Spanish Royalty Arrived in Panama aboard the Training Ship Juan Sebastián Elcano and will leave via the Panama Canal on Monday

Princess Leonor de Borbón, heir to the Spanish throne, arrived in Panama Saturday May 3 aboard the training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano as part of her military training. Leonor was received by her mother, Queen Letizia, who, along with other family members, traveled from Spain to reunite with her daughter after three months of not seeing each other, following her departure in January. Since the ship was docking at the Amador Cruise Terminal, the queen couldn’t contain her joy at seeing her daughter after so long, so once on land, they both embraced in a strong hug that lasted several minutes. The Queen Consort, whose trip to Panama is private, came to meet her daughter, as did family and friends of other midshipmen traveling on the Elcano, as part of the 97th training course.

Afterwards, they began a conversation that lasted approximately 30 minutes, and joined the commander of the ship Luis Carreras – Presas do Campo, who did not want to go into details about the meeting, only limiting himself to saying that the queen did the same as all parents, take advantage of the moment to enjoy her daughter. Despite being royalty, both Princess Leonor and Queen Letizia had their time to share privately as mother and daughter. The queen could be seen excited to see her again and spend a few minutes with her. The Juan Sebastián Elcano ship will remain in the country until next Tuesday May 6, so its crew will be able to enjoy various cultural and entertainment activities during their stay.

It is unknown whether Queen Letizia will also remain in the country during this period; however, her visit could extend until today Sunday May 4. According to Commander do Campo, the princess’s life on board the ship is the same as that of any other student; she has no privileges for being royalty, since her technical and practical training is paramount. Incoming naval officers receive between five and eight hours of daily instruction on a total of 18 subjects on board. They also stand watch in various positions on the ship to acquire a comprehensive understanding of life at sea. The crew of the training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano will depart Panama for Colombia, crossing the Panama Canal.

The Queen greets the Captain of the Elcano ship and the Spanish Ambassador to Panama, His Excellency Guzmán Palacios

The Spanish Navy’s training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano pictured below, on which the Princess of Asturias, Leonor de Borbón, heir to the Spanish throne, and the other midshipmen of her class are training, is in Panama City until Monday when it will cross the Canal to continue its voyage. During a similar stopover in Panama last year, the same commander told reporters that during the nearly 100 years of Elcano’s voyages—it was built in 1927 in Cádiz and delivered to the Navy in 1928—some 23,000 sailors have sailed on this “floating embassy,” and more than 6,500 midshipmen have been trained there.