Queen Margrethe hosted a state banquet for the Spanish King and Queen

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Margrethe hosted a state banquet at Christiansborg Palace in honour of King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain. Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary, Princess Benedikte, representatives from the government, representatives from the Danish and Spanish business world, representatives from culture and sport, the Spanish delegation accompanying the King and Queen, and representatives from the Court were present at the banquet.

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

Queen Letizia wearing Felipe Varela navy gown. Crown Princess Mary wearing Lasse Spangenberg gown

61 Comments

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  1. Anonymous6/11/23 21:19

    Letizia sublissime , fabuleux diadème mais trop imposant pour sa petite tête
    Chicissime Mary avec une robe déjà vue
    Froufrou

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I agree, above all on the fact that Letizia's tiara is so "imposing". I don't know whether she has the choice about another one. I very much prefer Mary's one.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous6/11/23 21:22

    P Benedikte has a very nice dress! Cp M has to dark make-up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, both Letizia & Mary have a too dark make up IMV. And I cannot resist reacting negatively to the Queen's fur... it was already often commented.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous6/11/23 21:31

    Love love love this! Literally every one of them looks fantastic, all the ladies ánd gentlemen. Mary is a vision in silver. I really like Letizia's dress, except for the (lack of) sleeves. She's definitely showing off in the jewelry departement, but it's not over the top for me. Maybe another kind of updo with more widt would have balanced the tiara a bit more. I also very much like the elegant outfits of Margrethe and Benedicte. Queen Margrethe's dress is one of her best looks yet (and she's had quite a few the last years). Damsel Dragonfly

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    Replies
    1. totally agree, the Dannish do state dinners so well. only fall back is Letzia's tiara is too big!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7/11/23 10:25

      A tiara cannot be too big, missy ;) e.

      Delete
    3. I agree @Anon 10:25 A tiara can never be too big 😁

      Delete
  4. Anonymous6/11/23 21:37

    All the ladies look gorgeous and stunning. I especially love Letizia's gown. They all pulled out their most amazing tiara's and jewels. This is a very grand occasion.

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  5. Anonymous6/11/23 21:39

    It's funny because I never think of Letizia and Mary being about the same height because Felipe is so tall. Lovely to see them together.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ladyofthemanor6/11/23 21:39

    Queen Margarethe looks splendid in the dark green gown with lace sleeves. We have not seen her wear the emerald tiara for a while and I love it. She is also wearing the rest of the parure. Queen Letizia´s blue gown is stunning. A real ball gown. Unfortunately I always think the tiara looks too big on her. Magnificent earrings! CP Mary is very elegant in her slivery dress and Princess Benedicte´s red dress is beautiful

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  7. Anonymous6/11/23 21:40

    Queen Margarethe looks fantastic - so regal, so sophisticated, and her gown fits her more than perfectly. I like the style and the deep, rich colour of Q. Letizia's gown but not the printed fabric, and I think her huge earrings (which must be worth a king's ransom) are too huge. CP Mary is suitably 'glammed down' in defference to the two queens, but I don't like the fit of her dress (the skirt and bodice makes her look pudgy in some (not all) photos) and the colour is a little drab. Still, she looks lovely as she always does. The tiaras of all four ladies are beautiful.
    - Anon 9:13

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Earrings and tiaras can never be too big. Let's talk about the "King's ransom" later. Not the right moment to talk about money 😀

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7/11/23 20:54

      @deadeggs: :)) The ransom would also vary by which king - of the 4 or 5 who currently occupy a throne - let alone the family jewels lol!
      - Anon 9:13

      Delete
  8. Anonymous6/11/23 22:17

    I love Mary & Letizia's gowns are gorgeous. I think Mary has a re-wear. Mary looks perfect as always. Mary

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous7/11/23 00:42

      I agree - both gowns are beautiful! HMQ Letizia’s is a rewear, too, from at least as far back as 2015.

      Anya

      Delete
  9. Anonymous6/11/23 22:29

    Wow! That is some bling for the Queen of Denmark! She looks fantastic!!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous6/11/23 23:44

      She does, few can look so elegant into the tiniest detail! C

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7/11/23 19:55

      P. E. R. F. E. C. T. I. O. N!

      Delete
  10. Anonymous6/11/23 22:34

    wow queen letizia looks magnificent

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous6/11/23 22:35

    Mary’s gown and jewels are balanced and lovely. Silver gray is a good color for her. Letizia needed a much higher and more elegant updo than a ponytail to balance one of the largest of the Spanish royal tiaras. It is a beautiful tiara.

