Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 17-23 July

Here's what Letizia wore from 17-23 July:

1. a) Meeting with directors of the Cervantes Institute, 20 July. I feel like I shouldn't like this, but I do. Maybe I'm too swayed by the accessories, as I'm coveting that clutch (b), and the Pretty Ballerinas shoes are sparkly! (Sparkly with Swarovski crystals and a hefty price tag, mind you.)
2. a) and b) Attending audiences at Zarzuela Palace, 21 July. I only like this one from the back. Too bad most business requires a face to complete.

Photos: Divinity.es/Getty Images/Daylife

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 17-23 July

Here's what Letizia wore from 17-23 July:

1. a) Meeting with directors of the Cervantes Institute, 20 July. I feel like I shouldn't like this, but I do. Maybe I'm too swayed by the accessories, as I'm coveting that clutch (b), and the Pretty Ballerinas shoes are sparkly! (Sparkly with Swarovski crystals and a hefty price tag, mind you.)
2. a) and b) Attending audiences at Zarzuela Palace, 21 July. I only like this one from the back. Too bad most business requires a face to complete.

Photos: Divinity.es/Getty Images/Daylife

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 10-16 July

Here's what Letizia wore from 10-16 July:

1. Audiences at Zarzuela Palace and a luncheon for the President of Panama, 11 July. Was it National M.C. Hammer week in Spain?
2. At the Culture National Awards, 12 July. WAS IT? This is not at all legit, and should be quit immediately.
3. Visiting Montserrat Abbey, 14 July. I'm checking...I'm checking...okay, not a trace of Hammer.
4. At the AIJEC 25th Anniversary Gala, 14 July. I just still can't believe she busted out my 2 least favorite pairs of trousers and wore them back to back. I care not about the rest of the week. (And there you have the fundamental problem with the Hammer pants.)
5. Attending graduation at the naval academy, 16 July. Oh, except that she did it again. I don't get it.

Photos: Daylife/Getty Images/Reuters Pictures/Hoymujer

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 10-16 July

Here's what Letizia wore from 10-16 July:

1. Audiences at Zarzuela Palace and a luncheon for the President of Panama, 11 July. Was it National M.C. Hammer week in Spain?
2. At the Culture National Awards, 12 July. WAS IT? This is not at all legit, and should be quit immediately.
3. Visiting Montserrat Abbey, 14 July. I'm checking...I'm checking...okay, not a trace of Hammer.
4. At the AIJEC 25th Anniversary Gala, 14 July. I just still can't believe she busted out my 2 least favorite pairs of trousers and wore them back to back. I care not about the rest of the week. (And there you have the fundamental problem with the Hammer pants.)
5. Attending graduation at the naval academy, 16 July. Oh, except that she did it again. I don't get it.

Photos: Daylife/Getty Images/Reuters Pictures/Hoymujer

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 3 - 9 July

Here's what Letizia wore from 3-9 July:

1. At the opening of the Ja-Ye Europe Enterprise Challenge, 6 July. I thought this was quite nice. Certainly a better use for that Mango shirt than tucked into the baggy pink skirt!
2. Attending the graduation ceremony of the Air Force Basic Academy, 8 July...and I echo once again the stuff I said for the same event last year.

Photos: Getty Images/Daylife

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 3 - 9 July

Here's what Letizia wore from 3-9 July:

1. At the opening of the Ja-Ye Europe Enterprise Challenge, 6 July. I thought this was quite nice. Certainly a better use for that Mango shirt than tucked into the baggy pink skirt!
2. Attending the graduation ceremony of the Air Force Basic Academy, 8 July...and I echo once again the stuff I said for the same event last year.

Photos: Getty Images/Daylife

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 26 June - 2 July

Here's what Letizia wore from 26 June - 2 July:

1. Awarding the Beca Ferro 2011 for cancer research, 28 June. You know, I've never met a jumpsuit I liked. I just think at best, they look like something you should have stopped wearing when you hit puberty; at worst, relics from Betty White's Golden Girls wardrobe. (Wow, second Golden Girls reference in a week. Either something's going terribly wrong with royal fashion, or I need to quit with the late night television marathons.)
2. Opening the Cervantes Institute in Hamburg, Germany, 30 June. Meh.

