From Leonor’s spontaneity to Felipe’s absence for love: all the anecdotes of October 12

October 12 is a marked date in the calendar of the Spanish royal family. Although this time Leonor was unable to travel to Spain, the rest of the family has been able to enjoy the day today. We remember some anecdotes from the royal family that happened on a day like today.

On October 12, 2002, then Prince Felipe took the decision not to be part of the National Day. He had a pretty tense relationship with his father at the time, as is the case now, and the reason for this distance was none other than love. Apparently mr. Juan Carlos was excited for his only son to end his courtship with Eva Sannum, and coincidentally, we didn’t see the prince in the procession that year. From Casa Real they explained that he was on an institutional trip to New York, but the trip started on October 6 and ended on the 10th of the same month, therefore Don Felipe was able to arrive in Spain on time without any problem. Finally, he attended neither the military parade nor the social reception. Love came between father and son and led to this resounding absence. Many point to Doña Letizia as the party responsible for the distance that currently exists between Don Juan Carlos and her son, it would be the second time a woman has stood between them.

The relationship between Leonor and Sofia couldn’t be better. The sisters have gotten along well since they were little, and it is inevitable that they will command some token of affection or complicit glances at public events. This year, the first time they attended the events on October 12, we saw the princess fondly caressing her sister Sofia’s hair. Because of the good rapport they maintain, the infanta wants to complete her school studies in the same center as her older sister, who leaves her alone again today on the national holiday. It is not yet known whether the infanta will end up in the same center as the firstborn as she has to pass a series of entrance exams which must be quite complicated, although the young woman is known to want to go to Wales.

Leonor, 8, and Sofía, 7, reacted to the events of such a special day with the surprise and spontaneity of every girl their age. The Heiress to the Throne couldn’t help pointing at the planes flying over the sky and showing it to his parents and his sister, who paid a lot of attention to him. Leonor and Sofía have left their childhood and we will no longer see this kind of gesture that monopolized all eyes.

Luis Fernando Pozo, of the Paratroopers Brigade (Brigac), will never be able to forget October 12, 2019. the first rope got stuck on a lamppost for several minutes as he performed the final of his maneuver. The incident caused a group of soldiers to carry the Spanish flag raised for the National Day parade. Although he had made more than 600 jumps and carried the national flag about 40 times, fate played tricks on him that day. After the parade, the kings and their daughters approached Luis to show their support. Doña Letizia stroked his right arm as he tried to comfort the first corporal, who was drinking one of the worst drinks of his professional career. The king also gave him a few words of encouragement, to which Luis replied, “Thank you, sir.”

When they were younger, Leonor and Sofía were very attentive to the passage of the legionary goat, one of the favorite moments of the daughters of the kings of Spain. Once Princess Eleanor asked very intrigued: “Daddy, what’s the goat’s name?”, to which his father replied: “Pablo”. The sisters burst out laughing at Don Felipe’s answer. A very funny moment captured by the cameras that perfectly reflected the innocence of the little ones.