Can 'Pop Princess' Leonor save Spain's royal family?

King Felipe's daughter yesterday sealed her place as Spain's next queen. And after years of scandal, the monarchy needs her popularity to secure its future

- Graham Keeley

With mounted royal guards wearing purple plumes, the pageantry in Spain resembled a coronation. It was a sign of the popularity of Princess Leonor, who yesterday sealed her place as the country’s future queen.

As flag-waving crowds filled Madrid and millions watched on television, she swore loyalty to the constitution on her 18th birthday.

The completion of the parliamentary formality means she will be the next head of state if her father King Felipe VI of Spain falls ill, abdicates or dies.

Can Princess Leonor help rescue the Spanish royal family?

Spain was gripped by “Leonormania” as the princess’s face stared out from banners across the capital, special coins were made to mark the occasion and free cake emblazoned with the red and gold of the Spanish flag was handed out to royal watchers.

But the young princess has a big challenge on her hands. After years of the royal family being beset by scandal, can she restore its image and win over a sceptical public?

Barring revolution, Princess Leonor will one day become the first queen of Spain for more than 150 years, since her fourth great-grandmother Queen Isabella, who ruled between 1833 and 1868. She will be only the second queen in the history of unified Spain.

There is no doubt the royal household hopes the millennial princess – dubbed the “Pop Princess” by sections of the media – will reinforce the place of the monarchy in a nation that in 1931 voted to rid Spain of its kings and queens.

The Spanish House of Bourbon was reimposed on Spaniards by the late General Francisco Franco when the dictator nominated former king Juan Carlos as his successor.