Queen Letizia of Spain exudes magnificence in glamorous blue robe as she and King Felipe host Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron for state banquet

Queen Letizia of Spain oozed elegance as she and King Felipe welcomed Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron to a grand state banquet on Tuesday night.

Letizia was a vision in blue in her Carolina Herrera floor-length gown and her favourite Spanish Floral Tiara at Madrid’s Royal Palace.

Gifted to her mother-in-law Queen Sofia by the Spanish Government to mark her wedding in 1962, this historic jewel is one of Letizia’s most-worn headpieces for state dinners and key diplomatic events. 

The refined royal, 54, paired the embellished crepe gown with a pair of £200 Martinelli Redondo metallic leather platform sandals.

Felipe, meanwhile, looked dapper in a black suit and white bow tie, and beamed as he shook hands with the French President and first lady for the historic occasion. 

Brigitte wore a white column dress with silver side detailing. To accessorise, she carried a white sparkle clutch bag and opted for a pair of drop earrings.

In recognition of bilateral relations between France and Spain, Emmanuel wore insignia to mark the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.

The state dinner’s exquisite menu was led by prestigious Michelin chef Joan Roca, who is said to have carefully curated a special menu for the Spanish-French evening.

Both Emmanuel and Felipe delivered speeches at the dinner, with the French President acknowledging Felipe and Letizia’s daughter Leonor, who recently began her university studies at Madrid’s Carlos II University. 

Marking the first French state visit since 2009, Emmanuel and Brigitte arrived in Spain on Tuesday for a two-day trip designed to help strengthen political, economic and diplomatic ties.

In the morning, the Spanish king and queen met Emmanuel and Brigitte in the courtyard of the Royal Palace before enjoying a luncheon at the Palace of La Zarzuela.

Emmanuel and Felipe also observed a battalion of the Royal Guard and a Parade before sharing a meeting to discuss relations.

At the forefront of discussions is believed to be the Friendship and Cooperation Treaty, signed by Mr Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Barcelona in January 2023. 

It comes after Emmanuel and Brigitte welcomed Princess Charlene of Monaco and Prince Albert II to a poignant event in France. 

The Macrons were captured warmly greeting the royal couple as they arrived for the meeting ‘At the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity’ held close to the German border.

Pope Leo XIV delivered an address at the conference on the final day of his four-day visit to France, where he spoke of a ‘new stage’ in the history of ‘contemporary Europe’.

Met with a standing ovation, Pope Leo called for younger Europeans to ‘not give in to the mentality of violence and oppression’ and ‘not be afraid to work tirelessly for the good of your communities, including through political engagement’.

The event in Metz, hometown of Robert Schuman, a founding father of the European Union, saw Princess Charlene, 48, and Prince Albert, 68, join the French leader in a bid to strengthen ties between European nations.

All EU heads of state and the heads of European institutions were invited to attend the conference. The French president, 48, is also set to join Pope Leo for Mass in the city of Metz later today.

For the occasion, Charlene stepped out in a striking white suit ensemble, paired with a statement collar and matching handbag with gold detailing.

The royal mother-of-two’s all-white ensemble was in line with the ‘privilège du blanc” – an exception to the historic dress code that permits only queens and princesses from Catholic countries to wear white when meeting the Pope.

She is one of fewer than ten women in the world who are permitted to wear white when meeting with the Pope.

Called le privilège du blanc in French or il privilegio del bianco in Italian, the special tradition is extended solely to designated Catholic queens and princesses and is reserved for important events such as private audiences, canonisations, beatifications and special masses.

Normal protocol for papal audiences requires that women wear a long black dress with a high collar and long sleeves, and a black mantilla.

In-keeping with this tradition, Brigitte, 73, was seen wearing a striking black dress with a gold brooch, and was all smiles as she greeted the Monaco royals for the historic event.

During his address, Pope Leo urged Europe to draw from its Christian roots in a bid to overcome the ‘desire for domination’ driving today’s wars, and also called for a willingness to ‘give up some positions for the greater good of peace’.

The pontiff also called for European unity to fight ‘lies and deceit’.