Princess Leonor Honored in Galicia | Adoptive Daughter of Marín Ceremony

Princess of Asturias, Princess Leonor of Spain, has been awarded the title of Adoptive Daughter of Marine, granted by the Reentown Council in recognition of the historic bond between the town and the Spanish royal family, especially since Marine is home to the Spanish Naval Academy. Upon her arrival at Reentown Hall, accompanied by the President of the Regional Government of Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, and the Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration, Elma Saiz, she was received by Mayor Maria Pilar Romayo, who presented her with the staff of office of the Town Council. Princess Leonor then greeted members of the Municipal Corporation and proceeded to the Plenary Hall, where the ceremony began. Following the reading of the resolution granting her the title, the Mayor presented her Royal Highness with the official attributes of the honor, a scroll, and a medal in a case. Afterward, Leonor visited the Mayor's office, where she signed the Golden Book of the Marine Town Hall with a personal dedication and posed for photographs with the local officials. As she exited, welcomed by hundreds of local residents, Leonor received a special gift, the composition The Young Midshipman, written especially for her by the Naval Academy Band. The last time this title was granted was on December 16, 1986, when His Majesty the King, then Prince of Asturias, received it during his own naval training. Princess Leonor is the first person to receive this recognition since then, becoming the first ever adoptive daughter in the town's history. After six months aboard the training ship Juan Sebastián del Cano and a brief stay on the frigate Blas de Lezo, Princess Leonor arrived on Sunday at the Naval Academy in Marine, Ponte Vedra, where this Wednesday, the official commissioning ceremony for new Navy officers will take place. During the ceremony, Leonor will also be awarded the Grand Cross of Naval Merit. However, the princess will not receive her official commission until she completes her military training in all three branches of the armed forces. Upon completing her studies at the Air Force Academy, she will then receive the appropriate ranks in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. On Monday, Princess Leonor began her day in Santiago de Compostela, where she was greeted by a bagpipe band. She received the Gold Medal of Galicia from President Alfonso Rueda, who emphasized that the award is a symbol of the affection and recognition the people of Galicia have for the heir to the throne. Rueda also used the occasion to contrast Galicia's governance with that of other regions, stating that the Xunta wanted to acknowledge Leonor's presence in Galicia, the historic relationship between the royal house and the region, and the sincere affection the majority of Galicians feel for both the princess and the crown. Notably, the mayor of Santiago, Goretti San Martín, BNG, did not attend the event. Her party argued that Princess Leonor had not earned any merit in Galicia to justify the honor. Interestingly, her office is located in the same building as the Xunta's headquarters, where the ceremony took place. Wearing the Gold Medal of Galicia around her neck on a blue ribbon and bearing the Galician coat of arms, also in blue, over her white naval uniform, Princess Leonor began her speech with particularly resonant words, especially relevant in today's political climate regarding immigration. She made a heartfelt reference to Galician emigrants, saying, I have met again with my comrades-in-arms in the Juan Sebastián Elcano, after weeks aboard the Fragata Blas de Lezo, and we have returned together to Galician lands. In this land of emigrants, I have remembered all the Galicians who had to leave their homes to seek a better life. When crossing the Panama Canal, in whose construction thousands of them worked, or when arriving in Brazil or Uruguay, I have thought of those compatriots from Galicia and other places in Spain who, in difficult times, arrived in many countries in America. In some, the Spaniards were called Galicians. They still do. Their mark there is deep and fertile. In Galicia, the old Finisterrae was reached, and from its coasts, the Galicians have embraced the confines of the earth. And today, with its millenary history and its compost soul, in this land that once sent so many emigrants, I have remembered all the Galicians who had to leave their homes in search of a better life. While crossing the Panama Canal, whose construction involved thousands of them, or upon arriving in Brazil or Uruguay, I thought of those compatriots from Galicia and other parts of Spain who, in difficult times, reached many countries in the Americas. In some of those places, Spaniards were called Galegos. They still are. Their legacy there is deep and fruitful. Reflecting on her time in the Navy, midshipman Bourbon also emphasized the values of honor, courage, discipline, and loyalty that define our Naval Academy. I also refer to the academic rigor and the excellent training and instruction I have received alongside my fellow cadets. She fondly recalled the 75 midshipmen with whom she shared her voyage on the Juan Sebastián de Elcano. Princess Leonor concluded her speech with a moving sentiment. There's very little time left before we part ways, but I won't feel any moriña, because I always want to return to Galicia. Or, as I heard when entering the Ferrol estuary, here is my home where the sea ends. Dressed in the same midshipman's uniform she wore during her training and voyage, Princess Leonor walked across Santiago de Compostela's Plaza del Obradoro to receive the Gold Medal of Galicia, a gesture that highlights her strong ties to the region during her time with the Spanish Navy.