The image of Princess Leonor has been, since her birth, a state project measured down to the last detail. Every gesture, every appearance, and every word are part of a carefully crafted strategy to build the figure of the future Head of State.
After a year of extreme hardship at the Zaragoza Military Academy and a demanding six-month journey aboard the training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano, the heiress is on vacation. However, behind the institutional facade, the pulse of a 19-year-old young woman who longs for normalcy beats.
The summer vacations in Mallorca have always been the thermometer that measures the temperature of the royal family. This year, Leonor's arrival was especially desired. Her first appearances, visiting the yacht club or going to the movies with her mother, Queen Letizia, and her sister, Infanta Sofía, followed the planned script. The days before her official agenda, spent in the supposed calm of Marivent Palace, seem to have hidden a secret that now unsettles Letizia Ortiz.
From military discipline to Ibiza nightlife
While the press wondered about her absence during the family's first days in Palma, it seems Princess of Asturias had other plans. According to various sources close to the island, Leonor reportedly made a discreet getaway to neighboring Ibiza, the epicenter of Mediterranean partying and luxury. A lightning-fast and undercover trip to savor a few hours of freedom far from the media spotlight.
The operation, according to leaks, was designed to go completely unnoticed. Leonor, aware that every move she makes is analyzed, reportedly resorted to a disguise typical of any other tourist: a wig and oversized sunglasses, an outfit meant to blend in with the crowds that pack the island's trendy venues.
Far from the solemnity of military events, the heiress reportedly enjoyed Ibiza's nightlife, allowing herself some indulgence that, according to rumors, included a drink or two.
The same sources indicate that, with great self-control, Leonor is fully aware of her limits and knows when to stop, switching any alcoholic beverage for energy drinks so as not to lose her composure. This is a difficult balance for a young woman under constant pressure. Other reports, possibly exaggerated, say she ended up "very tipsy" at some of those parties.
The shadow of Froilán and Letizia's concern
The choice of Ibiza is not accidental and adds a layer of complexity to the matter. The island is familiar territory for her cousin, Froilán de Marichalar, whose exploits have made countless headlines. The comparison is inevitable and, precisely for that reason, Leonor's alleged getaway generates so much tension. Queen Letizia has spent years building an image for her daughters radically different from that of her nephews.
Letizia also exaggerates if she doesn't understand that Leonor also wants to do things typical of a girl her age. This is a freedom her father, Felipe VI, and her grandfather, Juan Carlos I, had.
The emeritus, however, tried to be discreet and took advantage of summers in Estoril with his parents. During his stay in Spain, and with Franco still alive, he couldn't afford certain scandals. The ultraconservative character of the dictator—and especially that of his wife, Carmen Polo—did not encourage it.
His cousin, Alfonso de Borbón, was also a candidate for succession—Juan Carlos was not officially named as future king until 1969—and his lifestyle was more in line with the regime's values.