A ski surprise from Spain's royals

A new royal tradition as Felipe takes his family ski-ing

(photo TVE still)

For years, Spain's royals got the winter sport season started with a ski trip complete with photo call. In the last few years, there's been no snowy snap fest and no on expected one. So there was surprise all round at the weekend when King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their two daughters turned up in snow suits, helmets and skis ready for some action shots on the slopes. Yes, Spain's annual royal ski trip seems to be back on.

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The royal foursome headed to Jaca in Aragon for a weekend away - Leonor, now 11, and 9 year old Sofia are back at school so this was a brief winter break.

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The night before, the family had been spotted in a hotel in Jaca where they posed for photos after enjoying a meal together. The following day, they headed to the ski slopes of Astun where they posed for photographers before heading off to enjoy the snow.

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It's the first time that Princess Leonor and the Infanta Sofia have been seen ski-ing although they clearly have experience as both girls showed confidence navigating the slopes.

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King Felipe has been spotted enjoying ski-ing breaks in the past few years but always without his family. This snowy holiday marks a return to the slopes for Spain's Royal Family. It will also increase expectations that Leonor and Sofia may join their cousins in learning to sail when they head to Mallorca this summer - Spain's royals have long enjoyed the sport.

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King Felipe and Queen Letizia have had a busy start to 2017 - they were back at work the day after their ski-ing trip. The sight of them on the slopes with their daughters underlines the focus on Felipe, Letizia, Leonor and Sofia as the future of a royal house which has faced plenty of uphill challenges in recent years.