Full October diary for Princess Leonor

OCTOBER continues to be a busy month for Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne.

On October 7 and 8 the Princess of Asturias, now at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, was seen in two public ceremonies with her fellow cadets for the first time.

She then accompanied her parents King Felipe and Queen Letizia at the annual Armed Forces parade in Madrid and later at the official reception in the Palacio Real October 12, Spain’s National Day,.

October 20 saw Leonor preside the annual Princess of Asturias awards.  Held in Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, these prizes go to persons, entities or organisations who make a notable contribution to the arts, sciences, humanities, public affairs and cooperation.

“I wish to thank all our Laureates, including those who have left us,” the Princess said at the start of the ceremony. “To thank them for the light they cast on the challenges and complexity of the world in which we live, and for making the Awards that bear my name encourage us to responsibly tread a shared, hopeful path, without eluding the task at hand.”

Meryl Streep, whose name was probably the most familiar to Spain’s national and international population won the 2023 Arts prize.

Japanese author Haruki Murakami, received the Literature prize, while the Scientific and Technical Research award went to the US biologists Jeffrey Gordon, Peter Greenberg and Bonnie Bassler.

Eliud Kipchoge (Sport), Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (International Cooperation) and the Scottish charity Mary’s Meals (Concord) were also recipients of the €50,000 cash prize and a Juan Miro statuette.

Helene Carrere d’Encausse (Social Sciences) and the Italian author and philosopher Nuccio Ordine (Communication and humanities) who died earlier this year were represented by relatives.

State broadcaster RTVE, which transmitted the ceremony lived enjoyed its biggest audience since 2010, with an average of 1,265,000 viewers and a 15. 7 per cent market share on La 1 channel and Canal 24 Horas.

October 31, when she celebrates her 18th birthday and comes of age, will be the next big day for Princess Leonor as she swears her loyalty to Spain’s Constitution at a plenary session of parliament and the senate.