King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain play proud parents as they hug Infanta Sofía, 18, on her graduation day from 'hippie Hogwarts' school
The 18-year-old royal picked up her graduation certificate from UWC Atlantic College in Llantwit Major this weekend and was joined by her royal mother and father in joyful family scenes - while her sister Leonor, 19, sent a sweet video message from her naval .
While King Felipe, 57, and Queen Letizia, 52, made the journey to the Welsh county of Vale of Glamorgan, her older sister Crown Princess Leonor, 19, was not at the celebration.
At the 'Leaver's Celebration' Sofía posed for family pictures in a smart and stylish bright red, one shoulder jumpsuit while her mother wore a pillarbox red suit over a plain black top.
Felipe wore a grey double breasted suit over a white shirt which he paired with an eye-catching pink spotted tie.
In sweet photos posted on Instagram by the Royal Household, Sofía held up her diploma certificate and was embraced tightly by her proud parents.
Felipe was also spotted taking photos on his phone of Queen Letizia with her arms around their youngest daughter as the family celebrated the happy occasion.
Elsewhere, Sofía was pictured standing with her classmates as she waited to pick up her certificate, before shaking hands with her tutor to accept it.
During the ceremony to mark the completion of her International Baccalaureate studies, the graduate was showered with praise by her tutor who highlighted her personal and educational achievements, The Times reports.
He said: 'Sofía's journey has been marked by her perseverance and remarkable personal growth; she has gone from being an empathetic and affectionate listener by nature to being an accredited "supportive companion". A true friend in difficult times… we will miss Sofía's warmth and vibrant spirit very much.'
Sofía's older sister Leonor also attended so-called 'Hippie Hogwarts', dubbed so thanks to its alternative approach to education.
Future queen Leonor graduated in 2023 and is now in the second year of her three years of military training before she attends university.
The older princess is currently aboard Juan Sebastián de Elcano engaged in naval training so was unable to attend Sofía's celebration in person, although the sisters were no doubt in touch on the special day.
Leonor sent her younger sibling a sweet video message from the high seas to congratulate her sister on graduating - while also wishing her a belated happy birthday after she turned 18 on April 29.
Leonor's touching video was shared on Instagram by the Royal Household and began with her and her fellow trainees singing happy birthday to Sofía, which was on 29 April but they were unable to share the clip nearer to the date due to technical issues.
After the birthday song a montage of clips and pictures of the sisters from their childhood up until the present day were shown.
The adorable snaps showed the two sisters as young royals accompanying their parents at official engagements and also included more candid at home videos of them as toddlers.
The most recent images showed the close sisters enjoying sporting events and posing for casual mirror selfies.
At the end of the video Leonor addressed her younger sister directly on the deck of the naval boat while dressed in her uniform.
Sofía received high praise from one of her tutors as she accepted her certificate during the formal part of the ceremony
Who is UWC's founder Kurt Hahn?
Kurt Matthias Robert Martin Hahn CBE was a German educator.
He founded several schools in Germany and the UK, including Prince Charles' former boarding school Gordonstoun, and the United World Colleges.
Hahn's educational philosophy was based on respect for adolescents, whom he believed to possess an innate decency and moral sense, but who were, he believed, corrupted by society as they aged. He believed that education could prevent this corruption, if students were given opportunities for personal leadership and to see the results of their own actions. This is one reason for the focus on outdoor adventure in his philosophy.
Hahn founded the institutions as a practical response to the search for new and peaceful solutions in a post-war world riven by political, racial and economic divisions.
Hahn had been invited to address the NATO Defence College, where he saw former enemies from several nations working together towards a common goal.
With a number of colleagues Hahn realised how much more could be done to overcome the hostility of the Cold War if young people from different nations could be brought together in a similar way.
He envisaged a college for students who were already grounded in their own cultures but impressionable enough to learn from others.
Drawn from all nations, the students would be selected purely on merit and potential, regardless of race, religion, nationality and background.
In Spanish, Leonor said: 'Hi Sofía, I couldn't be there in Wales today to be with you on your graduation day, but I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate you.
'I'm so proud of you, and I'll see you back home soon to celebrate. Enjoy yourselves and lots of kisses.'
Sofía's celebration comes after two years of studying at the prestigious school which is based in the medieval St Donat's Castle, surrounded by 122 acres of woodlands and within walking distance from the ocean.
When the Spanish royal family announced that Sofía would be attending the Welsh boarding school it was noted that she would be enrolling in courses that covered 'both science and arts,' as wells taking part in more creative opportunities such as theatre, music, and sports.
In the announcement the family also confirmed that they would be covering the £68,000 fee for Sofía's two year course with their personal finaces.
The statement read: 'The cost of the international baccalaureate that the Infanta Sofía will take will also be paid in full personally by Their Majesties the King and Queen with their annual allowance.'
UWC Atlantic College was founded by German educationalist Kurt Hahn in 1962 and has been dubbed Hippie Hogwarts for it's progressive approach to education.
The school is one of 18 which make up the The United World College Movement, which according to it's website 'is a global education movement that makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.'
At the school's helm as co-presidents are The Queen and Queen Noor of Jordan so it comes as no surprise that the student cohort and it's alumni includes several other royals.
King Willem-Alexander, the King of the Netherlands, studied at the College from 1983 to 1985. His daughter Princess Alexia of the Netherlands followed in his footsteps and graduated in 2023, the same year as Leonor.
Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, the daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, enrolled at the school in 2018 but had her time at the castle cut short due to Covid-19 and was forced to continue her studies online at home.
Meanwhile Princess Raiyah of Jordan, the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and Queen Noor also attended the institution before going on to study Japanese at The University of Edinburgh.
Students at the school are housed in eight purpose-built boarding houses which accommodate roughly 48 students each.
St Donat's Castle is the main building of the College and houses the Tudor Great Hall, the Gothic Dining Hall, the Bradenstoke Hall used for assemblies and performances and an extensive 25,000-book Library.
While some teaching does take part in the castle many classes are held in modern academic blocks which were built in the 1960s-80s.
Unlike most students those at UWC only have lessons for half the day. The first class begins at 8am and teaching wraps up by lunchtime.
The school covers all the usual core subjects such as Economics, English Literature, Mathematics, History, and the Sciences but also boasts a wide range of optional courses including Design Tech, Visual Arts, Film studies, Music and Global Politics.
Alongside their studies students at Hippie Hogwarts must also undertake a minimum of two hours of community service, two hours of physical activity and a further two hours of creative activity each week.
The schools website says it seeks to 'inspire changemakers' and looks for students who 'can navigate the complexity of life and (reach) beyond easy answers.'
According to The Times Spanish media has reported that Sofía is likely to go on to attend university rather than begin military training like her sister did after completing her studies at UWC.
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