New official portraits of Spanish royal family

Casa Real releases new official portraits of Spanish royal family

10/2/2020

Casa Real released a series of ten new official portraits of the Spanish royal family on Monday.

In the photos dubbed "The Gala King and Queen" His Majesty King Felipe VI wore the uniform of the Capitán General del Ejército de Tierra.

Queen Letizia wore her fuchsia pink Carolina Herrera floral embroidered gown decorated with the blue and white sash of the Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III. The gown was first seen at the gala dinner celebrating the enthronement of Japanese Emperor Naruhito last October.

Her Majesty donned the Fleur de Lys tiara, a diadem exclusively reserved for Spanish queens. It is the most prominent tiara that the Spanish royal family possesses and it is affectionately named the "La Buena," or "The Good One" by the royal family.

Letizia complemented the tiara with the joyas de pasar diamond earrings and bracelets.

On her sash was pinned the fleur de lys diamond brooch which originates from the centrepiece of her "Princess" tiara.

In the only family portrait of the series, Queen Letizia wore her red Carolina Herrera piped sheath dress which she debuted on a visit to Covadonga in September 2018.

She premiered the same design in blue for the portrait below.

The photographs were taken by Estela de Castro at the Royal Palace of Madrid and the Palace of Zarzuela. The use of natural light is the main element that characterizes Ms. Castro's professional work in her photographic portraits.

The new portraits will be officially distributed through the National Heritage website (www.patrimonionacional.es).

35 Comments

Laura

11/2/2020 05:58:04 pm

Such beautiful photos of a truly wonderful and good looking family. The hot pink gown worn with tiara, diamond earrings, bracelets and brooches is over the top, but every little girl's image of a true princess. I am glad Letizia was able to wear a sash in blue and white, which blended much better with the hot pink than the yellow and red sash in Japan. The embroidered dress is truly spectacular and it was a CH extravaganza with the classic looking red and blue sheath dresses.

Wendy

11/2/2020 11:00:58 pm

Laura, these sashes (Orders) are the Spanish ones, the Order of Carlos III. However when you visit other country it is mandatory to wear their Orders. For example , in the Netherlands it would be "orange" as they are the Orange dinasty. A bit ticky for fashion...😉

Lynn O'Brien

12/2/2020 01:15:07 am

Thanks for sharing the sash protocol with us.

Wendy

12/2/2020 02:21:47 am

Lynn, you're welcome. If you are interested, there you go, it is hard protocol:

http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com/2011/09/royal-splendor-101-sashes-and-stuff_26.html?m=1

Laura

12/2/2020 04:05:28 pm

Yes Wendy, I do understand that different sashes are worn for different reasons and the country being visited must be honoured. I was just saying that the Spanish orders harmonized with this dress much better. I certainly agree with you, that they make fashion tricky. If I were a royal, I would hesitate to spoil a beautiful dress by cluttering it up with sashes. Then again, protocol and diplomacy have to be more important than fashion.

Wendy

12/2/2020 09:32:37 pm

Ok Laura, great!! Sometimes I do not know who knows what here. I only try to help, sorry if I bothered you.

Laura

13/2/2020 03:45:54 am

Wendy, you didn't bother me in any way. It is better to have too much information, than not enough. Your contributions are good ones.

Stephanie

11/2/2020 09:27:43 pm

Queen Letizia looks magnificent in this boldly coloured gown. She looks truly regal with her tiara, bracelets and sash with brooches. She and King Felipe make a very handsome couple. It is a treat to see the family pictures taken for these official family portraits. They can be very proud of their daughters. I love this dress on the Queen and I am so pleased we have only had to wait 5 months to see it worn again. Take a bow Queen Letizia - this is a beautifully curated look.

Sandy

11/2/2020 11:33:23 pm

This family can't be more perfect than they are right now. They are all gorgeous! Estela de Castro did a great job with these photos. The pictures are magnificent and I agree with Laura that the white/blue sash looks much better on the hot pink gown than the yellow in Japan. I'm happy to see the CH piped dress in blue. It looks wonderful on Letizia and hopefully she will wear it again at one of her official functions.

Mary Rose

12/2/2020 02:55:36 am

Casareal let us waiting 15 years for an official pictures of Letizia in Gala look.and 5 years for an official picture as King and Queen. But i will tell the truth, I dont love the gala pictures.They are ok thats it-- The background looks to dark, The gown isnt her best, her make up is to much and the dark hairs still dont suit her. I give my best to love it because im sure these are the official pictures for next 20 years..

