Why Queen Letizia just re-wore this skirt for the 8th time

A masterclass in royal style: How Queen Letizia fashion evolved from 2024's 3D florals and 2025's mourning black to today’s stunning recycled Hugo Boss look.

How Queen Letizia Reinvents Her Most-Worn Closet Staples

By Luis Javier Merino

APRIL 22, 2026 3:16 PM EDTAPR 22, 2026, 3:16 PM EDT

It’s been a busy week of banquets at Madrid’s Royal Palace. Just this past Monday, the King and Queen of Spain played host to Portuguese President António José Seguro and First Lady Margarida Maldonado Freitas. Today, they’re back at the monumental landmark off the Plaza de Oriente for another luncheon. This time, however, the vibe is cultural rather than political. The royals are honoring the literary elite ahead of tomorrow’s ceremony in Alcalá de Henares, where Gonzalo Celorio will be presented with the 2025 Miguel de Cervantes Prize for Literature in the Spanish Language.

Queen Letizia proves the power of a "circular wardrobe" at today’s literary luncheon in Madrid, breathing new life into a powder blue Hugo Boss skirt she first debuted in 2019.

In Her Pastel Era

That Monday meeting with the Portuguese President and First Lady Margarida Maldonado marked the Queen’s last public appearance to date. For the afternoon engagement, the wife of King Felipe VI leaned hard into pastel pink, debuting a mystery dress with an impeccably elegant silhouette. She finished the look with color-coordinated Carolina Herrera accessories: new "Insignia 20" slingbacks featuring a delicate bow on the toe and a matching Insignia clutch. Embracing a soft, romantic aesthetic, she reached for a pair of mother of pearl floral earrings and a coordinating ring by Yanes, timeless pieces that have been staples in her jewelry box for years.

First Lady Margarida Maldonado and Queen Letizia

Queen Letizia, the President of the Portuguese Republic, Antonio Jose Seguro, King Felipe VI; and the First Lady, Margarida Maldonado.

But as for today, April 22? Here is a breakdown of her latest look and the style cues defining her current rotation.

The 2019 Pastel Pencil Skirt

For this Wednesday’s luncheon, Queen Letizia reached into her archives for a Hugo Boss pencil skirt featuring a matching wide belt. Rendered in a delicate powder blue, the "Vrima" style first made its debut on June 13, 2019, during a meeting with the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) in Madrid. On that occasion, she paired it with a navy blue blouse. Since then, she’s rotated it through her wardrobe, styling it with various navy tops and crisp white blouses alike.

The Queen’s favorite "Vrima" pencil skirt by Hugo Boss has become a staple of European royalty, also appearing in the closets of Queen Mary of Denmark and Princess Sofia of Sweden.

In total, she has stepped out in this piece eight times, yet she manages to make it feel fresh every single time through clever styling. Today, she pulls off that "brand new" illusion once again by opting for a monochromatic look with a tonal blouse. It’s the ultimate sartorial trick: a garment that somehow looks reimagined every time it leaves the hanger.

Interestingly, the Hugo Boss "Vrima" skirt in powder blue has become a certified royal favorite; Queen Letizia isn’t the only one with this piece in her rotation. It’s also a staple for Queen Mary of Denmark, who was spotted in it back on March 13, 2019. Princess Sofia of Sweden is also a fan; she debuted the look on November 14, 2018, and has reached for it several times since.

To round out the ensemble, she brought back a pair of camel toned slingbacks. Naturally, her signature Coreterno ring was in place, but the real standout was her choice of jewelry: a pair of drop earrings featuring stunning aquamarines by Aldao. The pieces hold deep sentimental value, as they were a gift from her husband to mark the birth of Princess Leonor.

Her 2025 Literary Luncheon Look

Today's aesthetic is significantly different from the ensemble Doña Letizia chose for the same event in 2025. During that luncheon, which honored the 2024 Miguel de Cervantes Prize winner, Álvaro Pombo, Queen Letizia chose an all-black palette for a very significant reason.

In 2025, the Queen attended the Cervantes Prize luncheon in a black Carolina Herrera midi dress, maintaining her mourning attire after paying respects to the late Pope Francis earlier that morning.

Just hours before that luncheon, the King and Queen, accompanied by Queen Sofía, visited the Apostolic Nunciature in Madrid to sign the book of condolences following the passing of Pope Francis only a day earlier. In a mark of respect for the late Pontiff, Doña Letizia chose not to change after the morning’s engagement, keeping on her black Carolina Herrera dress, a long-sleeved midi design with a classic jewel neckline.

She cinched the look with a slim Hugo Boss belt, while her choice of footwear, tonal slingbacks from Massimo Dutti, added a seamless finish. Her jewelry was equally curated: she wore her signature Coreterno ring alongside her striking Chanel diamond feather earrings.

Pretty in Pink: The 2024 Spanish Design

In 2024, the Queen leaned into romanticism with this Pedro del Hierro crepe dress featuring intricate 3D floral embellishments and a soft pastel palette.

The sobriety of that look sharply contrasted with the luminous style she brought to this luncheon in 2024. Two years ago, Queen Letizia chose to wear pink for the second year in a row, reaching for a romantic crepe dress with a jewel neckline, long sleeves, and 3D floral embellishments scattered throughout the design. The piece, created by Nacho Aguayo for Pedro del Hierro, was an old favorite; she first debuted in Sweden on November 25, 2021. She accessorized the look with nude Carolina Herrera pumps, her Coreterno ring, and a new pair of "Gaja" earrings by designer Bárbara Goenaga.