The 'Princess Effect' in the Armed Forces: Analysis of Media Visibility with Google Trends

Abstract

Princess Leonor has garnered significant media interest since her birth. Her popularity has been driven by both traditional and digital media, especially upon reaching adulthood, that coincides with the beginning of her military training. News about the princess is abundant and diverse, covering almost all her official and unofficial engagements. In particular, her current military training is especially appealing from a media perspective, not only due to its institutional significance as the future Queen of Spain and supreme commander of the Armed Forces but also because of the novel image of a military princess. This study examines whether the media relevance of Princess Leonor’s incorporation into the army influences the visibility of an institution as traditional as the Spanish Armed Forces. The methodology is based on data analysis using the Google Trends tool from January 2023 to July 2024. The results show a positive correlation between search trends for the term ‘Princess Leonor’ and those related to the Armed Forces. In other words, when interest in the princess rises, searches for military-related terms also increase. This correlation is particularly significant during her military training period. Thus, the initial hypothesis is confirmed through the so-called ‘Princess Effect’, which we define as the visibility gained by the Armed Forces due to the media impact generated by Princess Leonor’s military training on her path to becoming Captain General of the Armed Forces.