Here are some photos from Day 2 of the Spanish royals’ state visit to Great Britain. Yesterday was a busy day for Queen Letizia, with multiple costume changes and a great appearance at the state dinner at the palace, where she wore a rather stunning evening gown. Letizia wears red so well, it’s a wonder she doesn’t wear red all day, every day. Like, she could make it her signature color (like Duchess Kate has done with blue). Anyway, these are photos from King Felipe and Letizia’s trip to Westminster Abbey. They were escorted by Prince Harry, because why not? I feel like Queen Elizabeth is eager to bring Harry into the fold more often and give him more official responsibilities.
For this appearance, Letizia wore a blouse by Felipe Varela and a floral skirt by Carolina Herrera. According to the internet, Letizia’s skirt is a repeat – she’s worn this skirt no fewer than four other times for public appearances. Whenever I do pay attention to Queen Letizia, I’m always pleased by how often she wears separates and pieces that can be easily dressed up or down. You can tell she likes clothes and likes to look appropriate for the occasion or event, and her default look is more streamlined and professional. I feel like this floral skirt is a nod to Britain and their flower-centric style. Here are a few more notes about the visit:
During their visit today they also viewed the tomb of Eleanor of Castile, the Spanish princess who married England’s Edward I in the thirteenth century and a distant ancestor of the Felipe, 49.
Yesterday, the couple were formally greeted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on Horse Guards Parade, marking the beginning of Philip’s last state visit before he retires from public duties in the autumn. The couple – parents to 11-year-old Leonor, Princess of Asturias and 10-year-old Infanta Sofía of Spain – then enjoyed a private lunch with the royal family at Buckingham Palace. During the lunchtime reception, Felipe VI became what is known as a ‘Stranger Knight’ or ‘Extra Knight Companion’ of the prestigious Order of the Garter.
Buckingham Palace said the last foreign royal to be invested as a Knight of the Garter was King Harald V of Norway in 2001. The decision demonstrates the cordial nature of the royals’ relations with their Spanish counterparts.
King Felipe was made a Knight of the Garter! Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cambridge still doesn’t have any honors. Ha. Why couldn’t Letizia have been made a Stranger Dame of the Garter?? I wish I had an honor which made me a Stranger Dame.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I love the skirt. It’s elegant, with a feel of summer to it.
yes very elegant but not overly formal, I could see myself wearing this outfit with a cute pair of flats to the office.
Plus the sassy shoes complete the outfit!
Yes she looks fantastic!! Modern and elegantly put together. I love that it’s separates rather than a dress.
The skirt makes me want to lose weight! I could wear it when I was skinnier but forgot how good it can look.
She looks gorgeous and elegant.
The young British royals look scruffier by the minute next to Spanish royals.
I agree!!!!
That is very cute! Love the skirt and shoes.
She looks great. Not sure I’d ever buy the skirt, but she put it together really well. And those earrings pop the color of the skirt.
And her shoe game? Awesome. Love those.
Lovely…great shoes!!!
1) Letizia looks lovely and elegant.
2) Kate needs to take notes. I’m not saying that in a “Kate vs Letizia” kind of way but more that we have often said that Kate just doesn’t quite know how to dress. She overdresses for some occasions, underdresses for others, the few times we have seen her in separates she ends up looking juvenile (thinking of that tweed skirt, the main exception being that great BR skirt). In general I just think she struggles with dressing as a royal. I know Spain is very different from GB and Letizia is the queen, so she isn’t answering to her husband’s grandmother, but STILL. This outfit is elegant and lovely and conservative, and there is nothing stopping Kate from wearing something similar. But she would probably pair that skirt with thick tights and a high neck top or something. The button down with the cuffed sleeves looks chic but professional. This is the kind of look Kate should go for and she just cant seem to get there.
Hi Becks,
I think the fact that most of the other royal women worked in professional fields before marriage has helped them when deciding what to wear for various work-style engagements, Kate never worked so has no idea what is appropriate or not.