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  12. Anonymous6/11/23 22:40

    Queen Margarethe looks wonderful…her gown is a gorgeous emerald color and look at those fabulous jewels! Not a fan of the fur but it certainly will keep her warm. Love the rich sapphire color and style of Letizia’s gown and earrings but not a big fan of her tiara. It’s a beautiful piece for sure but looks too large on her head and needs more of a hairstyle around it to give it more of a comfortable home. Mary looks fine and her gown is lovely though I think she looks her best in darker, more jewel toned colors. Her makeup seem a bit too heavy in my opinion and gives her a chalky look. And of course Benedikte is her usual elegant self with her smashing ruby gown. She is my overall favorite look for the ladies. And how handsome and dashing s Felipe!

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  13. Anonymous6/11/23 23:11

    PB: Winner. Pure elegance, check. Old dark red silk duchesse gown redesigned, check.
    CPM: Runner-up. Dove gray gown designed for her 50s birthday gala that never happened because of the pandemic. Classic, simple elegance.
    QM: Redesigned dark green lace gown, check. Good to see the emerald parure from the Crown Jewels making an appearance on the Queen.
    QL: No. I'm not fond of these 'Disney' gowns. And the head gear and earrings look almost ludicrous. Yes, the tiara is magnificent, but far to big for her head,
    and the earrings are just bulky and uninteresting from a design POW.
    Amy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7/11/23 07:13

      Well said!! I fully agree on everything you wrote :-) CC

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7/11/23 09:01

      Completely agree. Imo QL is too kin on sleeveless dresses which are less elegant . This tiara is too big for her head . I personally don’t like the earrings ( too show off)

      Delete
    3. Anonymous7/11/23 15:37

      All well thought out comments. Agreed on all of them. Very gracious royal hosts. A little too showy from the visiting queen. But that’s not surprising.

      A note to remark on Felipe’s impeccable demeanour. Beyond the hight and always on point suiting (without the need to show off his muscles à la Fred), just the way he carries himself is quite remarkable in all aspects. In fact he could be a model for other royals, many of whom appear to struggle to find their balance between the weight of the role and the human aspects.

      CH

      Delete
  14. Anonymous6/11/23 23:18

    A couple of nice repeats from the Danish ladies…nice colors and fit for both the Queen and CP. I think QL’s dress is also a repeat and the color is nice, but I’m not a fan of the beading/embroidery or big Cinderella skirt. The dress fits her well and she always looks impeccable, but I’m a little bummed that she didn’t pull another option from her closet. P Benedikte looks fabulous in red and her gown is beautifully designed.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous6/11/23 23:35

    Queen Margrethe is the best dressed in this banquet . I love her deep green lace gown and her wonderful jewellery . CP Mary also look beautiful , princess Benedikte is so elegant . Q Letizia I think that her gown is not very well fitting .

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous6/11/23 23:37

    I do like Queen Margrethe's dress; also the silver fox stole; actually that must be quite old. Mary's eye makeup is a bit heavy; I do like her dress, nice and sparkly. Queen Letizia earrings look like coke bottle tops;
    the crown is pretty as is her dress (Tara)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous7/11/23 00:52

    All the ladies look beautiful, lovely gowns and tiaras. Christine

    ReplyDelete
  18. All just gorgeous. Where to start. I think Queen Margrethe may just edge top spot for me with that beautiful gown and incredible jewellery. Queen Letizia is only a fraction behind. I adore her dress but feel that she could have done more with her hair to support the magnificent tiara. Princess Benedikte looks as impeccable as she always does in this beautiful red dress. CP Mary lags behind in a dress which is very dull compared to the other three ladies. The men look wonderful

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous7/11/23 02:40

    The Danish queen and the Spanish queen are the best dressed . And the jewels are amazing and ostentatious but I guess appropriate for the occasion. The dress in PB is ill fitting and wrinkled but the color is good. CP Mary's dress is a bit boring and she is wearing way too much make up. The crown prince is wearing too many medals, to compare to the King of Spain, but he must have earned them so it's all good.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous7/11/23 03:16

    What determines which shoulder the sash goes over? Each family is opposite.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ladyofthemanor7/11/23 15:22

      This is decided by the statutes of respective order. King Felipe and Queen Letizia are wearing the blue riband of the Danish Order of Elephant and the Danish royals are wearing a Spanish order.

      Delete
  21. Anonymous7/11/23 03:53

    I don't know how Princess Benedikte does it - she always looks great and the items she wears always look like her (I don't know how to properly express this since English is not my first language). She is a very elegant lady indeed.

    Queen Margrethe also looks really great, the complete opposite of her sister, but they both make it work. I especially like her tiara.

    Queen Letizia's crown/tiara is much too large for her, perhaps had she added hair extensions to bulk up. Her dress is a beautiful colour, but I personally don't like this style of dress.

    Crown princess Mary looks beautiful, head to toe. This dress looks great on her.

    PS: it must cost alot to keep these castles heated in the winter.