Asya

12/2/2020 03:42:24 am

Wow, what wonderful photos! I love these CH sheath dresses and I hope to see them more in the future. QL's makeup and styling for these portraits is excellent. I like to see her in these more classic tones:)

Bertie

12/2/2020 06:32:13 am

These are wonderful portraits, clearly, they have an asset in Estela de Castro, the one of the two girls together is superb. I love the formal ones with Letizia in her bold pink Herrera gown, clearly one occasion where colour and couture can be indulged to good effect. It looks superb in this palace setting, the formal line of the gorgeous bodice embroidery underlines the stiff décor while the same feature on the skirt demonstrates a queenly touch of opulence in its careless flourish of an uneven cascade.

The extravagant Fluers de Lys tiara, which I found a bit much back when Letizia first wore it, is perfectly in proportion with all the pale floral embellishment, plus generous A-line skirt, the matching earrings and bracelets are fantastic – I love how she wears the latter on one arm in asymmetric style. Even the formal sash blends in as well as could be expected with the silvery background, it must be a headache to sort out a gown one can wear these things with.

I also love both the CH sheath dresses, and find it an asset that Letizia has repeated the style, which coordinates the set of photographs and reduces the emphasis on fashion. The sheath styling and fit is immaculate and a treat to behold. The navy looks especially sleek with its dark piping. A fabulous post, thank you so much.

Geneviève

12/2/2020 11:40:47 am

Well, I love this gown. The overall silhouette, which is accentuated by the placement of the floral appliqué, is regal and formal but feminine and supple at the same time. The sleeve length and modest neckline to me are the height of elegance. The colour suits the queen's complexion and its boldness the gravitas of the portrait.

The day dresses are also fantastic and I wish I owned one of them. I like the blue better than the red. Wouldn't mind if we never saw that ring again though.

Her hair is so smooth and glossy. Makes me regret a little cutting mine but I don't have any official portraits coming up soon so I'll rock my modern shag for a few months.

This post was a bright end to my workday which is being met by a gloomy snowstorm. Thank you!

Andrea H

12/2/2020 01:45:01 pm

I’m here just to comment on how spectacular The King looks. Yes, I adore Queen Letizia, her pink gown is definitely not my favorite because I don’t like pink, but aside from all of that, King Felipe grounds the photos with that truly regal and effortless presence that commands respect. That is one of the most gorgeous men I’ve ever seen. What an elegant gentleman, breathtaking.

Ava Pittman

12/2/2020 05:52:42 pm

I have to agree with you Andrea, The King is very handsome and debonair.

Geneviève

13/2/2020 12:50:15 pm

Andrea and Ava, you've reminded me of a dream I once had. In it, the king and I were dancing and he declared his love to me. It was a very happy, albeit ludicrous, dream. This blog clearly infiltrated my subconscious as this is the only place where I see or read of him.

Ava Pittman

12/2/2020 03:35:08 pm

The photo of the Queen in her gorgeous Herrera gown, with accompanying jewels superbly blends in with her imperial and majestic setting. The complete package, right down to the fleur de lys diamond brooch, simply outstanding. She could not have worn anything less or downsized her choice of jewels. To me she befits the title she has, Queen and looks the part superbly, regal, graceful and elegant. His Majesty The King equally holds his own superbly, the photo of him with his sincere and warm look, captured by the camera, is mighty! The blue and red dresses worn by the Queen are beautiful and a perfect testament that less is more. A simple but beautifully designed dress, fitting perfectly, speaking volumes, all class. Photos of the princesses are natural and very becoming. A gorgeous family.

Milly

12/2/2020 10:05:06 pm

OMG! This is PERFECTION! This is ROYALTY! These portraits are so beautifully done and Estela de Castro has done an incredible job capturing these images! 10/10

Zoe link

12/2/2020 10:10:54 pm

The Queen has never been known to be a shrinking violet so the choice of this bold pink is in keeping with her style. The dark background tends to make the color seem more saturated than it really is. She looks resplendent in all her finery. The king in uniform is always majestic.

