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European RoyalsFashionSpain

Queen Letizia: Our fashion favourites

King Felipe, Queen Letizia

With a penchant for making the high street look high-priced, it’s no wonder Spain’s Queen Letizia makes headlines for her fashion so often. Whether she’s in Zara, a ballgown, or her trusty espadrilles, Letizia always brings out her fashion A-game. Let’s take a look at some of our favourites from the Spanish queen:

Kristin Contino, Chief Reporter

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One of my recent favourite looks of Letizia’s is the white-and-pink floral dress she wore on a visit to Benidorm. The full-skirted style by Adolfo Domínguez first made an appearance during the royal family’s annual summer photocall last year, and I thought it was the perfect choice for those pictures.

The nipped-in waist and full skirt really flatter Letizia, and it’s such a pretty, feminine summer dress that could be worn for a wide range of occasions. It also looks great with her signature espadrilles (in Benidorm, she paired the style with the Macarena ‘Alba6’ suede espadrilles).

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In terms of eveningwear, a standout for me is the lovely greyish purple Felipe Varela tulle gown she wore for the pre-wedding dinner in 2011 when Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot. With its full skirt and embroidered floral detail, this strapless style was such a gorgeous choice for a special night and I was thrilled to see Queen Letizia wear the dress again in 2019 for a gala dinner in honour of the President of Peru and First Lady’s visit to Spain.

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My third pick is her green floral-print Maje dress, worn recently in Palma, Majorca. Queen Letizia debuted their casual ‘Rayema’ dress last year on an engagement at the International School of Music, and it was an instant favourite of mine. The handkerchief hem makes it floaty and light for summer, even with long sleeves. She’s worn it with both Carolina Herrera slingback heels and – you guessed it – espadrilles, but I think I prefer an espadrille with this relaxed floral look.

Brittani Barger, Deputy Editor

I was going to pick the pink and white Adolfo Domínguez dress Queen Letizia recently re-wore, but since Kristin already wrote about it, I’ve chosen three other outfits. My first choice is the deep red, strapless dress by Roberto Torretta that she wore on 13 July to the dinner to honour journalists in Madrid. It was the ABC International Journalism Awards’ 100th anniversary, and Letizia stunned.

The Queen paired it with a pair of black Manolo Blahnik pumps, Bottega Veneta black clutch and gold signature ring by Karen Hallam. The asymmetrical top of the dress brought attention to Letizia’s very toned arms (that we can all be envious of!), and the red colour really stood out and looked lovely with her skin tone.

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I also really liked the outfit that she wore to the ‘Fandango Avenue’ premiere with her family in Madrid back in June. The Queen wore a black, knit sleeveless top by Hugo Boss, gold pleated Massimo Dutti skirt, and black Macarena wedges. She also wore a pair of gold hoop earrings by Bimba y Lola and carried a black Carolina Herrera crossbody bag. What I really liked about this outfit is that it is something anyone can wear. It’s a cute summer look that is perfect to go see a movie with your family.

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At the beginning of June, King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited the CAR Sports Center in Madrid after it had been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For this visit, the Queen wore a white pantsuit by Carolina Herrera with a nude and white polka dot Mango tank top. She also wore her Mint & Rose wedges. The entire outfit was so sleek, and the wide-leg pants were perfect for hot summer weather.

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Lydia Starbuck, News Editor

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This is one of Letizia’s first major style hits and for me, it’s still the best. The red Lorenzo Caprile evening gown she wore to the marriage of Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson in Copenhagen in May 2004, just days before her own wedding to the then Prince Felipe, is the ultimate in royal glamour. The Art Deco feel of the full length, fitted dress is set off to perfection by the waved updo and the Thirties style diamond and ruby clips loaned by her future mother-in-law, Queen Sofía. Letizia looked so good here she almost upstaged the bride.

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This is one of Letizia’s best-known looks of the past few years, and I can see why she keeps returning to it. This star of this style pick is the floral embellished skirt from Carolina Herrera although I really love the navy silk blouse she always pairs this with – for me, this is a perfect example of modern royal dressing with enough glamour to stand out but relaxed enough to avoid being stuffy. This outfit has had at least six outings since its debut in 2015 but the best of them has to be the State Visit to London when Queen Letizia added sandals by Magrit and some stunning turquoise earrings, again on loan from Queen Sofía.

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Queen Letizia is a fan of trouser suits by day while jumpsuits are a big part of her evening wardrobe and my favourite of these has to be the Pedro del Hierro navy creation she chose for the start of the Teatro Real’s new season in September 2018. The palazzo pant styling and one-shouldered cape add all the flow and interest while the matching Nina Ricci shoes keep the colours simple to let the shaping do the talking. This is another knockout example of how Queen Letizia brings royal dressing into the 21st century – effortlessly glamourous yet fresh and modern at the same time.

Jess Ilse, Editorial Assistant

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I love how rock and roll Queen Letizia looks here in these black leather pants, black shirt and hot pink patterned coat. Toss in the black pumps and handbag, and she looks like she’s going to a concert. It’s such a departure from what you’d normally associate with a queen’s wardrobe, but she pulls it off effortlessly. Queen Letizia wore this on two separate occasions: at the 13th International Seminar of Language and Journalism at the Monastery of Yuso in May 2018 (pictured) and at a charity event.

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I have to admit that I’m not normally a fan of Queen Letizia’s evening gowns, but this stunning red Felipe Valera gown that she wore at the State Banquet during her State Visit to the United Kingdom in July 2017 is such a dramatic colour and silhouette that she easily steals the show. Add the drama of the Fleur-de-Lys tiara, and this makes one of my favourite looks.

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I always love funky patterns and bold colours, so I was also immediately drawn to this floral print Carolina Herrera dress (pictured here with Prince Charles at the opening of the Sorolla: Spanish Master of Light at The National Gallery in London in March 2019) for its hint of orange and the play of deep blue and green playing off of each other. I also love the fit and flare silhouette, which compliments Queen Letizia so well, and the length of the sleeves.

About author

Kristin was Chief Reporter for Royal Central until 2022 and has been following the British royal family for more than 30 years. Kristin has appeared in UK and U.S. media outlets discussing the British royals including BBC Breakfast, BBC World News, Sky News, the Associated Press, TIME, The Washington Post, and many others.