They say a picture is worth a thousand words – and by all accounts, new photographs taken of Queen Letizia and King Felipe by world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz are an example of masterful storytelling.
The two portraits, taken inside the opulent Gasparini Hall of the Royal Palace in Madrid, are designed to act as a dipytch: when put side by side, they seamlessly link together to form one, continuous scene. In her own image, looking straight down the lens with a regal gaze, Queen Letizia is every inch the glamorous monarch. Her outfit is not so much a subtle nod towards patriotism and grandeur as it is a unmistakeable sartorial semaphore: a sweeping, black ruched strapless gown by Spanish designer Cristóbel Balenciaga – part of an exclusive archival collection – calls to mind the A-line skirts and drama of flamenco dancers, while an oversized, satin stole draped around the shoulders is cast in the blood red of the Spanish flag. » | Tatler | Tuesday, November 26, 2024
