Mystery revealed… We already know how Annie Leibovitz views Letizia. We rediscovered him through his eyes, with another look, perhaps less royal, more personal, and the result is absolutely impressive. The portrait of the Queen, which is part of the diptych created by the famous North American photographer, is currently included in the exposure The tyranny of Kronoswhich will be open to the public From November 27, 2024 to March 29, 2025. They will then be permanently installed in the room of the Board of Governors of the Bank of Spain, alongside other Spanish monarchs.
There are many things that attract attention about the new photo of Felipe VI’s wife, besides her tall height. This does not leave you indifferent, with the glamor of a golden Hollywood starthe protagonist looks directly at the camera and the first thing that many might miss is the tiara – what we wrongly call “tiara” in Spain. In reality, it is not an institutional pose, but an artistic work that allows the licenses that the author wants to take and to which the protagonist consents.
There is a clear reason why he doesn’t wear a blindfold. This time, Leibovitz He achieved what he failed to achieve the first time he photographed Elizabeth II: to do without the royal element par excellence. On this occasion, in 2006, the British monarch did not agree to pose without her crown. Letizia, on the other hand, did.
The painting of the Queen already hangs on the walls of the Bank of Spain.
He the dress chosen for the portrait also breaks the moldalthough it is a design ancient. It is a Spanish designer and this did not come as a surprise, since the Queen has always been a fervent defender of national fashion. And who better than Cristóbal Balenciaga, an icon who was a visionary and who also connects these portraits to the history of royalty. We must not forget that Victoria Eugenia was one of his most loyal customers. There is another nod to the wife of Alfonso XIII in the jewelry Letizia wears: a symbol of the institution.
The history of this Balenciaga
A black dress with strapless neckline, drapedwith a tulle skirt and a fuchsia cape that she holds in her arms at waist level, both in silk. This is the incredible look that Letizia carries with no doubt majesty. This contrasts with the rococo atmosphere of the Gasparini room of the Palais Royal where the photographs were taken, at Leibovitz’s decision.
Both garments were made in the late 1940s and 1960s respectively and were provided by the Fundació Antoni de Montpalau. They were carefully chosen by the Queen, as always in collaboration with her stylist, Eva Fernándezafter careful research and research. This time more than ever, the clothes were important, as well as the message.
The Balenciaga dress, offered by the Antoni de Montpalau foundation.
The key dates of the aforementioned institution, in addition, They have a curious correlation with the Kings. Its first textile collection was created in 2004, the year of the royal wedding, and it was established as a foundation in 2014, a month after the current monarch ascended the throne. Its mission is to collect and disseminate the world of fashion and fabric. Currently, the exhibition exceeds 6,000 historical pieces, including clothing, accessories and other related objects.
The costume is part of the foundation’s Balenciaga collection, but in 1948 it belonged to María Junyent, a neighbor of the designer and daughter of the set designer, painter and collector Oleguer Junyent.
As for the cape, was exhibited in an exhibition by the designer at the Thyssen Museum, and it is a design that the Spanish seamstress made for the Countess of Torroella de Montgrí and Marquise de Robert, María del Carmen Ferrer-Cajigal de Robert.
The tradition of both pieces in the collection makes them perfect for Letizia. And nothing distracts from the style or the traditional music of Charles III, nor the tiara.
The absence of a headband
And yet, these two very real symbols were present during the session, but were ultimately dismissed. In other words, the queen came to pose with them, as confirmed Yolanda Romero, curator of the Bank of Spainbut Leibovitz decided to opt for a less formal imagewanted to strip her of these attributes, perhaps to humanize her, perhaps to justify the wife’s more common origin. Perhaps so that she can be more Letizia than ever.
This is not confirmed, but the Fleur de Lys tiara This could be the one who was present at the February 7 photo shoot, which lasted about six hours. We will never see these images of Letizia with her Balenciaga dress, the headband and the emblematic jewel of the lot which crowns her head, even if the most traditional monarchists would have loved it.
The kittens
Having ditched the headband for the big day doesn’t mean that the look was missing some iconic pieces, and very important ones at that. The Queen wears the kitten collaralso from the pass set. It is worth remembering its history: originally, it was a choker made by Ansorena with 30 diamonds mounted in bezels (hence its name) that King Alfonso XIII offered to his fiancée, the princess Victoria Eugenia from Battemberg, in 1906 for their marriage.
Then, on each birthday, anniversary or special date such as the birth of a child, I gave him two new kittensthen the necklace became so long that it reached his waist. Sometimes he did it twice. Finally, she divided it, establishing that the largest pieces, along with others, would be part of the historical whole passed from queen to queen, as she herself had established in her will.
Letizia created it in 2019 in the induction ceremony of Naruhito of Japan and wore it on important occasions. In addition to the necklace, in this portrait he also wears his inevitable companions, kitten earringsmade when it was decided to split the original necklace to form a perfect duo.
The unexpected gem
Letizia also wore a Coreterno ring, as well as Victoria Eugenia’s kittens.
Another surprise in Leibovitz’s photo, in which the queen appears with her hair down (her gray hair hidden for the occasion) and wearing natural makeup, is found in one of her hands. Even though it doesn’t match the style of the outfit, she didn’t want to do without one of the most special jewelry pieces for her, from her personal collection. We are talking about Coreterno ringwhich could have been given to her by her daughters or by Felipe VI himself in 2023 and which she never takes off, thus replacing the legendary Karen Hallan that she wore for years. With the engraved message “love makes everything happen”, it’s a romantic and familiar nod that, thanks to this pose, will go down in history.
In short, Annie Leibovitz’s Letizia version combines the glamour, royal touch and personality of the Spanish consort. His image, more “banal”, contrasts with the absolutely protocol of King Felipe VIwith full military attire and all the necessary monarchical elements, such as the collar of the Order of Charles III.
