Princess Leonor begins four-year political science degree at Carlos III University of Madrid

First day at the Getafe campus

Princess Leonor arrived at the Getafe campus of Carlos III University of Madrid at 8:50 on Monday morning to begin her four-year degree in Political Science. The heir to the Spanish throne walked into the Adolfo Posada building, which accommodates the Faculty of Social and Legal Sciences, dressed in dark wide-leg jeans, a white short-sleeved blouse, and white Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 sneakers. She was received at the entrance by university rector Ángel Arias, Vice Rector for Students Pilar Otero, and faculty dean Antonio Descalzo González. When reporters assembled outside the building asked how she felt about entering university, she answered that she began the journey with great enthusiasm. University officials noted that more than 4,000 new students enrolled across the institution for the academic year.

Academic curriculum and initial lectures

The Princess of Asturias joined an ordinary cohort of approximately 40 classmates for her introductory sessions under the supervision of degree director Gema García Albacete. Her first academic lecture was Theory of Law, taught by Professor Rafael de Asís Roig, a disciple of Gregorio Peces-Barba, the founding rector of Carlos III University of Madrid and one of the drafters of the 1978 Spanish Constitution. Following a 14-minute interval, the class attended a practical session on Social Science Research Methodology led by Professor Carlos Santiago Caballero. The morning concluded with a 90-minute lecture on Fundamentals of Political Science conducted by political analyst and professor Pablo Simón Cosano, which brought together students from both the Political Science and International Studies degree tracks. Leonor departed the university grounds shortly after 14:00 at the end of her scheduled timetable.

University calendar and institutional obligations

The curriculum at the Faculty of Social and Legal Sciences covers law, economics, sociology, history, and institutional relations alongside political theory. Teaching in the first four-month semester runs until 11 December 2026, preceded by campus welcome events on 8 September featuring sports, chess matches, and music performances. Students will take their initial round of semester examinations between 16 December and 22 December 2026, before resuming testing from 11 January to 25 January 2027 following the winter holiday break. Casa Real announced that Leonor will balance her full academic attendance with official duties as heir to the throne, scheduling royal engagements around lectures whenever possible. University authorities confirmed that standard institutional regulations apply to her studies, including campus security measures and the general classroom prohibition on mobile phone usage.

Transition from military education

Leonor enters public university two months after completing three consecutive years of officer instruction across all branches of the Spanish Armed Forces. Her military training began at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza with the Army, continued at the Naval Military Academy in Marín with the Navy, and concluded on 10 July 2026 at the General Air and Space Academy in San Javier. Before entering military service, she obtained her International Baccalaureate diploma at UWC Atlantic College in Wales, which enabled her early admission into the Carlos III University program. Her father, King Felipe VI, previously completed a law degree at the Autonomous University of Madrid before pursuing further studies. The four-year Political Science degree at Carlos III University is scheduled to conclude in 2030.