King Felipe VI returned this Saturday with Queen Letizia to the General Military Academy (AGM) of Zaragoza to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his promotion in the Army. In an emotional ceremony held in the Patio de Armas, the monarch once again swore the flag along with his colleagues from the XLIV class before the watchful eyes of the 800 cadets who are studying at this institution this year, among whom is the princess Leonor since last summer.
Felipe de Borbón swore the flag for the first time as a cadet in October 1985, at the age of 17, and repeated it after 25 years in February 2010, already with Princess Letizia in the box. With today's, it is the third time that she has kissed the banner whose shield was ordered to be woven by Queen María Cristina, widow of Alfonso three years of military training.
The event began at 11:30 in the morning in the Patio de Armas of 'La General', where the cadets were already waiting in formation, including Princess Leonor, and Don Felipe's 200 classmates. After the reception with the national anthem, honors and the firing of salutes, the king reviewed the units together with the director of the AGM, General Manuel Pérez López.
When heading to the royal box, the queen looked for the princess, who did not occupy a prominent place in the formation. As a second-year cadet lady, Leonor de Borbón has worn the same period uniform of blue jacket, red pants and feather hat that she wore at her flag swearing in on October 7.
As already happened in his 'second swearing-in' in 2010, the king went on to join his companions in the formation before kissing the national flag alone to the applause of the audience present. Then it was the monarch's 200 companions who, one by one, kissed the flag to reaffirm his commitment to Spain. Finally, the widows or relatives of the nine deceased members of the class did so.
On behalf of the group, its most senior officer, Francisco Javier Marcos, chief lieutenant general of the Military Emergency Unit (UME), has taken the floor, for whom today's 'rejuration', with the monarchs and the princess present, is “a unique event in the Academy, the monarchy and the history of Spain.”
In addition, he valued the act of kissing the national flag, a gesture “that leaves an indelible mark” with which they express “our love for the country,” and assured that the 44th promotion of the Army is “a big family.” who shares his loyalty "to the king, the defense of Spain and its constitutional values and principles."
For his part, General Manuel Pérez López highlighted the value of the monarch's promotion for his "dedication and service to Spain", an example for the cadets trained in the yard. “They are the mirror in which you must look at yourself,” he added.
As this is an internal and family event, neither the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, nor any regional or local officials have attended. For his part, Felipe VI preferred not to take a major role in the event, which is why, at the end of the event, he left the central patio without making a speech.
After the speeches, the event ended with a tribute to those who have given their lives for Spain, with the anthem 'Death is not the end', and the interpretation of the AGM anthem. Finally, a military parade of the current cadets took place along the avenue of the academic center.
With today's event, there are now three occasions on which King Felipe VI meets the Princess of Asturias at an academy event. Lady Cadet Borbón entered this institution in August, where she is completing the first of her three years of military training. A month before her entry, the princess accompanied her parents in delivering dispatches to the new lieutenants, and they met again on October 7 during the princess's swearing-in as a first-year lady cadet.
In addition, the monarch has visited his daughter on other occasions, such as when in March he attended the military maneuvers that were taking place on the training ground. In the photos then released by Casa Real, Felipe VI was seen greeting Leonor, addressing a few words to the members of his unit or accompanying them during the ranch, with the princess sitting right next to him.
