King Felipe and Queen Letizia at the 2023 Princess of Asturias Awards on October 20.Photo:Samuel de Roman/Getty
Samuel de Roman/Getty
Queen LetiziaandKing Felipeof Spain just revisited a memorable moment in their relationship.
On Friday, the King and Queen of Spain attended the 2023 Princess of Asturias Awards ceremony at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo, where they recreated a handshake they exchanged 20 years ago at the same event.
As the story goes, on Oct. 24, 2003, then-Prince Felipe went behind the scenes of the awards (which were then known as the Prince of Asturias Awards, reflective of his title at the time) to thank the media crew that covered the event. Felipe, who was then the heir to the Spanish throne, shook hands with Televisión Española journalist Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, who reported on the awards.
According to fan blogCouture and Royals, not even Letizia’s colleagues knew she had been secretly dating the royal for months! Just a few days later, on Nov. 1, 2003, the couple announced their engagement from the gardens of El Pardo Palace and went on to tie the knot on May 2, 2004, in a classic royal wedding at Almudena Cathedral in Madrid.
Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano shakes hands with Prince Felipe of Spain at the Prince of Asturias Awards in 2003.Television Espanola/Getty
Television Espanola/Getty
Felipe and Letizia went on to welcome daughters Princess Leonor, 17, and Princess Sofia, 16, who joined them at the Princess of Asturias awards ceremony on Friday. The event brought the family together — including Felipe’s mother, Queen Sofia — and the princesses home from school. Princess Leonor iscurrently trainingat the General Military Academy of Zaragoza for three years of study with the Spanish armed forces, following the traditional path for the heir to the throne, while Princess Sofia is enrolled atUWC Atlantic Collegein Wales in the same two-year International Baccalaureate program that Leonor completed in the spring.
The Spanish royal family at the 2023 Princess of Asturias Awards.MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty
MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP via Getty
“I want to give thanks to all of the recipients for making the awards that have my name inspire us and pushing us to work for a hopeful future, one where we work hard and put importance on responsibility,” Leonor said on stage,Hola!reported.
Meryl Streep receives the Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts from Princess Leonor at the 2023 Princess of Asturias Awards.Carlos Alvarez/Getty
Carlos Alvarez/Getty
Elsewhere in the address, the princess said it will be an “honor” to take a constitutional oath when she turns 18 on Oct. 31.
“I very well understand and am aware of what my duty is and what my responsibilities entail,” Leonor added, according to theDaily Mail.
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Princess Leonor of Spain, King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the delivery of Royal offices of employment at the General Military Academy on July 7.Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images
Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images
Princess Leonor will be Spain’s first queen regnant since Queen Isabella II (who reigned from 1833 to 1868) when sheaccedes one day, and with it, the responsibility of serving as supreme commander of the Spanish armed forces.
The Royal Household of Spainannounced in Marchthat Princess Leonor would begin three years of military training after graduating from UWC Atlantic College in Wales. Courtierssaidthe princess would start her studies at the General Military Academy of Zaragoza and train as a Lady Cadet for the 2023-2024 academic year, before moving to train with other branches.
source: people.com
