Walter Finch
TONGUES have been set-a-wagging in the Spanish press after a ‘handsome’ 26-year-old British naval officer was selected to accompany Spain’s Princess Leonor on her naval training voyage.
Sub-Lieutenant Joseph Bertelsen, a marine biology graduate from West Sussex, will serve as part of the crew aboard the Spanish Navy’s training ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano during the Princess’s maritime training mission, which departed from Cadiz on Saturday.
The young officer, who joined the Royal Navy in 2023 after graduating from the elite Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, will act as both an English teacher to the Spanish crew and Royal Navy ambassador during the voyage.
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His appointment continues an exchange program between the British and Spanish navies that has been running since 1996.
Bertelsen’s selection was influenced by his fluent Spanish, which he acquired while backpacking through South and Central America.
“It’s a genuine privilege and honor to be selected for this exchange with the Spanish Navy aboard the Elcano – it’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” he said before boarding.
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The training mission saw an emotional farewell ceremony at Cadiz port, attended by Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, as their daughter Princess Leonor, dressed in her military uniform, embarked alongside 75 other naval cadets.
During the voyage, which will visit the Canary Islands, Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile, Bertelsen will join the crew in training the future Spanish monarch and other cadets in naval operations and navigation.
The selection of a British officer for this high-profile training mission underscores the strong maritime ties between the UK and Spain, with both nations maintaining close naval cooperation despite broader political differences.
Upon completion of the voyage, Sub-Lieutenant Bertelsen will return to continue his career in the Royal Navy, having gained valuable experience serving alongside Spain’s future queen.
The Juan Sebastian de Elcano, one of the world’s largest training tall ships, serves as a floating academy for Spanish naval cadets and regularly participates in international maritime events and training exercises.
