Military Training for the Heir to the Spanish Throne

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles indicated that the heir to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor (17 years old), will undergo military training for three years starting in August. Following a series of scandals mainly involving former King Juan Carlos, the Spanish royal family is seeking to improve its public image. Robles stated, "In due time, a woman will take the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and in recent years we have made significant efforts to integrate women into the armed forces." In her first year, the princess will receive training at the Army Military Academy in Zaragoza, then she will join a naval college and conclude her studies at the General Air Academy. The government and the royal family have agreed that her military training will precede her university education, following in her father's footsteps from the late 1980s.