Dear Readers,

I will be pausing the blog from 30th Jan 2018 while I cover the Cambridge's royal visit to Sweden and Norway for Kate's Closet.  I unfortunately will not have time to post on this blog during the 4 day tour.  Furthermore I will be on vacation from 2nd Feb. I we do catch up posts when I return in mid February.

​- Elizabeth xo

The King and Queen of Spain hosted the annual Diplomatic Corps reception at the Royal Palace of Madrid today. ​

Their Majesties greeted foreign diplomats and ambassadors as they arrived in the palace's Throne Room.

As she has done in the past for this gala event, Queen Letizia opted for a sartorial repeat. She first wore this black and white Felipe Varela ensemble at the Pascua Militar in 2016.

Peeking under the the floor-length embroidered skirt were her black LODI patent pumps.

Letizia wore her hair loose and smoothed behind her ears, showcasing her elegant diamond and pearl drop earrings.  These have been in her possession for well over a decade and I believe it is the first time she has worn them since becoming the Queen of Spain.  The design is very similar to her bezel set diamonds and Australian pearl earrings.

Below is a gallery of Letizia's past looks at the annual reception:

King Felipe VI of Spain who turned 50 today presented his eldest daughter Leonor, Princess of Asturias with her Order of the Golden Fleece at an official ceremony at Madrid’s Royal Palace.  

Leonor was granted the order on 30 October 2015 – the day before her 10th birthday by His Majesty. The young princess is the 201st Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece and the first to be granted the honour under the reign of her father.  According to El País, King Felipe awarded Leonor the Order for “reasons of tradition and continuity and the desire to institutionalise the figure of the Princess of Asturias as heiress of the Crown.”

Queen Letizia looked regal in red for this historic reception.

The Felipe Varela ensemble is a repeat from the State Visit to Japan in 2017. She also wore it in November last year at the World Cancer Leaders Summit.

Like in the past, Letizia opted for a monochrome look and accessorized with tonal red pieces. They included her Felipe Varela suede flap clutch bag and LODI 'Sara' ombre patent pumps.

She finished the outfit with her​ Gold & Roses Double Dagger Earrings (€2,125).

The royal siblings looked stylish sporting timeless blue and pink dresses by Carolina Herrera for the occasion.

There are so many fabulous photos from today's special event which you can check out on Zimbio.  Furthermore, we were treated to a series of candid photos of the Spanish royal family which were released to mark King Felipe's 50th birthday. You can see the full collection on the Casa Real website. 

The Queen of Spain welcomed audiences at the Palace of Zarzuela today for her first hearings of 2018.

Queen Letizia looked business chic in a pair of beige cropped trousers teamed with a soft white pintuck blouse.

The pants are the Hugo Boss 'Alantia' Wool Trousers (€199) from the German brand's Fall/Winter 2017/18 collection. The high-waist trousers feature a self-tie belt and four besom pockets.

Here's a closer look at silky billow sleeve blouse. It's origin is unknown.

On her feet she wore her camel Hugo Boss block-heel pumps.

Letizia accessoried the ensemble with her Atelier Swarovski Kalix Double Stud Pierced Earrings which we first saw in July 2016 for the Spanish Olympic team send-off at Madrid airport.

On Friday, Queen Letizia joined her husband King Felipe on a tour of the Joma Sports headquarters. Joma is a Spanish sports clothing manufacturer based in the ancient city of Toledo. The royal couple were there to mark the 50th anniversary of the company.

Her Majesty stepped out in a familiar Hugo Boss ensemble which we first saw in November 2016 during the State Visit to Portugal (photo shown on the right).

The coordinating set includes the BOSS 'Colorina' wool-blend striped coat and BOSS 'Malivi' color-block wool blend skirt. The coat is still available in limited sizes and discounted by 75% at Nordstrom Rack!

Letizia again teamed it with her Hugo Boss 'Luxury Staple C' Leather clutch bag and camel vintage-inspired block heels also by the German brand.

There were however a couple subtle differences between today's outfit and the one Letizia wore in Portugal. Her sweater today had a mock-neck compared to the crew neckline worn previously. We can assume the mock-neck top is also by Hugo Boss given that the colour of the sweaters is identical. 

We believe it may be the Hugo Boss 'Foebe' knit wool top (US$185) from the BOSS line. The style is now reduced down to $55.50 at Saks Fifth Avenue!

Rounding off her perfectly coordinated look were a new pair of drop earrings featuring coloured stones. 

They are by Spanish jewellery brand Lisi Fracchia. The stud is a Spanish sphalerite stone - a rare gem from the Aliva Mine in the north of Spain. The drop includes three green garnets and an opal. The earrings are an exclusive design for Her Majesty however below is a similar style on the company's website.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia opened the 38th edition of the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) in Madrid today. The 5 day event will bring together more than 9,000 companies from 165 countries with 200,000 visitors.

Their Majesties toured the halls and met with some of the exhibitors of the fair. ​

Sartorially speaking, Letizia usually plays it safe for this annual event, however last year she upped the style stakes and sported a new chic contemporary look.  This year it was back to her usual polished look for the business fair.

Letizia teamed her Hugo Boss 'Jadabia' color block short coat with a new white blouse.