Wendy

12/2/2020 11:09:40 pm

Zoe, with all my respect, I do not agree, Letizia is a very shy person, however she manages to overcome that. And some people mix it up with other things. And just the contrary, she always has avoided the "royal" things ans she never meet with other royals of Europe only with her best old friends who are journalist most of them. In Spain even curtsies are not allowed, nobody curtsys her, she abolished them. (Thing that Don Juan Carlos hated too, he never atended weddings and things like that)
As others have pointed out, we have needed 15 years to a portrait like that, which it is odd, because she hates it. She must have been obliged.

Zoe link

13/2/2020 08:58:37 pm

@Wendy. I see her style as bold in a creative/artistic way. No one who is that shy pulls off that glorious Matilde Cano in Japan (the others opted for oatmeal colored capes) or that striking navy off the shoulder confection at the guild hall in London. She can turn up the volume when she wants to.
Not having met her (maybe you have) it is incorrect to assume that she hates this or that, or wears things in support of this or that. She has not spoken on any of these topics. No reverences are probably just her way of putting people at ease.

Maya

13/2/2020 10:15:20 pm

I completely agree with you Wendy and yes, as quite a shy person myself I can clearly see when she is comfortable, when she is not and she is clearly NOT 100% comfortable with royal stuff. I've always had a feeling that she must really, really love Felipe and that's why she accepted to join this family, and I often wonder how much she misses her old life and work.

Wendy

13/2/2020 11:39:22 pm

@ Maya..that's right. She also comes from a republican (antimonarchist) family. That is what the conservative ones do not forgive her. In fact most people is republican, there were 2 republics here and the King was exiled, only because Juan Carlos brought back the demicracy, they are there, they might be replaced by a President tomorrow....this is a tricky country.
As you said she must have been very in love with Felipe, in this country we knew it was a "golden cage" ( without gold, this Royal family is not rich at all)

Sorry the drag

Simone

14/2/2020 12:04:39 am

Everybody knows in Spain that she has stopped the curtsies, (not Felipe) she does not like royalty and that she has a very stong personality but she is shy and serious. Sometimes she comes across as bold, when it is a pose. All of this it is old news and that is her weak point to be criticized.

However her friends (her hairdresser is an old friend, Eva Fernandez also, Felipe Varela and some more say that she is very warm and nice in private however very perfectionist

Maya

14/2/2020 02:05:05 am

@Simone It's interesting, you say that's her weak point and I think that's the best thing about her.
Also, I detest curtsying, I find it degrading, and the fact that she didn't care for it speaks a lot about her.

Simone

14/2/2020 08:18:53 pm

@ Maya and most people here is very thrilled that the curtsies do not exist anymore.

It is her weak point because the conservatives ( old people ,actually) wanted a Queen as Sofia. She never said a word. Letizia is more intelligent that all of them together, and even her sisters in law were a bit envious.

Spain had a dictatot for 40 years and before this a Republica, the only Queen we know is Sofia. She was not very loved in the begining.

I am very old, 82, so I know all our history well.

Maya

14/2/2020 11:27:38 pm

@Simone Thank you so much for the explanation Simone, I always enjoy your posts, you are very knowledgable. And I always agree with your points. :)

Wendy

13/2/2020 11:18:52 pm

Zoe, with all my respect...In Spain she is even criticized because she does not like the "royal" things and she does not get together with Maxima, Mary, Victoria, etc...It is not an "assumed"thing, if not a very known thing that she has pointed out many times in public, she asumes her role as a "job" , not as a "royal"
She has a very strong personality and she is very inteligent, but she is shy and introverted ,not a "chatty" person, so she is shy about interacting with people, she does not use to tell jokes, she is very perfectionist, too much indeed. And she has needed many years to overcome these things, she lost weight, lost hair and was grieving for many time.

Ps The Matilde Cano dress is a tipycal dress from Andalucía and there everybody dresses like that, she has been even criticized because she did not attend the "Feria de Sevilla" whem Maxima of the Netherlands was there with her daughters as a Feria, in fact she is from Asturias and she is not au fait with these outfits. One thing is where the Crown is set and the other the South of Spain and their traditions, very bold instead.
I know her well, my brother in law used to work with her at TVE.

https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/05/10/gente/1557513090_768211.html

Wendy

13/2/2020 11:27:34 pm

There you go the "flamenco" dresses, she has never worn one, obviously every province of Spain has a different outfit. In the Centre and North of Spain, where the kings have always lived the austerity is the norm....not in the South..those are the places people go on vacations ....Matilde Cano is from Córdoba (Andalucia). They wanted the should represent it. She is not so free to choose, the govermment set the rules for international events.

