King Felipe unfazed after sailing accident nearly hits him

The monarch's participation in the regatta reflects his long-standing passion for sailing

By Web Desk
August 02, 2025
His daughter, Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne, is following closely in his footsteps
His daughter, Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne, is following closely in his footsteps

King Felipe VI of Spain had a close brush with danger while sailing aboard a Spanish naval vessel, as heavy sailing equipment narrowly missed him.

The 57-year-old monarch was preparing to take part in the prestigious Copa del Rey Mapfre sailing competition when the incident occurred.

On Thursday, around 11:30 a.m., Felipe was aboard the Aifos alongside Admiral Jaime Rodriguez Toubes and his crew when a sudden mishap unfolded.

While the King was seated and inspecting items in his backpack, unexpectedly came crashing down onto the deck-landing just crashing onto the deck-landing just inches away from him.

The dramatic moment, along with gasps of alarm from the crew, was captured in a video later published by Spanish outlet Vanitatis.

Despite the frightening close call, King Felipe remained calm and seemingly unshaken. The monarch's participation in the regatta reflects his long-standing passion for sailing.

His maritime journey began at the age of 16, when he competed aboard the Sirius IV alongside a naval officer. His daughter, Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish throne, is following closely in his footsteps.

The 19-year-old is currently undergoing a three year military training program and was recently promoted to Midshipman of 2nd grade on July 16.

Leonor later joined her father at the sailing event, although her younger sister, Infanta Sofia, 18, did not attend. Earlier this week, the royal sisters were seen at the UEFA Women's Euros final, where they watched England take on Spain.

The two princesses were joined by Prince William and Princess Charlotte as they witnessed England's victory over Spain on penalties.