The abdication of King Juan Carlos in favour of his son Felipe has led to a style reshuffle of the Spanish royal family. Now, it's time to say "Hola!" to Letizia Ortiz and her wardrobe.
We confess that when we first saw pictures of the new Queen of Spain there was a collective eye-roll on the fashion desk: "Oh yeah, breaking news – another woman in the public eye relying on appropriate shift dresses accessorised with tricep-dipped arms. SIGH." But on further investigation, there could be more to Ortiz's wardrobe than a couple of Mouret-lite lace dresses.
First and foremost she is clearly no stranger to the chess game of sartorial semantics. If this hat from last year didn't say "I'm one to watch in the abdication game" then we don't know what did. Then there is her tucked-in blouse, flared knee-skirt, heels and hairband look, which is strongly reminiscent of British Fashion Council chairman Natalie Massenet. Then there is the Farah Fawcett flicks and shades look, complete with chandelier earrings – a style approach that is both pleasing and far more retro than regal.
However, the way she wears a dark trouser suit with a silk T-shirt is what shows the most promise. This is the fallback dresscode of a woman who has in her time done a day's work, but understands the need to appear sleek. No doubt, she learned these lessons while training as a CNN journalist in her pre-palace years. There is a stylish realism about this look that, coupled with the Zara-ish faux-snake clutch, speaks volumes. Lose those tiresome beige heels and we will be firmly on side.
