Princess Leonor is a vision in bubblegum pink as she marks major solo milestone

Princess Leonor of Spain looked stunning in a pink power suit as she marked an important solo milestone on Friday. 

The future Spanish Queen, who turns 21 next week, conducted her first solo audience with the recipients of the Princess of Asturias Awards at the Covadonga Hall in the Hotel de la Reconquista in Oviedo.

She opted for a bubblegum pink suit from Spanish brand Mirto, complete with a double-breasted blazer and matching V-neck vest and heels.

"They suit her especially because she wears these colors intentionally and knows how to combine them with the right metals and cuts and silhouettes that enhance her body type," said Paula Callejo, fashion expert and editor at HELLO!'s sister magazine, HOLA!.

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Among the 2026 award winners are football player Lionel Messi, astronaut Christina Koch, and writer Patti Smith. 

Leonor, who is known to love books and is currently a student at the Carlos III University of Madrid, also chatted with novelist Julian Barnes, who won the award for literature.

Leonor reunites with her family for important event

After completing her solo audience, Leonor reunited with the rest of her family, including her parents Queen Letizia and King Felipe, her younger sister Infanta Sofia, and her grandmother, Queen Sofia.

The Spanish royal family met with award recipients, presidents of the juries, and the members of the Princess of Asturias Foundation's board of trustees, ahead of the ceremony, which takes place on Friday evening at the Campoamor Theatre.

Leonor was also joined by her younger sister, 19-year-old Infanta Sofia, who studies at the Forward College in Paris. 

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They met recipients of the 2025 End-of-Degree Awards from the University of Oviedo, welcoming fifty students who graduated the previous year. 

Princess Leonor asked the recent graduates about their future plans and readily admitted that she still has little experience as a university student.

The future Queen started her studies for a degree in political science last month, after spending three years in the army.

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The awards for 2026 kicked off on Thursday night with the annual concert at the "Principe Felipe" Conference Centre Auditorium.

Afterwards, they met members of the public, one of whom told Leonor: "You are a role model for young people."

What are the Princess of Asturias awards?

The Princess of Asturias Foundation is a private, non-profit institution seeking to promote cultural and humanistic values and consolidate the existing links between the Principality of Asturias and the title traditionally held by the heirs to the Crown of Spain. 

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Felipe VI was honorary president of the Foundation from its creation in 1980. Following his proclamation as King of Spain on June 19, 2014, Leonor, who is Princess of Asturias, holds the honorary presidency.

The awards recognise scientific, technical, cultural, social, and humanitarian work carried out by individuals, institutions, or groups of individuals or institutions internationally, and are granted in eight categories: Arts, Social Sciences, Communication and Humanities, Concord, International Cooperation, Sports, Scientific and Technical Research, and Literature. 

The Awards are presented at a solemn annual ceremony held in October at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo, considered one of the most important cultural events on the international calendar.