There are hours left for Leonor to swear in the Constitution. It will be this Tuesday, October 31, the date on which she turns 18, in a solemn and joint session that will take place in the Congress of Deputies before the Cortes. This is the guide so as not to miss the most momentous ceremony of the Princess’s life. The schedule, the event and the attendees. Who goes and who doesn’t go to the swearing-in?
We start with the schedule: the institutional ceremony consists of three parts in two scenarios: at 11:00 the swearing in of the Magna Carta will take place in the Palace of the Cortes; At 1:30 p.m., we will see the imposition of the Order of Charles III in the Royal Palace and at 2:00 p.m. the Kings and their daughters will offer a meal to the authorities, which will be served in the gala dining room of the Madrid palace. In the afternoon, Leonor will gather her Borbón-Rocasolano family at a private party that has been prepared at the El Pardo palace. This family event will be attended by the emeritus kings, Juan Carlos I and Doña Sofía, who are the two major absentees at the Congress event.
This transcendental ceremony in the life of Leonor symbolizes the permanence of the Head of State and the fullness of her institutional role as successor of Felipe VI. The event will take place following this staircase.
The arrival: the Lions Gate with the gala canopy
Kings Felipe VI and Letizia and their daughters will arrive at Congress at 11:00 in the morning. They will be escorted by the Royal Guard squad. The Honors Battalion will be made up of companies from the Army, Navy, Air and Civil Guard. The Royal Family will be received by the acting President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Chief of the Defense Staff (JEMAD), Teodoro Esteban López Calderón.
The Lions Gate will be opened, which is only enabled for large ceremonies. The door will show off the impressive gala canopy of 132 meters and more than 200 kilos that was made by the Royal Tapestry Factory in 1902. Under the gigantic canopy, the President of the Congress of Deputies, Francina Armengol, will receive the Kings and their daughters. ; and the president of the Senate, Pedro Rollán. They will access the Queen’s lobby, where they will meet the president of the Constitutional Court, Cándido Conde Pumpido, and the General Council of the Judiciary, member Vicente Guilarte. From there they will go to the ephemeral tribune that has been installed in the Hemicycle for this occasion.
The session starts with the tribune dressed in red
The session will begin with Armengol, who will urge deputies and senators to stand up and ask the Princess of Asturias to take the oath as required by the Spanish Constitution. We will hear the Princess pronounce the same formula as her father in 1986: “I swear to faithfully carry out my duties, to keep and ensure that the Constitution and the laws are kept and to respect the rights of citizens and the autonomous communities and fidelity to the King.” Immediately afterwards, Leonor will be decorated with the medals of each of the chambers. Afterwards, the heiress will sign the second edition of the Congress Book of Honor.
Who attends the swearing-in and who does not?
Neither Don Juan Carlos nor Doña Sofía will go to Congress. Nor to the event at the Royal Palace. In addition to the authorities already mentioned, the Government ministers will attend, except the ministers of Unidas Podemos, Irene Montero, head of Equality; and Ione Belarra, from Social Rights. Representatives of nationalist and independence parliamentary groups have also refused to attend: ERC, Junts, EH Bildu, PNV and BNG, partners of the PSOE to form the Government. Of the regional presidents, they all go, except Pere Aragonés, from Catalonia; and Íñigo Urkullu, from the Basque Country.
Heading to the palace: Charles III’s necklace and lunch
The second part of the celebrations moves to the Royal Palace. Leonor will receive from her father, Felipe VI, the Collar of the Order of Carlos III, before the highest powers of the State. Sánchez will speak and the Princess of Asturias will give a speech. It will be the first time we see the eldest daughter of the Kings speak in public at the Royal Palace. Afterwards, a lunch will be served, attended by the authorities. As an end to the party, the princess will bring together her parents, her sister, four grandparents, aunts and cousins at a private family event at the El Pardo Palace.
Madrid looks festive on the route that has been drawn between the Palace of the Cortes and the Royal Palace. You can follow the event on the giant television screens on the façade of the Real Casa de Correos, headquarters of the Community of Madrid in Puerta del Sol. You can also follow it in the Callao cinemas. Flags will be distributed in the streets of the center of the capital. The image of the Princess has been installed along the avenues. Next to her portrait, the coat of arms on the blue background, the color of the Princess of Asturias’ script.