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 26 June - 2 July

Here's what Letizia wore from 26 June - 2 July:

1. Awarding the Beca Ferro 2011 for cancer research, 28 June. You know, I've never met a jumpsuit I liked. I just think at best, they look like something you should have stopped wearing when you hit puberty; at worst, relics from Betty White's Golden Girls wardrobe. (Wow, second Golden Girls reference in a week. Either something's going terribly wrong with royal fashion, or I need to quit with the late night television marathons.)
2. Opening the Cervantes Institute in Hamburg, Germany, 30 June. Meh.

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 19-25 June

Here's what Letizia wore from 19-25 June:

1. At a meeting for the Prince of Girona Foundation, 21 June a) the Zara dress, and b) the purse. This is a cute little dress, but I think one of the girls accidentally had a craft hour with that bag...
2. Attending a dinner, 21 June.
3. At the opening of the Foro Impulsa conference, 22 June. The blue suit is back (again), but at least she shook up the top she wore it with this time, I guess?
4. Awarding the IMPULSA Prizes, 22 June. Now here's a repeat I can get behind! Viva la mod Mango dress!

Photos: Terra/Hola

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 19-25 June

Here's what Letizia wore from 19-25 June:

1. At a meeting for the Prince of Girona Foundation, 21 June a) the Zara dress, and b) the purse. This is a cute little dress, but I think one of the girls accidentally had a craft hour with that bag...
2. Attending a dinner, 21 June.
3. At the opening of the Foro Impulsa conference, 22 June. The blue suit is back (again), but at least she shook up the top she wore it with this time, I guess?
4. Awarding the IMPULSA Prizes, 22 June. Now here's a repeat I can get behind! Viva la mod Mango dress!

Photos: Terra/Hola

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 12-18 June

Here's what Letizia wore from 12-18 June:

1. Visiting Willem-Alexander and Máxima in the Netherlands with Felipe and the girls. Don't you love it when the royals are actual friends?
2. At a skin cancer prevention event, 14 June, a) on Letizia and b) from Uterqüe. I love this! Bright colors, and a wee frame like Leti's can certainly pull off a little skirt volume. This dress is fun, no?
3. Audiences at Zarzuela Palace, 16 June. The pink skirt has returned, and this time it's with...uh...one of Felipe's shirts? Two outings, and I'm ready for this to be retired.

Photos: Hola/Terra/Uterqüe

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 12-18 June

Here's what Letizia wore from 12-18 June:

1. Visiting Willem-Alexander and Máxima in the Netherlands with Felipe and the girls. Don't you love it when the royals are actual friends?
2. At a skin cancer prevention event, 14 June, a) on Letizia and b) from Uterqüe. I love this! Bright colors, and a wee frame like Leti's can certainly pull off a little skirt volume. This dress is fun, no?
3. Audiences at Zarzuela Palace, 16 June. The pink skirt has returned, and this time it's with...uh...one of Felipe's shirts? Two outings, and I'm ready for this to be retired.

Photos: Hola/Terra/Uterqüe

Flashback Friday: Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg's Wedding Guests

When I said on Wednesday that Princess Alexandra of SWB (yeah, I'm tired of typing it out) and Count Jefferson's wedding was a truly royal affair, I wasn't kidding. Based at Gråsten Palace - summer home of Queen Margrethe - the celebrations spanned two days. June 5 included a reception and black tie concert for the bride and groom. The wedding itself was held the next day, June 6, with a white tie and tiara dress code.

We're going to take a look at some of the guests, but bear this in mind: this is only a selection! There are other royal guests that I don't have pictures of, and if I knew anything about German nobility, there'd be even more. (Alas, my spelling capabilities just can't handle that sort of knowledge.) Like all the fanciest royal affairs, the guest list included a fair share of sovereigns and assorted consorts:

Left to Right: the late Queen Ingrid of Denmark, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark, Queen Anne-Marie and King Constantine of Greece, Queen Sonja and King Harald of Norway, Queen Sofia of Spain and the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg

What a deliciously light and summery palette of florals and pastels, eh? My favorite is Queen Anne-Marie, who complemented her luscious emeralds perfectly. The only exception to this rule is Queen Sofia. Not only did she go dark with her gown, she opted to be a rebel and go tiara-less. I don't approve of that.

