The youngest member of Spain's royal family made a rare public appearance this week when little Princess Leonor took part in a traditional ceremony that dates back hundreds of years.
Crown Prince Felipe and his wife Letizia were both beaming with pride as their bundle of joy was presented to a religious icon known as the Virgin of Atocha, a central figure in Spain's Catholic Church, on Wednesday afternoon.
With a slightly bemused look on her face, the eight-month-old baby, who was dressed in a special white robe, seemed a little unsure of what to make of all the fuss. The significance of the moment was not lost on her mother and father, though, who were both smiling from ear to ear throughout the event.
Felipe is unlikely to remember the day when he, as an infant, took part in an identical ceremony in the capital's Virgin of Atocha Basilica, but just like his sisters, the Infantas Elena and Cristina, the future king also fulfilled the age-old rite.
Wednesday was in fact the second time Leonor had met the Virgin, as her family also staged a private, unofficial event shortly after her birth last year. The tradition dates back to 1643, when Felipe VI declared Our Lady of Atocha the family's official protector, though the icon was linked to the household as long ago as the 11th century, when King Alfonso VI was likewise offered into her care.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