https://www.agefotostock.es/age/es/Stock-Images/Rights-Managed/N28-890621

Maya

13/2/2020 03:18:44 am

It's interesting to me, Letizia always looks absolutely the best in business-like outfits. The pictures in a blue dress are amazing, she is more than beautiful. And I think they clearly show her true style. With all her ball gowns (with the exception of simpler ones) to me, she looks like she wears a costume completed with that enormous tiara. She is a stunning woman, she can obviously wear whatever she wants/needs to, but to me, it's always obvious when she wears something that is her personal style and something she has to wear because of her position.

Feli

13/2/2020 05:17:20 am

WOW!!! Superb and regal come to mind!!
The pleats of that pink dress were made to pose for a state portrait!

Even the "informal" pictures are perfection, the girls are darling. What a beautiful family, they look like the cast of a Hollywood movie.

Zoe link

14/2/2020 04:49:06 am

Elizabeth, with all due respect, this is my last post on the topic. Some posts read exactly like the image cultivated by the gossip magazines over the years with the words from several people in different interviews put together. Republican, anti royal, strong character, the crown is too big (double entendre), the weak point, she looks best in ordinary clothes...perhaps being plebian, and ambitious. Some one who has journalism as a profession and dreamed of having her own show cannot be shy. Media is a very competitive business. Both parents have Leonor's legacy to protect so it is unfair to say she dislikes royal things. What they probably try to do is to stay away from lavish lifestyle events to avoid criticism. It was Q Mathilde who said that they (royals) see each other much more often behind the scenes than we know. The Matilde Cano was mentioned because it was vibrant, something that would be remembered. Nothing to do with a dissertation on Andalusia...At least she has been allowed intelligence. Based on what we see from the girls so far they are poised and intelligent as well. she seems to be a good mother. Sadly, nothing remains of that beautiful hopeful girl full of excitement, who joked with the press and her fiance .

Wendy

14/2/2020 08:07:52 pm

I do not know why "shy" is considered for you a bad thing. In fact in Spain it is considered and perceived as a good charateristic.
"Being bold" can have instead a bad wave...because of that I wanted to tell you that she is not frivolous or stubborn or wants to crave attention.
I live in Madrid and I meet people who get together with her, I do not read gossip, only to be aware what those people say.
I am a psicologist , so I know very good what a shy peoole IS...."the brave people is not who do not feel scary if not who overcome it."
I am very shy myself but I can speak in public because I love what I say

Shy and intriverted people usually are more perfectionist, hard working, but they do not need to much people around they prefer the silence and study. Most journalist are shy, they are working , not at a party.

Being a journalist for her has been trickier for her because she knows most of them , she had relation with all of them.

I speak as a proffesional who follow her, not with the gossip. She is human, andI think she is doing a good job.

Simone

14/2/2020 08:27:19 pm

Zoe, I'm sorry, but in Spain we have lits of information because we come across with them in restaurants and in the strees. I have been talking with Letizia, I come across her at the cinema, they go to the movies very often the one I attend. Our monarchy is not in the palace, and of course Letizia does not meet with the royals in Europe, only for formal events and she does not need it. Everyone in Spain has a different meaning of the monarchy, this is not UK where all is so written, as I said we only have a referent, Queen Sofia.
The history books will tell.

Jennifer F

14/2/2020 08:08:04 am

Estela de Castro has wonderfully captured the Spanish Royal Family. The carefully selected photographs are elegantly modern and traditionally royal.

In regard to the new dress, it's a shame that both shifts are identical. However, its minimal design and strength in colour are perfect for the official portraits, while quietening the topic of 'fashion'. The precise tailoring skims the Queen's figure, which is enhanced by graphic piping, neatly outlining the waist, the position of bust darts and inspired sleeve seams, the 'almost black' is beautifully refined against the navy. Discreet diamond studs were the perfect compliment to the sophisticated look. Carolina Herera's Fuchsia gown is spectacular, the Queen appears statuesque, with the vast skirt majestically balancing the abundance of jewels, embroidery that frames her waist and opulent palace surroundings. These images are timeless, and they will date well in the history books.

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Casa Real releases new official portraits of Spanish royal family

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