Next up: assorted princesses!

L to R: Princess Benedikte of SWB; Princess Nathalie of SWB; Princess (now Countess) Alexandra and Prince Joachim of Denmark; Crown Prince and Princess Pavlos of Greece; Prince Philippos, Princess Alexia and Princess Theodora of Greece; Infanta Cristina of Spain and Inãki Urdangarín; Princess Sibilla and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg

I love mother of the bride Benedikte here, and I love Princess Alexandra. Even though her outfit was more like a December wedding sort of get-up, she did ladylike so well I can't help but adore her. I'm also quite shocked at how different Marie-Chantal is dressing here: now that's a style evolution! And I'm shocked that poor Elena had to follow her mother's example and go without headgear. She doesn't even have any orders on. What's up with that?

Last, but never least: the single princes!

L to R: Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Prince Gustav of SWB, Prince Nikolaos of Greece

What a world, 1998! No Mary, no Mette-Marit, no Máxima...no wonder the gowns aren't that exciting.

But who needs gowns when you've got tiaras, eh? A few tiara shots from the day itself:

L to R: Marie-Chantal, Anne-Marie, Alexandra, Sibilla

Marie-Chantal wore her fringe tiara. This piece doesn't seem to have any Greek royal history, and so might have been a personal purchase or a gift from her mega-rich family. Anne-Marie went with her delicious cabochon emerald parure, including the necklace which can be customized with different numbers of pendants. Alexandra wore her one and only tiara, which is handily called the Alexandrine Diamond Drop tiara, and it is divine. I mean, is this not one of the most delicate Cinderella tiaras...ever? It is. And she was one of the all-time queens of major tiara hair, so once again I'm just all sorts of jumpy claps about this. Last, from Sibilla, we get a rare glimpse of her art deco tiara. This is the smaller of its two settings. I wish she and Guillaume would pop up at a National Day gala some time so we could see this gem again!

Alas, the pictures from this day just aren't tiara-y enough for me, so the following shots are better pics of some of the tiaras that were on display (or that I'm guessing were on display) at this wedding:

Queen Ingrid wore the ruby parure that now graces Mary's head, and Sonja wore the amethyst necklace tiara that we now see most frequently on Mette-Marit. Benedikte wore the fringe tiara that comes from her husband's family - and no, that's actually not a photo from the wedding, despite the fact that she's wearing the same gown and Anne-Marie behind her is wearing the same tiara. The rest are guesses: I think Margrethe is wearing her Floral Aigrette Tiara, and it looks like Nathalie was wearing her mother's floral tiara. I'm also betting that Alexia was wearing the diamond tiara that she usually sports.

And with that, we await the wedding of the other Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg sister, Princess Nathalie, on Saturday. It'll be a nice departure from Ascot overload, won't it?

Favorite tiara? Favorite gown? (Or is this 1998 fashion leaving a bad taste in your mouth overall?)

Photos: Seeger/Corbis

Flashback Friday: Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg's Wedding Guests

When I said on Wednesday that Princess Alexandra of SWB (yeah, I'm tired of typing it out) and Count Jefferson's wedding was a truly royal affair, I wasn't kidding. Based at Gråsten Palace - summer home of Queen Margrethe - the celebrations spanned two days. June 5 included a reception and black tie concert for the bride and groom. The wedding itself was held the next day, June 6, with a white tie and tiara dress code.