I don’t agree with the argument that she “never worked in a professional setting” and so she’s clueless. If you have eyes and pay attention you can look around and figure out what’s appropriate. She just has bad style but is arrogant enough to think that she doesn’t need a stylist.
+1000
I totally agree. Never worked and don’t care now she has a ring – disgraceful the very low bar for Kannot and Billnot the “Throne Idle”!
Potential King Henry (and Meghan) put both to shame anytime.
Letizia has a solid working wardrobe, flexible, and functional. I wish she’d add in a few more pantsuits, as she looks great in those.
That’s a good point, Harla Jodet. Kate Middleton has no idea of how to dress, how to act, or what constitutes a working week as she has never worked. That’s why she needs to pay attention to Palace advisors, not the 20-something Yes Girls she has around her. Look at what her colleagues (other royals) wear, ask Sophie for advice.
agreed nota. If Kate doesn’t know whats appropriate because she never worked (although I don’t fully buy that excuse) she has people she can ask. She can hire a stylist, look to other royals for inspiration, etc. I’m not unsympathetic to her because I think Kate and I default to similar, basic styles and I struggle trying to branch out and to look more put together or to finish an outfit, etc. But I don’t have the resources she has, both financial and other.
i agree. Also, Kate does not have a shoe game. That would already improve basically 90 % of her outfits.
Clearly it doesn’t come naturally to her, so I don’t think “taking note” is the way to go. She just needs to hire someone who actually knows what they’re doing. Not a lady in her 20’s or early 30’s who dresses exactly like Kate… someone in their 40’s or 50’s, perhaps, with experience styling aristocrats or working in fashion.
I love it, shoes and all!
I love her shoes. I wish Kate was half as bold with her shoe game. She’d probably have paired this outfit with some nude pumps.
Is it just me at does Queen Letizia looks a lot likt Mariska Hargitay
I was just thinking that! She looks very appropriately dressed. Heels like that give me the heeby-jeebies though! I guess not everyone has arthritis …,.
Elegance in simplicity. That’s all there is to it and that’s all there should be. No big jewelries, no super expensive clothes, no big hats. A recycled outfit. But she manages to look chic and poised. It’s all in that posture and bearing. Letizia has charm and gravitas. You can’t buy that.
True perfection here!
+1
Re: “King Felipe was made a Knight of the Garter! Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cambridge still doesn’t have any honors.” – Let’s hope HM remain steadfast until EARNED by waity Kannot!
I agree Maiden!! With Letiza’s posture and bearing, she would fabulous in a potato sack. Every time I see photos of her I’m inspired to work on my posture, so much computer work tends to make one slouchy but seeing her my back straightens, my shoulders float back and my chin raises, thanks Leti!!
I think it is fun how she’s always rolling up her sleeves. Maybe this is one of her ticks (we all have them)? Most of the time, her jacket sleeves or blouse sleeves are rolled up to this length. She has started (finally) getting thing tailored to the almost 5/6 not 3/4 length. When they went on a State Visit to Morocco, she wore a gorgeous beaded skirt with a simple white button-down blouse. The sleeves were tailored to her favorite length.
I love seeing Letizia news. I think she always looks classy. I love her style.
She looks insanely gorgeous and elegant, Take notes Kate. Lots of them.
;0) Tons of notes this one will need to take ! Kannot speak, dress, manage a pregnancy without Hg drama – kiddies/ household – the middletons spent a decade chasing!!
Spanish Qn shoe is how waity donothing showed in that new black, at the Museum greet – and copying Qn Leticia farewell skirt.
Awww Kaiser, you’ll always be a “Stranger Dame” to me!!! I’m sure no one deserves it more than you! 🙂
She is so lovely & yes, the shoes are killer.
Beautiful skirt. Does anyone know if the belt came with it or if Letizia added it herself? It’s perfect. It also works better on Letizia because of her petite frame, IMO. Kate being taller is another reason she likely wouldn’t pull it off so flawlessly.
Elegance doesn’t depend on being tall or short or just the right height. It comes from picking clothing that suits you and the occasion, acting appropriately, and carrying yourself well.
Kate Middleton isn’t taller. Letizia is probably 5’5″ or 5’6″. The same height as KM.