    T

    ReplyDelete
  22. Beautiful gowns, Pss Bene looked incredible.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous7/11/23 06:34

    The pictures do not do CP Mary's dress justice. The dress is delicate light green with pearls and stones in silver, pink, heather, green in many shades. A very beautiful dress. Have seen it in reality.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7/11/23 13:07

      Thank you so much! I have always been grateful that the Danish RF has people walk through that long hall and we get to see photos/videos, but I’ve suspected for a long time that the very bright lighting washes everyone out and we don’t get to see them to their best advantage. I already liked HRH CP Mary’s dress, but I like it even better now thanks to your very helpful description.

      Anya

      Delete
  24. On this occasion "the old school"(in a positive meaning) wins for me: Q Margrethe and P Benedikte. Both sofisticared, regal and magnificent!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous7/11/23 08:06

    Enter: a Queen, Margaretha!
    So stylish , wonderfull in all aspects: the beautifull dark green colour, the model of the widening skirt and its length!, the lace sleeves, the beautifull big emerald in her jewelry: just all very impressive.
    Not so much Queen Letizia: read here that this is called a Disney- model dress. So looks suddenly too bare when the other ladies wear dresses with sleeves.
    Love Mary’s dress in its simple elegance, as is sweet Benedikte.
    Mabel

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous7/11/23 08:08

    I think 2 smaller tiaras can be made from all the diamonds in Letizia's tiara. I think it will be easier to wear and more practical. And why should she cover her well trained arms? They all look beautiful... Especially King Felipe...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7/11/23 09:03

      Obviously you do not understand a thing about "tiaras", only countries that had an Emperor can have a tiara so Big...It means power they are not only jewerly...(thing that nowadays do not happend),
      "The Crown is bigger than the Head.."

      Delete
    2. Anonymous8/11/23 17:30

      Don't make things up. It looked much smaller on the other women that have worn it because their hair styles were bigger and wider. Hair isn't being worn that way now. It was also altered from its original form to be widened to fit in with the times. I can't see Letizia adding a mountain of hair to make an heirloom tiara look better on her. And why cut it down? It isn't worn that frequently. There will be a time when big hair will be back in style and the Fleur de Lys Tiara will be the go to tiara for some lucky queen.

      Delete
  27. Anonymous7/11/23 08:46

    Poor thing. Letizia doesn't wear the crown, the crown wears her...way, way to big for her. The dress? Take the fifth. The sisters looks fab. Mary ok.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous7/11/23 09:07

    QM & PB are clear stand outs. The emeralds set is breathtaking!
    CP Mary dress washes her out. Her make up seems overly done,and ages her.
    Although I love the re-wear gown from QL,the tiara let’s the look down. It’s way too big for her,or it’s not been shaped to her head, I can’t quite figure which it is. The earrings are superb,but seem out of place with the tiara.
    I applaud CP Mary ongoing support for fashion sustainability,but long to see her in something new and fabulous! Bea

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous7/11/23 09:43

    Mary looks fantastic in her re-wear silver dress. As well as princess Benedikte. Gorgeous. As others have said this crown is too big for L's head and the dress, though beautiful fabrics, is too much of a ballroom dancing dress for me. It might be fashion now but I love to see her more in modern styled dresses and esp. with sleeves.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous7/11/23 10:16

    After reading all the comments, I scrolled up to look at the pictures again. The only comment I had thought myself was that this tiara always looks so big on Letizia. The previous wearers had bigger hair so it helped balance the size, but women don't wear their hair that way anymore. This is an important piece with history, and it has a big presence. I don't think there was a better place to wear it than Denmark. They have enjoyed many tiara events recently.

    I looked at Mary again. Other than thinking her gown does not photograph well, I don't see excess makeup. I think this is another case of not understanding the difference between daytime and evening makeup. The lighting from flash photography is harsh and unforgiving, and as we have seen in the past, skin takes on different tones in different lighting. Mary, like Letizia, is made up for the time of day. As is typical for her, she looks lovely, and no doubt even more beautiful in person.

    Lastly, I looked with fresh eyes at Letizia's gown. I hadn't seen Disney princess on my first look. After reading the Disney comment enough times, I was picturing a very full skirt. I must watch different Disney movies than the rest of the Disney watching public. That is not a Disney princess gown. It is not the typical silhouette Letizia gravitates to, but she does have others similar. I think it was chosen with her host in mind. Margrethe, being a more mature queen, was probably kept in mind when choosing which gown to wear.

    Margrethe and Benedikte both look wonderful in their jewel tones. I would say the the three jewel tones win the evening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7/11/23 17:38

      Yes there is a difference between day and evening make-up and lighting does matter but to me Mary’s make up is still too heavy and does her no favors. She looks ill!