We're going to take a look at some of the guests, but bear this in mind: this is only a selection! There are other royal guests that I don't have pictures of, and if I knew anything about German nobility, there'd be even more. (Alas, my spelling capabilities just can't handle that sort of knowledge.) Like all the fanciest royal affairs, the guest list included a fair share of sovereigns and assorted consorts:

Left to Right: the late Queen Ingrid of Denmark, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark, Queen Anne-Marie and King Constantine of Greece, Queen Sonja and King Harald of Norway, Queen Sofia of Spain and the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg

What a deliciously light and summery palette of florals and pastels, eh? My favorite is Queen Anne-Marie, who complemented her luscious emeralds perfectly. The only exception to this rule is Queen Sofia. Not only did she go dark with her gown, she opted to be a rebel and go tiara-less. I don't approve of that.

Next up: assorted princesses!

L to R: Princess Benedikte of SWB; Princess Nathalie of SWB; Princess (now Countess) Alexandra and Prince Joachim of Denmark; Crown Prince and Princess Pavlos of Greece; Prince Philippos, Princess Alexia and Princess Theodora of Greece; Infanta Cristina of Spain and Inãki Urdangarín; Princess Sibilla and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg

I love mother of the bride Benedikte here, and I love Princess Alexandra. Even though her outfit was more like a December wedding sort of get-up, she did ladylike so well I can't help but adore her. I'm also quite shocked at how different Marie-Chantal is dressing here: now that's a style evolution! And I'm shocked that poor Elena had to follow her mother's example and go without headgear. She doesn't even have any orders on. What's up with that?

Last, but never least: the single princes!

L to R: Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Prince Gustav of SWB, Prince Nikolaos of Greece

What a world, 1998! No Mary, no Mette-Marit, no Máxima...no wonder the gowns aren't that exciting.

But who needs gowns when you've got tiaras, eh? A few tiara shots from the day itself:

L to R: Marie-Chantal, Anne-Marie, Alexandra, Sibilla

Marie-Chantal wore her fringe tiara. This piece doesn't seem to have any Greek royal history, and so might have been a personal purchase or a gift from her mega-rich family. Anne-Marie went with her delicious cabochon emerald parure, including the necklace which can be customized with different numbers of pendants. Alexandra wore her one and only tiara, which is handily called the Alexandrine Diamond Drop tiara, and it is divine. I mean, is this not one of the most delicate Cinderella tiaras...ever? It is. And she was one of the all-time queens of major tiara hair, so once again I'm just all sorts of jumpy claps about this. Last, from Sibilla, we get a rare glimpse of her art deco tiara. This is the smaller of its two settings. I wish she and Guillaume would pop up at a National Day gala some time so we could see this gem again!

Alas, the pictures from this day just aren't tiara-y enough for me, so the following shots are better pics of some of the tiaras that were on display (or that I'm guessing were on display) at this wedding:

Queen Ingrid wore the ruby parure that now graces Mary's head, and Sonja wore the amethyst necklace tiara that we now see most frequently on Mette-Marit. Benedikte wore the fringe tiara that comes from her husband's family - and no, that's actually not a photo from the wedding, despite the fact that she's wearing the same gown and Anne-Marie behind her is wearing the same tiara. The rest are guesses: I think Margrethe is wearing her Floral Aigrette Tiara, and it looks like Nathalie was wearing her mother's floral tiara. I'm also betting that Alexia was wearing the diamond tiara that she usually sports.

And with that, we await the wedding of the other Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg sister, Princess Nathalie, on Saturday. It'll be a nice departure from Ascot overload, won't it?

Favorite tiara? Favorite gown? (Or is this 1998 fashion leaving a bad taste in your mouth overall?)

Photos: Seeger/Corbis

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 5-11 June

Here's what Letizia wore from 5-11 June:

1. Attending a lunch for the Governor-General of Australia, 7 June. The orange returns!
2. Visiting the Senate and presenting a journalism award, 8 June, a) on Letizia, b) from Ailanto, and c) a view of the purse, which seems to have some sort of neon geological formation stuck to it.
3. Holding a meeting for the Prince of Asturias Foundation, 9 June. A week of color and prints and skirts? Be still my heart. Well done, Leti.