I’m pretty sure Kate is taller than Letizia – she registers as tall, despite her terrible posture and lack of presence (I’d say around 5’7″ at the very least).
Letizia is a walking advertisement for good posture, she looks great.
Look for the rare photos of KM in flats next to Prince William. She’s 5’5″ or 5’6″. KM regularly wears shoes with 5-6 inch heels plus platform.
I agree – maybe same!
KM pretend she is tall but she is as the other half of pipa – short legged, leathered look.
Letizia looks short because her husband is 6ft 6in or taller.
She looks good. It’s a nice outfit which seems appropriate for the occasion. Her hair, shoes and jewellery all compliment her clothes perfectly. The shoes are great but my feet are sore just looking at them. I admire how she seems to be able to walk about in such high heels and still look poised.
Hmm..Why do we have to admire someone for walking over in high heels???
Love the outfit, but I would have gone for a block heel shoe for stability.
The joke over at Go Fug Yourself is that Letizia and Felipe always look like they’re wondering if they’ve left the stove on at home. That last picture of Felipe is definitely a moment of realization.
She looks a bit and sometimes dresses like Queen Rania. Both women have a natural elegance.
I listened to Felipe’s speech yesterday in the Commons. He is very articulate and his English is excellent. I heard him speak in French a few years ago and again, flawless.
I have heard Wilie try to speak French. No comment.
he grew up speaking English in the royal household. It’s what his mother spoke to him, and apparently he speaks it to his daughters as well.
He also attended Lakefield College in Ontario and Georgetown University in Washington DC. He seems to be fluent in several languages. Waity can barely manage English.
Didn’t Juan-Carlos admit that English was the only language he and Sophia had in common? He said something about how English wasn’t the best language for romance.
😉
She looks incredible. LOVE The shoes!
No offence to Harry but why is the fifth in line escorting a King&Queen in a state visit?
I heard Andrew will be next. Harry and Andrew!! Why? The Queen may say she’s too old for this, but then Charles should do it and if not it’s William’s turn. Seriously i find it so strange that Lazy Bill it left out of all this. Did he throw a tantrum or what?
Actually there’s been some discussion about this in some royal forums about the “snub” that the British royals have given the King and Queen of Spain. Yes, the State dinner last night was fabulous but the rest of the visit doesn’t seem so. The Queen will not accompany King Felipe to any other events, nor would Charles and Camilla. Harry, Anne, and Andrew would entertain the Spanish monarchs instead. Which is odd from the Windsors considering they have never been treated this way when they visited other countries. They’ve always been welcomed by the most senior royals. If Charles couldn’t make it, why not William and kate? They have no activities planned during the visit and this visit had been planned for more than a year. They should have accommodated the Spanish royals better.
Charles and Camilla had an event with them yesterday. The visit hasn’t been planned for more than a year; it kept being moved and then plunked here on the calendar.
QM, Charles, and William have engagements today. Harry has an engagement meeting Dunkirk veterans along with the premiere of the film. They had things already on the schedule, but had to put the much-moved Spanish visit somewhere.
W&K not doing anything with them on this visit is the one that is questionable to me. If Harry (#5) and Andrew (#6) can, then #2 to the throne and spouse should. We know they never bother to prepare for their visits, so it cannot be that they are preparing for the Germany and Poland visit.
Spanish King and Qn were well treated by the highest B/Royals.
They had an event with The POW and Duchess; Prince Andrew, PR Anne – and the much loved and as hardworking – and the best of the Wales son – potential King Henry, who Queen Leticia seem genuinely delighted to meet!
An elegant woman. THIS is how a “modern royal” should dress.
On the topic of orders, Harry was given a Spanish one yesterday and William/Kate got none.
Love that skirt. Have everytime shes worn it. Agree about Letizia’s seperates. She worked before becoming a royal and she’s able to being that experience into her royal life. She knows all about being a professional and how to dress for the job.
Lainey made my day – Thank you!
I always feel that she’s still got that news-anchor look about her.
I want that outfit for work.