The king and queen of Spain visited Washington, DC, on Tuesday just in time for the queen’s birthday.
Advertisement
It was a fashion face-off Tuesday afternoon at the White House when Michelle Obama, considered the most sartorially knowledgeable first lady in history, hosted Spain’s Queen Letizia for tea and a tour of FLOTUS’s organic garden.
The U.S. must work together with all European countries to ensure that refugees “are safe; that they are treated with shared humanity; and that we ultimately… deal with the source of the problem, which is the ongoing crisis in Syria”, Obama said during a meeting with King Felipe VI of Spain.
It’s worth noting that much of the on-street parking downtown will be limited on Friday, so those planning to attend either activity should park at the Historic Downtown Parking Facility at the Visitor Information Center at 10 W. Castillo Dr, according to the city. Yesterday, the couple hit up Georgetown University, which happens to be Felipe’s alma matter.
For the evening reception, Letizia wore an off-the-rack, navy top and skirt by Nina Ricci, a Paris-based designer whose label is owned by Spanish fashion conglomerate Puig. They are the very model of a modern royal couple.
While the queen’s clothes may be pricey, King Felipe and Queen Letizia are no spendthrifts. Now the Spanish monarchy is on shaky ground, a fate few would have predicted in the heyday of King Juan Carlos I. In his first year on the throne, Felipe cut his own salary by 20 per cent (the king gets about $350,000 a year) and posted all the royal salaries and expenditures online for anyone to see.
Advertisement
For the moment, the Spanish crown is (relatively) secure – as long as Felipe and Letizia live happily ever after. Then it’s back to Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, where the royals live with their two young daughters.
