Princess Leonor faces tomorrow Monday one of the key stages both in her training as a future queen and in her personal life. She will go to university, like any student, with the objective of earning a degree in Political Science on the Getafe campus of the Carlos III University of Madrid.
As her father King Felipe did before—he studied Law at the Autonomous University—the heir’s oldest daughter has chosen a public university to study and, as expected, the anticipation is at its peak. Everything is ready for the long-awaited arrival of the princess and for a first day at university with press presence included and with a media buzz difficult to manage.
After three years of military training, first with the Army in Zaragoza, then at the Naval Military School in Marín in Pontevedra, and finally at the Air General Academy in San Javier, in Murcia; Leonor is changing scenery. A promising chapter begins in Madrid and, from the Royal Household as well as from the university, the intention is that the princess can develop it as a regular student.
Policy on Electronic Devices for the Entire University
To this end, a protocol has been established that seeks a balance between normalcy and safety. The university, for its part, has reminded professors that the university has for years rules that allow teachers to limit that risk without the need to approve a protocol specifically for Leonor.
In addition, the student good-practice guide, approved by the Governing Council on November 29, 2012 and which Carlos III currently maintains among its student regulations, states that upon entering class all electronic devices must be turned off, unless the professor allows the use of some of them, such as computers and, of course, mobile phones, which are prohibited.
A regulation for all the center’s students that fits perfectly with the measures prepared from the Royal Household. Leonor’s presence should not disrupt the normal development of classes and the pursuit of normality is the main objective of the public institution which, for example, prohibits access to the press invited for tomorrow. The media will only be allowed to photograph the princess up to the building to safeguard her privacy, but also that of the rest of the students.
A Thoroughly Planned Security Protocol
The will of the Royal Household is that the heir can enjoy a scholarly experience as normal as possible; however, her status as future head of state makes it impossible to do without a protection detail. The security services in charge of safeguarding her have been working on the ground for months, analyzing the Getafe campus to know how to proceed.
Unlike her military training, which took place on a fortified premises, Leonor will be at a public campus, surrounded by more peers her age and with a freedom very different from her inner life. Therefore, it is required that the security work carried out remains invisible to the students.
For this, the most likely scenario is that the heiress will have two bodyguards dressed in civilian clothes in comfortable attire, and they will try to be young so as to blend in with the surroundings as well as possible. They want to prevent security from becoming a barrier to Leonor’s social development with her classmates.
Indeed, some students have already shown excitement at the possibility of sharing a desk with the future Queen of Spain. Social media has been buzzing for months, there has been talk of including her in the class’s WhatsApp group, and the royal presence on campus does not go unnoticed.
There is even a bus stop shelter, located on the perpendicular street where Leonor will attend classes, which has been decorated with a large golden crown, four smaller ones on its sides, and the bench has been clad in blue velvet with gold moldings. And in addition to a large full-length mirror, it bears the following message: “Welcome to the uni, Princess.”
