Queen Letizia received the Princess of Asturias, Leonor of Bourbon, on Saturday during the stop of the Spanish Navy training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano in Panama. This was the first meeting between mother and daughter since the heir to the Spanish throne began her training journey in January.
During the ship's arrival in Panama City, the queen eagerly searched for her daughter, who was in the center of the vessel greeting the other cadets. Upon docking, the princess descended and was welcomed with a warm embrace from her mother, remaining together for several minutes, smiling and hugging each other again.
Princess Leonor, along with other cadets, is training aboard the Juan Sebastián Elcano, which is making its 24th stop in Panama. This time, the visit is short, only three days, before continuing its journey through the Panama Canal on the 6th. The ship has 76 students, including Princess Leonor, who spend most of their training onboard and the rest in port.
The ship's commander, Luis Carreras-Presas do Campo, welcomed Queen Letizia, who is in Panama on an unofficial visit to coincide with her daughter during the ship’s stop. The Juan Sebastián Elcano arrived in Panama from Peru and has more stops scheduled in America before returning to Spain in July.
During their journey, the cadets participate in various events representing the Navy and Spain. The commander emphasized the importance of this experience for the training of future officers of the Spanish Navy, highlighting the significance of voyages like this over the 100 years of service of the training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano.
