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Royal News

Princess Leonor marks a special moment for a little village

After the pomp of the Princess of Asturias Awards in Oviedo on Friday, Princess Leonor and her family traveled to the town of Sotres to bestow upon it its own special award.

The future queen of Spain named Sotres the Exemplary Town of Asturias this year, with its citation reading: “for having conserved and promoted, in a high mountain area, a traditional activity based on extensive and sustainable livestock farming, complemented by a quality agri-food industry and tourism” and for the way the community maintains the conservation and preservation of their way of life and their environment.

Princess Leonor was joined by her parents, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, and her younger sister Infanta Sofía, on break from her schooling in Wales, for a day in Sotres.

Upon arrival, they met with representatives from the town and with those from industries at the heart of the town, like the mountaineers and the farmers.

The royals then toured an exhibition at the Escuelona – Casa del Pueblo, where they saw an exhibition on mining; and visited the Church of San Pedro de Sotres, where they met with some of the elderly residents of the town. They also toured a children’s park and the markets, visited a cheese factory and a hotel.

Finally, the Princess of Asturias attended a ceremony to present the Exemplary Town Award and gave a speech praising the way of life in the community.

The future queen said of Sotres’ residents that they should be commended for their “ability to care for traditions and to innovate” and that she recognises that it hasn’t been easy, atop a mountain, to maintain their way of life.

Princess Leonor added: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making us feel that in this beautiful corner of Asturias life shows us its best face. It is the second time that my sister and I have come to the municipality of Cabrales. And we are leaving, once again, dazzled and admired by your example. I always say it: we would like to come back and share a few days with all of you, because we have been left wanting much more. Thank you!”

About author

Jess Ilse is the Assistant Editor at Royal Central. She specialises in the British, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Royal Families and has been following royalty since Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. Jess has provided commentary for media outlets in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Jess works in communications and her debut novel THE MAJESTIC SISTERS is now available.