Royal Style: Diamonds are a Queen's best friend..

[Maireas]

Evening all! Thanks to Tracy Beaker for the new title!
Roll on some bling and style, though it may be a while!

I think both Sofia and Leonor were styled as Infantas until Felipe came to the throne. At that point Leonor took the official title of the heir to the throne - which had always been the Prince of Asturias. She was the first female to hold that title in her own right, so she’s the Princess of Asturias.

Otherwise I presume she would have stayed an Infanta - Felipe and Juan Carlos’ sisters are/were all Infantas.

Yes all Spanish princesses hold the title Infanta. It's an old title from before princesses were called Princess, IIRC.

Fred and Mary have arrived in Paris for the Olympics. Colours of the Danish flag of course! 🇩🇰🇩🇰🇩🇰 I think I see the signs of a little too much filler, which is a shame.

Princess Anne wished the GB athletes well. 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 I think that's her Olympic medal she's wearing on her necklace!

Princess Anne looks like Medallion Woman there! It's probably significant. Otherwise, very business like. I'm inclined to agree with you about Mary, @AllTangledUpInTitlesAndTiaras the red is a gorgeous colour, though.

Hehe yes it's almost in Tom Jones territory. 😁 But I like it, really.

Mary looks lovely in that red! Perfect shade for my tastes.

It's nice to see Anne up and about and well enough to be back at work.

Spaniard here.
we have had many princesses of Asturias in their own right before Leonor. Not wanting to go to medieval times and just from memory, Queen Isabel II held the title. Her daughter Isabel “La Chata” also was Princess of Asturias for a short time and Alfonso XII’s daughter Mercedes was Princess of Asturias her entire life (died after delivering her third child, early 20s), first, from birth, as the heir of her father and then, as soon as Alfonso XIII was born, as his heir. In fact she was not proclaimed Queen immediately after her father’s death as Queen Maria Cristina was pregnant.

Letizia wearing Dior in Paris

The King and Queen met part of the Spanish team during an event at the Spanish Embassy in Paris

Ooh, thank you! I love to hear that!

(I had assumed it was like the UK, where there has never been a Princess of Wales in her own right - not even QEII before her father’s death).

I do like Leticia top.

Dinner for the Royals at the Louvre tonight. Mary and Letizia are wearing the same outfits worn at earlier events

It is kind of “automatic” for the heir to be Prince/Princess of Asturias in their own right. No need for the King to bestow the honour on the heir apparent by “creating” the title and issuing letters patent.

as a curiosity, the first Princess of Asturias was Maria de Castilla, later Queen of Aragon by marriage, in the XV century.

plenty of women here (in Spanish and from the wiki, but the list is self explanatory)

es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Príncipes_de_Asturias

Thanks, @Mencia - that's really interesting.

I think Spain still has male preference primogeniture, unlike most of the European monarchies. Though obviously Leonor is unlikely to be supplanted by a little brother now!

The law has not been changed because there was no need for it. It was contemplated before the birth of Sofia (around 2006) but given that the two main parties can never agree on anything and it requires a constitutional change (article 57.1) they decided to wait until it is really needed.

Thank you so much for the responses, love learning about this ☺️

I like Leti's outfit and the shoes are lovely too.

Thank you @Mencia - love the dives into history that these threads often bring.

I love this thread - it is my favourite on MN. thanks to all.

as a curiosity, the first Princess of Asturias was Maria de Castilla, later Queen of Aragon by marriage, in the XV century.

And she was also a granddaughter of John of Gaunt. We are in shakespearean territory now :) heading for the wars of the roses.

Yes, she was the daughter of (in Spanish) Catalina de Lancaster, who was also the great-grandmother (and namesake) of Catalina de Aragón, the first of the wives of Henry VIII!
That makes the first Princess of Asturias what, great-aunt of a Queen consort of England?

Btw @Pallisers we could go a little bit more back in time and say that, in any case, John of Gaunt was a great-grandson of Leonor de Castilla, Edward I’s first queen and a descendant of San Fernando (St Ferdinand, aka King Fernando III de Castilla).

I think I may be a bit in love with you

So, if Spain has male primogeniture, and if Felipe divorced Leti and married a younger woman, and this woman had a son, would the son displace Leonor and be Prince of the Asturias?

Thought of @Maireas yesterday husband flicks through news channels in the morning piece about the Olympics showing royals, the newscaster said

"Who knows the name of any foreign royals, I don't think anyone does?"

😂😂