Royal sisters reunite in secret meeting during break from duties

The Spanish King and Queen visiting Guadalupe
Instagram: @Casareal.es
Marcus Donaldson

By Marcus Donaldson


Published: 06/07/2025

- 11:19

Princess Leonor is currently undergoing a three-year tour with all three branches of Spain's armed forces

Spain's Princess Leonor has held a private reunion with her younger sister, Infanta Sofia, in the northern city of Gijón during her naval training duties.

The 19 and 18-year-old daughters of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are the first and second in line to the Spanish throne


The meeting was seemingly kept secret by the Spanish royal family, with no official documentation on their social media channels.

Royal blogger Javier Lopez revealed the encounter after a photograph of the sisters with an elderly woman surfaced on social media.

Princess leonor Infanta Sofia

Princess leonor Infanta Sofia have reunited amid the future Spanish Queen's naval service

GETTY

Lopez wrote on X: "Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía reunite in Gijón after the arrival of the Juan Sebastián Elcano. The sisters dined at the Casona de Jovellanos, the only trace of this reunion, as @CasaReal has not documented it on any of its social media."

The photograph showed the 19-year-old heir to the Spanish throne still dressed in her naval uniform, whilst Sofia appeared relaxed in a white shirt and skinny jeans.

Their close relationship has been evident since childhood, with Leonor notably holding her younger sister's hand when they began attending Santa María de los Rosales School in 2010.

Leonor is currently continuing her six-month maritime deployment aboard the training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano.

King Princess leonor, Infanta Sofia

The 19 and 18-year-old daughters of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are the first and second in line to the Spanish throne

Getty

The future queen has been undertaking intensive naval training as part of her military preparation, having already visited several South American ports during her voyage.

This marks the second family reunion for Leonor during her naval training.

In May, she met with her mother, Queen Letizia, who flew to Panama City to see her daughter.

The pair had previously seen each other in January when Leonor first began her naval duties as a midshipman.

Princess Leonor

Leonor is currently undertaking a six-month maritime deployment as part of her naval service.

Getty

During that earlier meeting, Leonor was observed running across the port to embrace her mother, with the two chatting enthusiastically after months apart.

The princess's current deployment spans six months at sea, with her vessel having already called at Peru, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay.

Her itinerary includes upcoming stops in Colombia and the Dominican Republic before concluding in New York.

Leonor's naval training forms part of her comprehensive military preparation as Spain's heir presumptive.

She has already completed a year of army training at the General Military Academy of Zaragoza.

Following her current maritime deployment, the princess will undertake her final year of military training with the Spanish air force.

This three-year programme across all branches of the armed forces is designed to prepare her for her future role as Commander-in-Chief when she eventually ascends to the throne.

The rigorous military education ensures the future queen will have first-hand experience of all three services she will one day lead.