Photos: Daylife/Getty Images

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 5-11 June

Here's what Letizia wore from 5-11 June:

1. Attending a lunch for the Governor-General of Australia, 7 June. The orange returns!
2. Visiting the Senate and presenting a journalism award, 8 June, a) on Letizia, b) from Ailanto, and c) a view of the purse, which seems to have some sort of neon geological formation stuck to it.
3. Holding a meeting for the Prince of Asturias Foundation, 9 June. A week of color and prints and skirts? Be still my heart. Well done, Leti.

Photos: Daylife/Getty Images

Royal Style Duel: Letizia vs. Mary

What do we have here?

A battle of the LBDs! Letizia and Mary both stepped out this past week in what sure does look to be the exact same dress, from Hugo Boss (just about the only designer these two ever have in common):

Let the battle begin!

Royal Style Duel: Letizia vs. Mary

What do we have here?

A battle of the LBDs! Letizia and Mary both stepped out this past week in what sure does look to be the exact same dress, from Hugo Boss (just about the only designer these two ever have in common):

Let the battle begin!

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 29 May - 4 June

Here's what Letizia wore from 29 May - 4 June:

1. Armed Forces Day 2011, 29 May. I'm a sucker for Letizia in red.
2. Audiences at Zarzuela Palace, 30 May. Those shoes are kinda fierce, no? You know I love that...even when I don't quite get the whole outfit combination.
3. Attending a tribute to the Kings of Navarra, 31 May. Wearing a nice new suit and those Paco Gil shoes that I gushed all over when she arrived in London for William and Kate's wedding.
4. At the Prince of Viana 2011 awards ceremony, 31 May.
5. Attending a meeting in Madrid, 2 June. This is very basic, very Letizia, but very well put together. Love the all the different blues she's paired, and I LOVE her hair like that - so soft and pretty.
6. Visiting an exhibition, 3 June. She lost the jacket for a dinner later that same day, making her a perfect match to Crown Princess Mary.
7. Visiting King Juan Carlos in the hospital, 4 June. Cute style, but more importantly a cute smile - precisely what you want to see when someone's leaving a hospital!

Best and Worst of the Week

A very good week in Letizia Land, right? I had to go with the red for the best, because I am Team MORE RED. Plus, it gave me a chance to include her officer/gentleman Felipe, and as you know I am also on Team MORE MEN IN UNIFORM. The fringe on the shirt from #2 made my worst, because I couldn't decide if the fringe made it better or worse than just a regular, boring old button-down affair...and frankly, button-down shirts shouldn't require so much pondering. How about you?

Photos: Diariodenavarra.es/Zimbio/Getty Images

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 29 May - 4 June

Here's what Letizia wore from 29 May - 4 June:

1. Armed Forces Day 2011, 29 May. I'm a sucker for Letizia in red.
2. Audiences at Zarzuela Palace, 30 May. Those shoes are kinda fierce, no? You know I love that...even when I don't quite get the whole outfit combination.
3. Attending a tribute to the Kings of Navarra, 31 May. Wearing a nice new suit and those Paco Gil shoes that I gushed all over when she arrived in London for William and Kate's wedding.
4. At the Prince of Viana 2011 awards ceremony, 31 May.
5. Attending a meeting in Madrid, 2 June. This is very basic, very Letizia, but very well put together. Love the all the different blues she's paired, and I LOVE her hair like that - so soft and pretty.
6. Visiting an exhibition, 3 June. She lost the jacket for a dinner later that same day, making her a perfect match to Crown Princess Mary.
7. Visiting King Juan Carlos in the hospital, 4 June. Cute style, but more importantly a cute smile - precisely what you want to see when someone's leaving a hospital!

Best and Worst of the Week

A very good week in Letizia Land, right? I had to go with the red for the best, because I am Team MORE RED. Plus, it gave me a chance to include her officer/gentleman Felipe, and as you know I am also on Team MORE MEN IN UNIFORM. The fringe on the shirt from #2 made my worst, because I couldn't decide if the fringe made it better or worse than just a regular, boring old button-down affair...and frankly, button-down shirts shouldn't require so much pondering. How about you?

Photos: Diariodenavarra.es/Zimbio/Getty Images