From over here, it often feels like Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia are doing modern royalty the way it should be done. They aren’t disappearing for months at a time, they’re seen working and attending events constantly, they work with charities and patronages which they care about deeply and they’ve raised two kind princesses. I’ve seen a lot about how the Spanish people aren’t crazy about the Spanish royal family, so maybe that’s the difference – a deeply critical press has kept Felipe and Letizia on their toes this whole time.
This year, Letizia and Felipe celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, and Felipe celebrated ten years on the Spanish throne, following his father’s scandal-ridden abdication. To mark the occasions, Letizia and Felipe posed separately (!!) for Annie Leibovitz, in portraits which have been published by Vogue Espana. I could tell that these photos were taken by Leibovitz (derogatory). In the past ten years or so, Annie has lost the ability to properly light her subjects. The portraits were taken in the Royal Palace’s Gasparini Hall. These are the first formal portraits taken of Felipe & Letizia since 2020.
Fashion notes: Letizia wore an archival gown by Cristóbal Balenciaga and she paired it with Queen Ena’s Diamond Riviere necklace and diamond drop earrings. I’ve seen some criticism and comments that Letizia looks like she’s on the cover of a romance novel. I agree – it’s giving soap opera more than anything. It’s definitely weird that Letizia and Felipe didn’t pose together, right?
Photos courtesy of Vogue Spain, Backgrid.