It is the BOSS 'Benisa' Piped Blouse featuring pajama-inspired piping and a chest pocket. This elegant button-down is tailored from fluid Japanese crepe. Originally retailing for US$375 it has been marked down at these leading retailers: Hugo Boss ($183.99), Saks Fifth Avenue ($168.75), Nordstrom ($224.98).

The highlight of the ensemble was on her feet! 

Her Majesty added a touch of 'punk' to the look with a new pair of Uterque studded high heel court shoes (£120.00 - sold out).  The pumps are made from sheepskin leather and feature gold studs and crossed straps with pearl bead details. The have buckled ankle straps for fastening, caprine leather lining and insoles, and finished with a 5cm kitten heel. The design is inspired by Gucci's 'Unia' pumps.

Letizia finished the look with her gold Mango horn shaped earrings, complementing the style of her shoes.

King Felipe VI was honoured by The Victim of Terrorism Foundation today for his strong support for victims of terrorism and their families.  Queen Letizia joined her husband on stage as he was presented with the "Adolfo Suárez Defense of Human Rights" award.

For the occasion, the Spanish queen wore her Carolina Herrera Prince Of Wales Floral Cutout Dress. 

She debuted the shift dress at the International Congress on Women and Disability last March and repeated it again in May for the Red Cross & Red Crescent World Day ceremony.

Today Queen Letizia styled it for a winter-appropriate look, teaming it with black sheer stockings and her black Carolina Herrera suede pointed toe pumps.

Like in the past, she complemented the subtle pink floral accents on the dress with her blush Magrit patent leather envelope clutch bag and Yanes flower blossom stud earrings.

Taking cue from the first occasion she wore the dress, Letizia wrapped up in her black Hugo Boss 'Cegina' coat when she arrived at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía for the event.

Queen Letizia attended a board meeting with Fundéu BBVA today at their headquarters in Spain's capital.

The Fundéu BBVA (Fundéu being an acronym for Foundation of Emerging Spanish) is a non-profit organization founded in February 2005 in Madrid with an objective to maintain the unity and “purity” of the Spanish language.

Queen Letizia looked all business in her grey structured pant suit by Hugo Boss. The sleek set consists of the BOSS 'Jadela' Stretch Virgin Wool Asymmetrical Blazer and BOSS 'Tiluna' Stretch Virgin Wool Dress Pants.  The blazer is currently discounted by 60% at Saks Off Fifth.

The suit was first worn in February 2017 for the Forum Against Cancer meeting in Madrid, ​and again last November at a board meeting with the ​National Library of Spain. Each time Letizia has changed up the accessories.

Today the Spanish queen teamed the set with her black Hugo Boss 'Fanila' clutch and a new pair of black booties.

They are the Hugo Boss 'Lula' ankle boots. This model by BOSS combines a black woven leather upper with shiny patent leather. It is finished with a 9 cm stiletto heel. Retailing for £339 the booties are now discounted to only £109 at Brand Alley.

For her arrival and exit from the building, Queen Letizia rugged up in a black trench-style wool coat. The new piece is reportedly by Hugo Boss but I have been unable to locate it in their stock catalogue.  The single-breasted coat features epaulettes, gun flaps, buckle cuff details and is finished with a belted waist.  I'll update the post if we ever find the model.

Letizia completed the ensemble with her Gold & Roses Double Dagger Earrings (€2,125) made of white gold and diamonds.

The King & Queen of Spain undertook their first public engagement of the New Year today. ​

Their Majesties where joined by King Felipe's father and mother for the traditional celebration of the Pascua Militar, which is deeply rooted in the Spanish military and dates back to 1782 during the reign of Carlos III. The ceremony is held annually on the day of Epiphany at the Royal Palace of Madrid.

As tradition dedicates, Queen Letizia wore a long dress. It is customary for royal women to wear a full length gown to the Pascua Militar ceremony. Below is an image gallery of Letizia's previous ensembles:

Letizia has only ever trusted Felipe Varela to outfit her for this special occasion. Today she opted for a luxurious midnight blue velvet gown by the Spanish designer. The straight silhouette is cinched in at the waist with a matching belt.  Other features include a Peter Pan collar, front jewel buttons, peasant sleeves, and tonal embroidered floral detail on the skirt.

Here's a look at the back of the gown.

She harmonized the dress with tonal blue accessories which included her Felipe Varela clutch bag and a new pair of Lodi 'Rami' pumps (€130.00) in dark blue velvet.

Letizia wore her hair up in a beautiful chignon and finished the elagant look with her Bvlgari aquamarine teardrop earrings.

Casa Real released a photo today to mark the 80th Birthday of King Juan Carlos. The Spanish royal family gathered for lunch at the Palace of Zarzuela to celebrate the occasion.

Queen Letizia wore a grey striped blouson dress featuring a high neck with tie. I am currently out of town and haven't had a chance to identify the piece. ​She teamed the dress with her red Magrit 'Francesca' suede boots which she debuted a couple of weeks ago at her final engagement of 2017.

ID UPDATE (19 JAN 2018)

The mystery of Letizia's dress has been solved and it's origin is not what I expected! Nuria Tiburcio from Vanitatis magazine reports that the dress is vintage and originally belonged to Letizia's mother-in-law, Queen Sofia!  The article includes an exclusive photo showing Queen Sofia wearing the dress on 22 November 1984 when she was only 46. Click here to see the photo.

The young princesses wore dresses by Spanish childrenswear brand Nanos.