Queen Letizia's Red Leather Pants Bring the Runway to Royalty

Mark Queen Letizia as a royal fan of fashion's red color trend.

On Thursday, the monarch made an appearance at the Royal Palace of El Pardo in Madrid, Spain, alongside King Felipe VI, to present a number of awards at the 2022 National Sports Awards. (It's unclear why the 2022 Awards are being presented in April 2024.) Honorees include athletes like tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, who was given the "Rey Felipe" sports award.

Queen Letizia appeared at the ceremony in a colorful outfit assembled by her go-to stylist, Eva Fernández. From the top, the look started with a white chiffon blouse with poet sleeves. A delicate ribbon tie was secured at her neck.

The real standout in the Queen's outfit? Her red leather trousers. She styled the sleek bottoms with a cream belt at the waist and matching red stilettos. She also accessorized with gold drop earrings. (Exact credits for her look have not yet been shared.)

Queen Letizia's opting for the bold colorway isn't only indicative of the high-fashion runways' obsession with red over the past few seasons. Historically, the color red is also a power symbol. It's often associated with themes like regality and passion. In other words, no royal outfit is a mere coincidence.

In the 2022 Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, Meghan Markle gave insight into the intention behind her choice of color in her outfits. She discussed how she used to wear muted tones to avoid distracting the focus on more senior family members. "To my understanding, you can't ever wear the same color as Her Majesty if there's a group event," she also says in Episode 5.

Now, out of the royal family, the Duchess of Sussex unapologetically wears the brightest hues without constraints—red being one of them. The vibrant color has also been worn by other royal women to make a statement including Kate Middleton and Princess Diana. (Who can forget the late Diana's famous red-and-black gown that she wore in June 1988 at the British Embassy? Iconic!)

Queen Letizia's choice of color also nods to her personal affinity for fashion. While the 51-year-old has a wardrobe full of elaborate designer pieces, she's also known to be the "queen" of high-low fashion, often wearing wallet-friendly brands like Mango. If a trend gets Queen Letizia's stamp of approval, it's almost always worth shopping.