Queen Letizia debuts a tie-dye Cortana dress for 'In Memoriam' concert

7/3/2023

On Tuesday evening, the XXI edition of the 'In Memoriam' concert, which honors the victims of terrorism, was overseen by the King and Queen of Spain at the National Music Auditorium in Madrid.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain attended the XXI edition of the 'In Memoriam' concert at the National Music Auditorium in Madrid on 7th March 2023

The annual event brings together the main institutions of the State, Government, political parties and different social and economic strata of Spanish society.

WHAT QUEEN LETIZIA WORE

DRESS: NEW! Cortana 'Cuca' Maltinto Silk Dress in Charcoal (€835).

Embed from Getty Images

HANDBAG: Nina Ricci 'Arc' Clutch in Black Leather (repeat).

SHOES: Prada Saffiano textured patent leather pumps in black (repeat).

EARRINGS: Diamond and citrine drop earrings (repeat).

Embed from Getty Images

HAIRSTYLE: Hair wrapped ponytail.

Embed from Getty Images

10 Comments

Sandy

13/3/2023 10:47:21 pm

This is not one of Letizia's best looks. The style and fabric of this dress are both unattractive. The charcoal colour is very dull for an evening gown, the ruching or gathering looks awkward & the left sleeve is longer than the right one. Worst of all is the mottled silk fabric that looks like someone dipped the dress in some sort of chemical and ruined it. I think it would have been better for Letizia to have chosen one of her older (& less expensive) gorgeous gowns rather than wear this new pricey avant-garde one.

Bertie

15/3/2023 11:41:44 pm

Your avant-garde comment is helpful, it sheds light on so many idiosyncrasies. The neckline is also uneven. Maybe viewed as a modern art installation I might be able to review my thought of it!

Laura

14/3/2023 04:49:55 am

I don't like this dress. It doesn't photograph well and the colour looks muddy. Although the material is silk, it comes across as inexpensive the way the sheen shows as different patches of colour. I find the dress to be too long and the slit perhaps too high for royalty. The bunching and pleating are very haphazard.

Bertie

15/3/2023 01:26:12 am

I'm not at all sure about this Cortana dress, it looks like a good idea that didn't quite work out. The front ruching looks crude as if it was put together by someone unused to handling silk, and it gives way to rather amateur looking skirt slit.

It looks as if there could be dolman sleeves making the bodice seem heavy while the skirt fades away to nothing very special. Black accessories are appropriately solemn against the charcoal and that Nina Ricci gold bar stands out nicely on the clutch. Good idea to add some colour in the drop diamond and citrine earrings, certainly a very sober outfit for the memorium event.

Almería

15/3/2023 08:06:31 am

Again with the "royalty" thing. Spain has a Parlamentary Democracy, It is not the same as UK for example that has a Constitutional Monarchy. It seems similar but It is not the same. In Spain there is not protocol, the King does not open the Parlament and can't disolve It, these things were abolished in the begining of the XX century because the King was sent to the exile. After that there was a dictatorship and the Monarchy is only there because they were against the dictator. They are not "royals", they are only dinasty converted in workers.
Sorry, my English, I have tried to explain how they have lots of freedom to appear as everyone. Also the Spanish designers want her to spend her money in Spanish brands. We know that they send dresses to her, to be seen, so she does what people wants (in Spain obviously).
PS: this is an event against terrorism , 11M and the trains.

Sandy

16/3/2023 05:32:59 am

Just wondering, if they are not 'royals' why do they have titles like King, Queen, Your Majesty, Princess, Infanta etc. etc.? I thought certain privileges, obligations and protocol (including standards of dress and conduct) went along with those titles. If they are to appear as everyone else and have lots of freedom what's the point of having a monarchy?

Vera

17/3/2023 02:20:49 am

I think what she means is that the Spanish royal family is not so stuffy as some other royal families and protocol is not so strict. Hats for example are rarely worn (not even by the former Queen Sofia, Letizia's mother-in-law, who reportedly hated hats, although she was born a Royal Princess). Also, their budget is certainly much lower, compared to other royal families, and Letizia wants to support Spanish brands and not always wear high-end fashion, which her budget certainly wouldn't allow her.

Tibi

17/3/2023 07:51:50 pm

During national day or pascua militar ceremonies, they stay on a little podium higher than the PM and everybody else in the gov. Wherever they go with the PM or anybody from the Spanish gov, it's them at the center stage. People raise to their feet (and applaud) where they go (which it's not the case for the PM, afaict). So there is protocol.
About the power ... what they do (whether called 'political' or not) is actually the same as other European royals-- charities, official visits to countries their gov has interests in, receiving and accrediting dignitaries, lead the opening of the parliament or judicial year, etc. The king is also the leader of the armed forces-- to the same extent, I would imagine, that is in all other countries where a queen/king exists. Elsewhere in Europe, even if the power-on-paper of the king/queen is (still) such that they can dissolve the parliament I don't think anybody would imagine/accept a monarch doing something like this during regular/peace times, or without the government's/PM's approval.
Even in UK, European royals receive annually public money, so the bunch of them can be categorized as 'employed by people'.

If what is or not appropriate to wear by a 'royal' (or by a well-fit and groomed woman of 50) is a subjective opinion in the century we live in, the royal special/different statute is really not, I think (in Spain or elsewhere in Europe).
Because of this, I think when people comment on this fashion blog about 'royal' something or other, it's not in context of any political power (or lack thereof), but in the context of the special position of visibility and representation that they do have.

I don't think any regular person in the street or gov would take easily somebody else to dictate them what to wear, so it's likely that QL is aware of their special status, the privileges, obligations and level of protocol that comes w/ it (as Sandy listed).

It might not be political power that they have, but there is royal power and influence, and overall social position. And people comment w/ this in mind.

Sandy

19/3/2023 01:07:23 am

Thank you to Tibi and Vera for the information and enlightenment on the Spanish monarchy and it's role in the modern world.

María López

18/3/2023 08:03:17 pm

Tibi, there even can't almost enter in Galicia, Basque Country and Catalonia. And It is political indeed, Spain is almost Federal, every Autonomous Community have a different President, even a different language, Spanish is not spoken in the whole territory.The President of the Government (there is NOT Prime Minister- Primer Ministro) here sets Up their diary, it is supossed that the King represents the Unity of Spain..LOL...thing very complicated because of the independentist movimments. All is political in Spain, even the designers she wears, they have born in the región she visits she can't wear a Basque designer in Andalucía, for example.

Also, the have not privileges, Juan Carlos I has been sent to the exile and Iñaki Urdangarin , King's brother in law in jail. They have nothing, all belongs to the State.

PS: Mathilde of Belgium and Máxima of the Netherlands salary are about 900.000 euros per year...just saying..those are privileges.

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.

Queen Letizia debuts a tie-dye Cortana dress for 'In Memoriam' concert

Leave a Reply.

Archives