Ben Pawlowski
SPAIN’S Royal Family were beaming with pride over the weekend as the Infanta Sofia, the youngest daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, graduated from a prestigious British boarding school.
The king and queen of Spain were in attendance for Sofia’s international baccalaureate graduation ceremony at UWC Atlantic College, an independent boarding school in south Wales famed for educating foreign royalty.
Based in the grounds of a 12th-century castle in the Vale of Glamorgan, the so-called ‘Hogwarts for hippies’ has become a firm favourite with the Spanish royals.
Leonor, the Crown Princess of Spain, attended UWC Atlantic for two years before graduating in the summer of 2023.
Leonor, 19, was unable to attend the ceremony as she continues to complete three years of military training with the Zaragoza military academy, following in the footsteps of her father.
However, she shared a video call with her younger sister following the ceremony.
She also recorded a video message offering her congratulations from the Spanish navy training ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano.
The royals posted a series of photos from the event, including a video of the moment Sofia received her certificate.
At the ceremony, Sofia’s tutor told the crowd: “Sofia’s journey has been marked by her perseverance and remarkable personal growth; she has gone from being an empathetic and affectionate listener by nature to being an accredited ‘supportive companion’. A true friend in difficult times…we will miss Sofia’s warmth and vibrant spirit very much.”
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UWC Atlantic College was founded in 1962 by Kurt Hahn, a German educationalist, as a practical response to the search for new and peaceful solutions in a post-war world riven by political, racial and economic divisions.
Notable alumni include King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium and Princess Raiyah bint Hussein of Jordan.
The Royal Family paid a total of €74,000 to cover Sofia’s two-year period of schooling.
