While the world often focuses on Princess Leonor’s military training, multilingual speeches, and royal duties, a quieter but equally important aspect of her preparation for the throne has been her growing commitment to humanitarian causes. As the heir to the Spanish crown, the 20-year-old Princess of Asturias is learning that true leadership extends beyond ceremonial roles—it requires genuine compassion for the most vulnerable members of society. From welcoming refugees to supporting disaster victims and promoting social inclusion through her royal foundation, Leonor is steadily carving a path as a future monarch who understands that a crown’s greatest weight is the responsibility to help those in need. Her actions, though often conducted away from the spotlight, reveal a young woman being shaped not just as a future head of state, but as a future servant of her people.
One of the most touching demonstrations of Princess Leonor’s compassion came just before Easter in 2022, when she joined her parents, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and her sister Infanta Sofía on a visit to a reception center for Ukrainian refugees in Pozuelo de Alarcón, a Madrid suburb . The facility was sheltering families who had fled the Russian invasion, and the royals took time to meet with refugees and hear their stories. In a particularly poignant moment, Queen Letizia and Princess Leonor sat down with children at the center, who showed them their drawings . For Leonor, who was then completing her International Baccalaureate at UWC Atlantic College in Wales, this visit represented one of her first major public engagements focused specifically on aiding the poor and displaced. The Spanish royal family had been among the first to support Ukrainian refugees, and Leonor’s presence underscored her commitment to carrying that humanitarian tradition forward .
The Princess’s dedication to helping the less fortunate extends beyond refugees to those suffering from neglected diseases in the world’s poorest regions. Through the Princess of Asturias Foundation, which she serves as honorary president, Leonor has supported organizations working to alleviate suffering among the world’s most forgotten populations. In 2023, the foundation awarded its International Cooperation Prize to the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a non-profit organization that develops treatments for diseases linked to poverty and underdevelopment . These diseases—including river blindness, sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis—afflict one in five people worldwide, with five hundred million of them being children . By honoring such organizations, Leonor helps draw global attention to the poor who are often invisible to the developed world, using her platform to amplify their struggles and support those working to save them.
When disaster struck Spain itself in late 2024, Princess Leonor demonstrated that her concern for the vulnerable hits close to home. Devastating floods known as the DANA (an isolated depression at high levels) ravaged the Valencia region, claiming lives and displacing thousands. While Leonor was in Marín undergoing her naval training, she remained deeply concerned about the catastrophe. According to sources close to the Royal Household, the Princess was “pendiente y preocupada”—watching and worried—as she followed the news of her parents’ tense visit to Paiporta, where they were met with mud-throwing and anger from frustrated residents . She reportedly called her parents afterward to check on their well-being, showing that beneath her royal composure beats the heart of a daughter who cares deeply about her family and her country .
The Princess’s commitment to Valencia did not end with private concern. Just before Christmas 2024, King Felipe and Queen Letizia made a surprise, unannounced visit to the flood-stricken village of Catarroja near Valencia, and this time, they brought Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía with them . The visit, which had not appeared on the Royal Household’s official diary, caught local residents by surprise. The family walked through the village’s market—one of the most affected areas but also among the first to reopen—and stopped to support local businesses. The owner of a local restaurant told the newspaper Levante: “It was unexpected, it took us all by surprise. They seemed very approachable, taking pictures with everyone for more than half an hour” . For the grieving residents of Catarroja, the presence of Spain’s future queen brought comfort that they had not been forgotten.
Princess Leonor’s sister, Infanta Sofía, also demonstrated the family’s solidarity with the DANA victims, highlighting how the values of compassion are shared by both royal daughters. While Sofía was studying at UWC Atlantic College in Wales, she and her Spanish classmates took action to help those affected by the floods. According to sources, the Infanta helped share links and information on social media directing people to where they could make donations, and she also made a financial contribution—described as “minimum, but very significant” . The solidarity did not stop there: in July 2025, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía met with young volunteers who had participated in the “Muévete por Valencia” (Move for Valencia) intervention plan, a program launched by the Princess of Girona Foundation to support young people affected by the DANA . The meeting took place during a visit to Sant Martí Vell in Girona, where the princesses learned about the volunteers’ work and expressed their gratitude for their service to the community .
The Princess of Asturias Foundation, which Leonor presides over as honorary president, has embedded poverty alleviation and social inclusion into its core mission. The foundation’s annual report highlights its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including “No Poverty,” “Zero Hunger,” “Good Health and Well-Being,” and “Reduced Inequalities” . Through programs like the “Incorpora” initiative in collaboration with the “la Caixa” Banking Foundation, the Princess of Asturias Foundation works to integrate people at risk of social exclusion into the job market . The foundation also promotes universal accessibility for people with disabilities, providing sign language interpreters and audio induction loops at its events, and making adapted vehicles available for those with reduced mobility . While Leonor has not yet taken full operational control of the foundation, her role as its figurehead signals her future priorities as queen.
As Princess Leonor continues her military training—she completed her first solo flight in a Pilatus PC-21 in December 2025 and is expected to graduate from air force academy in June 2026—her humanitarian education proceeds in parallel. Her experiences visiting refugees, meeting disaster volunteers, and supporting the work of organizations fighting poverty are shaping her into a different kind of monarch. She is learning that the most powerful speech is often a quiet act of kindness, and that a future queen’s most important duty is to remember those whom society has forgotten. In a world where royal families are often criticized as out of touch, Princess Leonor is proving that compassion is not just a royal virtue—it is the very foundation of legitimate leadership.