Spain's Princess Leonor: Military Training Cost or Propaganda?

The Bourbon Flight: Security Investment or Propaganda Expense?

Seeing the King and the Princess of Asturias pilot a fighter jet together over Murcia has cinematic resonance. But keeping the heir in all three branches of the armed forces for three years—including six months aboard the Juan Sebastián Elcano climbing the mast—does not come free. What return does Spain get from this elite military training?

Three Years of Training, For What Purpose?

Princess Leonor has completed a program that other European heirs finish in one to six months. Supporters argue that as future Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, firsthand knowledge of the military is crucial: it creates bonds with commanders that no republican president could have. They cite the 23-F coup attempt, when King Juan Carlos called generals who had been his classmates. Critics, however, see a disproportionate cost for a symbolic role. "If there's a war, does the girl fly out with her father in the jet?" some joke. And if both die in an accident, the successor would be Froilán, they point out.

The Cost of Image: From Carriage to Jet

Some argue the monarchy tries to sell itself as modern and close, but in practice only generates more republicanism, even among right-wing voters. Every flight, every event, is paid by the taxpayer. Meanwhile, the domestic aerospace industry loses steam: the historic C-101 trainer jet—a national design and manufacture—has been replaced by a foreign turboprop. "We went from the C-101, a nationally designed and manufactured advanced trainer jet, to a foreign turboprop," laments an enthusiast.

The Security Paradox

Pro: The princess rubs shoulders with the military elite, something an elected president never achieves. Con: In the era of drones, does it make sense for a head of state to know how to pilot a fighter jet? "Wars are fought with drones now," they remind us. The underlying debate is not whether Leonor can fly, but whether this image deployment compensates for institutional wear and public spending.

With the data on the table, the question remains open: State formation or pure posturing?