Queen Letizia of Spain does high street style diplomacy in Topshop 

Queen Letizia of Spain wearing Topshop today
Queen Letizia of Spain wearing Topshop today Credit: Getty

She has developed a reputation for mixing her favourite designer labels, including Carolina Herrera, Felipe Varela and Hugo Boss, with more affordable pieces from Zara, Mango and Uterque for engagements at home in Spain. But in London today, Spain's Queen Letizia blended her penchant for high street buys with a very diplomatic fashion statement. 

For the last day of her state visit to the UK,  which included an official farewell to The Queen and Prince Phillip at Buckingham Palace followed by a tour of the Francis Crick  Institute, Letizia wore an ivory prom-style skirt by one of the UK's best-loved high street labels, Topshop.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia bid farewell to The Queen and Prince Phillip
King Felipe and Queen Letizia bid farewell to The Queen and Prince Phillip Credit: Getty

She teamed the pleated-waist design, which is now sold out but which was originally available for £80 (and then reduced to £30 in the summer sale), with a white wrap top with an asymetric neckline, a raffia clutch bag, a pair of pearl earrings loaned from her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia and burgundy suede heels by Spanish shoewear label Lodi. 

Today's ensemble is exemplary of the elegantly grown-up style, with an occasional pep-up twist, which Letizia has made her signature. Since she began working with former Spanish Cosmopolitan fashion stylist Eva Fernandez in 2015, Letizia's already polished regal look has been elevated a notch or two; the addition of the decorative raffia clutch today was a case in point. 

Queen Letizia does style diplomacy in Topshop
Queen Letizia does style diplomacy in Topshop Credit: Getty

By turning to Topshop, Letizia did what many savvy stylish British women have known for years, looking beyond the denim hot pants and frilly crop tops to the store's impressive offering of sleek staples which would work just as well for a teen as their older sister, mum or even grandma. The midi skirt which Letizia chose today, for example, is shown online styled with trainers- perfect for the park maybe, but less so a palace. But simply add in her  heels and it becomes as sophisticated as the floral Carolina Herrera skirt which Letizia wore yesterday. 

The Duchess of Cambridge wearing Topshop in India last year 
The Duchess of Cambridge wearing Topshop in India last year  Credit: Getty

Queen Letizia isn't the first royal to recognise Topshop's arsenal of fashionable yet appropriate pieces. The Duchess of Cambridge injected a dash of  bohemian maximalism to her look during a tour to India last year when she wore a pale pink floral Topshop dress with black embroidery during a visit to the Indian village Pan Bari, where the royal couple fed baby elephants and rhinos. One of Kate's go-to maternity dresses-an empire-line, polka dot style- was also a Topshop buy. 

Diplomatic dressing is a favoured sartorial tactic of many of the world's most high-profile women, who use their style choices to pay tribute to the places and countries they visit. Just yesterday, America's First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Paris wearing a red skirt suit by Christian Dior. Its silhouette echoed the Bar suit made famous by Mr Dior himself and celebrated the 70th anniversary of one of France's most prestigious luxury fashion houses. 

queen Letizia wears Burberry coat as she visits Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Queen Letizia wears a Burberry coat as she visits Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Credit: Reuters

On the first day of her visit to the UK, Queen Letizia offered up another tribute to the British fashion industry by wearing a claret trench coat by Burberry for a meeting with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. Last night and on Wednesday evening though, it was all about displaying some of the Spanish royal family's most dazzling jewels as the Queen donned tiaras, necklaces, earrings and bracelets from her collection of precious treasures for banquets at Buckingham Palace and Guildhall. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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