HEADS were turned at Carlos III University near Madrid on Monday morning as the heir presumptive to the Spanish throne, Leonor, Princess of Asturias, walked onto campus for the first day of her degree.
Princess Leonor, 20, arrived alongside thousands of new students shortly before 9am at the university’s Getafe campus, just south of Madrid, to begin a four-year programme in political science.
She opted for a casual look to mark the occasion, sporting a white button-down shirt and denim jeans with a black shoulder bag as she was greeted by Angel Arias, the rector, and other senior university officials.
Hordes of the press were there to record her arrival, alongside hundreds of awe-struck students and parents who quickly took out their phones to capture the moment.
“You never see the campus like this, waiting for a student to arrive, but I see her as just another student,” Hugo Perez, a 22-year-old student, told Spanish magazine HOLA.
“I think it’s an honour to share the campus, friendships and classes – I love that she’s one of us,” added Iciar Romero, a business administration student.
Despite her profile, the palace and university have agreed that Leonor will be treated just like any other student – as far as possible.
READ MORE: IN PICS: Spain’s Princess Leonor graduates from Naval Academy
She joined around 40 other undergraduates on her course and began university life with a lesson in legal theory.
Her father, King Felipe VI, also studied at a public university but his degree was tailored around his position as heir to the throne.
Leonor starts her undergraduate degree aged 20 – an older age than most freshers, who are typically aged 18 – because she has just completed three years of military training.
She served with the army, air force and navy, with the course set to prepare her for a future role as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Her official graduation will take place next summer, when she will receive her commissions as lieutenant in the army and air force and ensign in the navy.
Prior to her military training, Leonor attended UWC Atlantic College, a prestigious 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.
Last year, Leonor’s younger sister, the Infanta Sofia, graduated from UWC Atlantic, after completing the same two-year international baccalaureate course.
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