London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Mar 29, 2026

Spanish princess Leonor graduates from UWC Atlantic College in Wales

Spanish princess Leonor graduates from UWC Atlantic College in Wales

The kings of Spain and the Netherlands have visited Wales to attend their daughters' graduation ceremony.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain were at Atlantic College in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, with their daughter Infanta Sofía.

Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne, began her £67,000 two-year course at the boarding school in 2021.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands attended to see Princess Alexia graduate.

Atlantic College has around 4,500 students and has a history of attracting overseas royals.

Spain's Princess Leonor de Borbon, 17, is the eldest of the royal couple's two daughters.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (R) sat next to King Felipe VI of Spain at the ceremony on Saturday


The Spanish royal couple personally paid for the tuition fees and their daughter applied for a place through the United World Colleges' (UWC) Spanish committee.

The Dutch royal house posted a picture of the king and queen with Princess Alexia, also 17, with her graduation certificate outside the college.

Executive director of UWC International, Jens Waltermann, previously said the heir to the Spanish throne was joining "4,500 other students from 155 countries, and from a diverse range of backgrounds, who will be studying at one of our 18 schools".

King Willem-Alexander also studied at Atlantic College, where he gained an International Baccalaureate in 1985


What is Atlantic College?


Atlantic College is a residential sixth form college for 15 to 19 year olds.

The college also teaches the International Baccalaureate combined with co-curricular community service activities to around 350 of its students.

Founded in 1962, the estate near Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan includes the 12th Century St Donat's Castle and was once the former home of American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.

Atlantic College is located at St Donat's Castle in the Vale of Glamorgan


Queen Noor of Jordan is college president and one of her daughters graduated from the institution.

The college has also welcomed famous visitors in the past, including the late Queen Elizabeth II, the former Prince of Wales and the Emperor of Japan.

In 2013, the college once again gained the world's attention when two Pakistani teenagers shot by the Taliban while travelling with their friend Malala Yousafzai - now a Nobel Prize laureate - were given scholarships to study there.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Thousands Rally in London to Oppose Rise of Far-Right Movements
Hong Kong Official Rejects Allegations of Surveillance Orders Targeting UK-Based Dissidents
PayPal Expands Cryptocurrency Services to Allow UK Users to Buy and Sell Bitcoin
UK Minister Challenges Reform Party’s ‘Pro-Family’ Agenda as Debate Intensifies
Concerns Grow Over Meningitis Risk Among UK Students Amid Warning Signs of New Outbreaks
Japanese Grand Prix 2026: Schedule, UK Start Times and Full Broadcast Details
Electric Vehicles Seen as Strategic Solution to UK Fuel Reserve Concerns
Rise of Lone-Actor Threats and Online Radicalisation Drives New Wave of Antisemitic Attacks in the UK
Canada Advances Plan to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations in Election Campaigns
UK Faces Looming Medicine Shortages as Iran Conflict Threatens Supply Chains
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in the U.K. Highlights Urgent Need for Vaccination
Fresh Claims Emerge Over Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit as Insider Speaks Out
NATO Assessment Indicates UK Defence Spending Has Fallen Below Alliance Average
FTSE 100 Slips as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Investor Sentiment
UK Economy Begins to Feel Early Impact of Iran Conflict as Policy Challenges Intensify
Russian National Jailed in UK After Assault Case Linked to Barron Trump’s Alert
Energy Price Surge Accelerates Shift Away from Fossil Fuels in UK Homes
UK Museums House More Than 260,000 Human Remains, New Report Reveals
Surging UK Gilt Yields Reflect Inflation Pressures and Fiscal Uncertainty
UK Issues Updated Guidance on Children’s Screen Time with Focus on Balance and Wellbeing
UK Migration Figures Show Shifting Trends Across Asylum, Visas and Channel Crossings
UK Watchdog Launches Probe into Five Firms Over Alleged Fake Reviews and Ratings
Jaguar Land Rover Halts Production at UK Plant Amid Supplier Disruption
UK Police Reverse Position, Confirm Arrests Will Resume for Palestine Action Protests
UK Small Businesses Face Europe’s Steepest Cost Pressures, New Survey Reveals
US Envoy Urges UK to Proceed with King’s Visit Amid Diplomatic Sensitivities
FTSE 100 Drops Over One Percent as Middle East Tensions Weigh on Markets
UK CO2 Plant Set to Reopen as Authorities Move to Safeguard Supplies Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Urges Stronger Defence Investment as He Questions Allied Naval Capabilities
New COVID Variant Detected in UK Raises Concerns Over Vaccine Effectiveness
FTSE Russell Moves to Standardise Free-Float Rules for UK and International Listings
HBO Max Launches in UK and Ireland, Marking Major Step in Global Streaming Expansion
UK Signals Readiness to Seize Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Vessels in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Escalating Middle East Conflict Seen as Major Threat to UK Economic Stability
Early Challenges Mark Prince Harry and Meghan’s Australia Visit
UK Government Rejects Cover-Up Claims After Theft of Former PM Aide’s Phone
Cyprus Opens Strategic Talks with UK Over Sovereign Base Areas
UK Faces Risk of Sharp Inflation Surge Despite Stable Pre-Crisis Figures
UK Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Antisemitic Arson as Iran Link Investigated
UK Inflation Holds at Three Percent Ahead of Oil Price Shock from Iran Conflict
UK Fuel Prices Face Upward Pressure as Global Oil Trends Raise Cost Outlook
Girlguiding UK Sets September Deadline for Membership Policy Change Affecting Trans Participants
Germany and UK Accelerate Wind Power Expansion to Strengthen Energy Security
UK Moves to Ban Cryptocurrency Donations to Political Parties Over Foreign Influence Concerns
UK and Turkey Finalise Major Air Defence Agreement Worth Billions
Apple Introduces Mandatory Age Verification for iPhone Users in the UK
Diverging Views Emerge Over Meghan Markle’s Planned Australia Appearance
Trump Signals Frustration with UK Leadership Amid Diverging Approaches to Iran Conflict
UK Government Takes Control of Hunterston B as Landmark Nuclear Decommissioning Begins
UK Public Inflation Expectations Jump Sharply in March, Raising Pressure on Bank of England
×