      Delete
    2. Anonymous8/11/23 17:51

      That is on the photographer. It is his/her job to adjust their settings so the subjects are not photographed in such harsh lighting. Mary does not look overly made up in all the photos. Any unflattering shots should have been adjusted in post before being released. If she looked bad in all the photos, I would agree with you.

      Delete
  31. Anonymous7/11/23 10:49

    QL . love her dress, tiara too big. I wonder why she never wears one of the other tiara's former queen Sofia used to wear.
    QM : love her tiara and jewelry : so much better than the other tiara and necklace she usually wears (with the pearls).
    CP M : the dress washes her out, jewelry is beautiful
    PB : material of the dress looks stiff, the color is too red a darker shade of red would have been better, jewelry is good but the necklace (big medal) is too much.
    KF : handsome in his gala uniform
    CP F : handsome but too much decorations
    Not what I had expected of this state visit.
    Rose

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous7/11/23 14:27

      Because It is the best tiara of the Spanish Empire...the one Sofía used to wear was a gift from the dictator Franco.

      Delete
  32. Wouah, je me suis empressée de faire défiler les photos afin d'admirer les diadèmes de ces dames ; c'est celui de la princesse Benedikte qui a ma préférence car elle a su l'associer élégamment à sa robe rouge vif. En ce qui concerne les chaussures, j'aurais plutôt choisi une couleur argentée !

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous7/11/23 15:01

    The emerald green dress suits QM superb and PB and CPM look equally beautiful; well done!

    In my opinion, a tiara and a ponytail don't go together very well. Especially if you are dealing with a fairly large tiara, it is better if the hairstyle has a little more volume; in this case, the ponytail emphasizes QL's narrow face and makes the tiara appear even larger. Therefore an updo and a somewhat more voluminous upper part of the dress would have been better. The colour of the dress suits the queen beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  34. P. the original7/11/23 17:58

    https://youtu.be/NZn8DghnvSA?si=gc41CbQ0RpjEFAyN

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous7/11/23 19:12

    Margrethe is my winner here. WOW! There is a timeless elegance about this outfit (I'm tactfully going to overlook the fur), she could be a medieval queen as well as a modern one. Emerald is definitely her colour, stunning!

    Mary taking it a step back to leave the queens the floor while still looking all shiny and sparkly, another winner! I also love the little "F" necklace she's wearing, which I'm assuming is for her husband.

    Next to the two Danish ladies, Letizia is a bit of a letdown. Not because she's not stunning. Individually, everything is fine - the colour, the cut, the makeup... but I'm not overly fond of her jewellery picks. Now, I get it, this is a big state visit and you bring out the big guns to show respect. But with the sleek hair and especially paired with those massive earrings, it's just too much for her delicate figure. The volume of the princess gown doesn't help. In fact, the only time I ever liked her wearing that tiara was when she donned it with a sleek black (velvet?) dress. And yes, I also miss sleeves. Not because she can't show her arms - heavens, it's 2023, we all know women have arms! But because it doesn't quite fit the Nordic autumn/winter vibes of everyone else in the room.
    -Nika-

    ReplyDelete
  36. QL preciosa con el vestido la tiara y los pendientes . Mary no luce con ese vestido de color gris. La reina Margarita está estupenda con este vestido verde esmeralda. Pocas veces se vistió tan bien.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous7/11/23 22:48

    Queen Margrethe’s, Queen Letizia’s, and CP
    Mary’s gowns are all absolutely gorgeous, imo. And while I don’t mind showy earrings at State banquets (unless the wearer foolishly goes in for tassel or feather adornments 😖), I do think that tiaras can be too big. Letizia’s, imo, is in that category. It is wearing her, rather than the other way around. I feel the same way about the towering tiaras poor Queen Camilla is often browbeaten into wearing. When the effect verges on the comical, the thing is Just. Too. Big. While we’re at it, it I think updos are more appropriate than ponytails (no matter how nicely styled) at State banquets. BUT, all the ladies look
    beautiful and adorn the event glamorously!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous8/11/23 17:44

      Camilla is not browbeaten Into wearing those large tiaras. I think she likes them and they suit her. She has had the same basic hairstyle for decades. It is wide, which can support the height of the tiara.

      Delete
  38. Anonymous7/11/23 23:54

    Fantastic look all around. The jewels are superb. Letizia's earrings are stunning, I feel the tiara is a bit too big for head. Not keen on the ponytail. Felipe must have brought his Taylor. His uniforms, suit and Tux always look so well fitted. css

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  39. Anonymous8/11/23 00:06

    Letizia's head is too small for the tiara. Maybe she needs to let her hair down and curl or blow them while wearing the tiara.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I absolutely ADORE anything that sparkles however, Queen Letizia's tiara and earrings are way too big for her diminutive fram in my opinion. Her gown is absolutely gorgeous and the whole ensemble would have looked spectacular with any other choice of jewellery.

    ReplyDelete

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