Spanish princesses sent to self-isolate after just days back at school in Madrid

HEIR to the Spanish throne, princess Leonor, has been placed in quarantine just days after returning to school.

Worries began in the royal household after Leonor’s classmate at Santa Maria de los Rosales school in Madrid was diagnosed with the COVID-19. 

Leonor was in the first days of her fourth year at the private institution when the potential outbreak was detected. 

For 14 days, the eldest daughter of King Felipe and Queen Letizia will now have to self isolate within the Zarzuela Palace and will be monitored closely for symptoms. 

The rest of Leonor’s class will also be in self isolation and will not return to the classroom for at least two weeks. 

Leonor’s younger sister princess Sofia will also be placed in self isolation as she joined Leonor at school at the end of last week. 

The girls will follow the coronavirus protocols put in place by Spain’s health organisation, according to the Spanish Royal House. 

Spanish schools have enforced a number of safeguarding measures including small bubble groups, reduced daily classes and temperature testing.

But despite these precautionary measures, 53 out of the 28,500 schools in Spain had already experienced positive cases of COVID-19 three days into term, according to Education Minister Isabel Celaa. 

Pre-coronavirus, Santa Maria de los Rosales had restrictions of its own: students are allegedly told to walk down the stairs without making any noise with their feet.