18-year-old Princess Eleanor, daughter of King Felipe VI of Spain, took an 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 historic vehicles, escorted 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 flags Spain.
A solemn ceremony was held at the Congress of Deputies during which Princess Eleanor, who celebrated her 18th birthday on Tuesday, swore to “guard and ensure compliance with the constitution, respect the rights of citizens and autonomous communities and remain faithful to the King.” Then, from the hands of her father, King Philip VI, she received the highest civilian state decoration established in the 18th century – the Order of Charles III.
Princess EleanorSERGIO PEREZ/EPA
The ceremony was attended by, apart from royal familyapproximately half a thousand deputies of the Cortes Generales, representatives of the government headed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, 14 regional prime ministers, as well as Chief of Staff of the Army Teodoro Esteban Lopez Calderon, President of the Congress of Deputies Francina Armengol and President of the Senate Pedro Rollan.
King Philip VI of Spain and his daughter – Princess EleonoraCHEMA MOYA/EPA
The retired king was missing
Representatives of the anti-monarchist 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 Aragones from Catalonia and Inigo Urkullu from the Basque Country.
King emeritus Juan Carlos I, the father of Philip VI, was not invited to state ceremonies due to numerous scandals, as a result of which he abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son. However, King Juan Carlos I took part 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 she started a three-year military course. If she ascends 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 commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Without having much real power, it symbolizes the unity and permanence of Spain.
Main photo source: SERGIO PEREZ/EPA