palace of El Pardo.
Princess EleanorSergio Perez/EPA
Princess Eleanor graduated from UWC Atlantic in Wales, and in September began a three-year military studies course. If she ascends to the throne, she will be the first queen of Spain since Isabella II in the 19th century.
Spain is a hereditary parliamentary monarchy. According to the constitution, the king is the head of state and supreme commander of the armed forces. Without having much real power, it symbolizes the unity and continuity of Spain.
Main image source: Sergio Perez/EPA
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