Queen Letizia and King Felipe have asked a famous photographer to take new official portraits to mark their 20th wedding anniversary, as they continue to form a united front despite “affair” accusations made by their former brother-in-law.
According to Spanish media reports, the couple has chosen Annie Leibovitz, who photographed the late Queen Elizabeth II in the White Room of Buckingham Palace in 2007 and made the last portrait of John Lennon a few hours before his murder.
Letizia and Felipe will celebrate 20 years of marriage on May 22.
The last official portraits of the royal couple were taken by photographer Estela de Castro inside the Royal Palace of Madrid in 2020.
Letizia stunned in a hot pink dress with silver embroidery by Carolina Herrera in October 2019, previously worn at Emperor Naruhito’s ascension to the throne.
Queen Letizia and King Felipe asked a famous photographer to take their new official portrait on their 20th wedding anniversary, despite accusations of “romance” made by her former brother-in-law (pictured in 2020 inside the Royal Palace from Madrid).
She accessorized with dazzling jewelry, including the Fleurs de Lys Tiara, made of platinum and diamonds that bears the Fleurs de Lys emblem of the House of Bourbon, which has belonged to the Spanish royal family since King Alfonso He offered it to Queen Ena. as a wedding gift in 1906.
She paired the tiara with Cartier diamond-encrusted bracelets and round earrings, also made of diamonds.
The mother of two children wore the sash and badge of the Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III.
In the gala portrait, her husband Felipe VI wore a large selection of his own royal orders, including the scallop of the Order of the Golden Fleece, the great collar of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III, the plaque of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III and the plates of the Great Crosses of Military Merit, Naval Merit and Aeronautical Merit.
The couple’s new official portraits will take place ahead of their 20th wedding anniversary in May, despite “affair” accusations made by their former brother-in-law, which rocked the Spanish royal family in November.
This Wednesday, King Felipe and Letizia received the Diplomatic Corps at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid
On her Instagram, royal expert Eugenia Garavani revealed the news by sharing a snapshot of the royal couple’s 2020 portrait and the ‘iconic’ image of Queen Elizabeth.
Jaime Peñafiel, 91, who made a series of explosive accusations about Queen Letizia in the book ‘Letizia & Yo’, was fired from the newspaper where he had worked for 20 years.
At the end of last year, the veteran journalist shocked the Spanish Royal Family after alleging that the Queen had a romantic relationship with her former brother-in-law.
The book relied heavily on allegations made by Jaime Del Burgo, 53, who sensationally claimed he was still romantically involved with Letizia after her 2004 wedding to King Felipe.
The businessman told the author that he met Letizia before the year 2000 and their relationship began on a romantic trip to Venice, years before she met King Felipe.
The journalist spoke with the Argentine publication Semana and confirmed that he no longer works for El Mundo.
Spanish Crown Prince Felipe de Borbón and his girlfriend Letizia look at each other as the royal couple appears on the balcony of the Royal Palace on May 22, 2004.
Telma Ortiz and her husband Jaime Del Burgo photographed in 2012 before their wedding
During the interview, the journalist denied that the decision to leave El Mundo was made months ago.
Initial reports in the Spanish media claimed that Jaime Peñafiel was fired due to 2024 budget constraints.
However, the author claimed that the decision to fire him was made on the day he complained about a “very offensive” article that had been printed about him.
Businessman Jaime del Burgo, based in the United Kingdom, alleged that he and Letizia were partners before marrying her younger sister, Telma Ortiz, from whom he is now separated.
He went on to make the surprising claim that he and the former news anchor talked about starting their own family and a new life together in the United States during a “secret romance” while she was still with King Philip of Spain.
He later revealed that he is preparing his own autobiographical book, ‘Nothing but the truth’, in another blow to the Spanish Royal Family, which until now has reacted with silence.
The father-of-two, 53, sparked controversy late last year by posting an updated selfie the Queen of Spain took in the bathroom mirror during one of her pregnancies as “evidence” of their alleged affair.
Businessman Jaime Del Burgo shared this invisible selfie of Queen Letizia with his followers. He claimed the royal wore her pashmina and said he “took care of her”
It showed her wearing a pashmina that he claims to have given her.
The businessman stated that their romantic relationship was forged in Venice and dates back more than 20 years.
On Boxing Day, Jaime shared with his thousands of X followers the ‘four stages of the relationship’ with Letizia in a message he is believed to have first posted in early December before deleting and then reposting it.
He listed them in his lawsuit as: ‘1) Love relationship, from 2002 to 2004; 2) Friends and confidants, from 2004 to 2010; 3) Lasting and continuous love relationship, 2010 and 2011; 4) As brothers-in-law, from 2012 to 2016.’
And he continues writing: “It is the third relationship that ends abruptly after two years, a few months after Letizia’s resignation as Princess of Asturias, Felipe’s divorce and establishment as a couple in New York, which was what we had planned.” .
In another post he stated that he and Letizia discussed the issue of Felipe’s divorce and sought legal advice, adding: “We considered New York as the best option for permanent residence, the idea that we would have our son through surrogacy in Los Me Angels proposed.
Telma Ortiz is now with Irish lawyer Gavin Bonnar and the couple welcomed their first child together in October 2021. Gavin shares two children with his first wife, musician Sharon Corr.
Referring to the scandal, a spokesperson for the Spanish Royal Family told FEMAIL: “We have no comment to make on the matter.”