With the United States boasting a new and highly attractive first lady, and former top model Carla Bruni adding a touch of joie de vivre to Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency, following the style and bearing of the world’s leading ladies has become a fashion follower’s dream. ‘Royalty’ pays tribute to the the newest additions as well as some old favourites. The newcomers (although Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy has long been a fashion icon) to the high profile world of international relations are not having it all their own way as royal consorts, from Europe to Arabia, have made their own marks. Conservatism can be chic and an understated sense of continuity, elegance and refinement delineates the style of Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium. This Belgian aristocrat has a noteworthy acknowledgement of her fashion sense having being selected by Vanity Fair magazine for its International Best-Dressed List 2008. The blonde, blue eyed Mathilde, gifted by a most beautiful complexion, favours suits and tailored dresses. She has the elegant figure of a model, but her style is far from the brash catwalk. She is always appropriately regal in the most simple outfits. By way of contrast Queen Rania of Jordan’s story combines the harsh realities of life in the Middle East with a modern fairytale. Rania is the daughter of a Palestinian doctor who lived in Kuwait until Saddam Hussein invaded and the family left to live in Jordan, where she met her future husband Prince Abdullah. When her husband ascended the Jordanian throne in 1999 she became queen at the age of 28. Rania is a slightly different sort of fashion icon, as well as an aspirational figure for many Arab women. Among her favourite designers Rania includes Roland Mouret, Armani, Elie Saab, Prada, Chloe, Givenchy. Rania, the mother of four, is tall but being very slender she has the figure of a model and her looks are stunning.
Letizia, Princess of Asturias, née Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, has come a long way since the day she accepted Crown Prince Felipe as a husband. Letizia, a very modern royal bride as a divorcee and former TV anchorwoman, has become one of the most stylish European princesses. Letizia, a cool-headed journalist, has a little surprisingly looked nervous at times in her role as crown princess. But she is naturally graceful and rather petit next to her husband who is six feet four inches tall! The moment when Letizia came of age as a fashion icon was during the recent official visit of President and Mrs Sarkozy to Spain. Letizia and Carla looked like they were on a catwalk but there was no hint of a catfight – just two very attractive ladies at ease with one another. They wore similar hugging-figure dresses in different colours, Carla in royal blue and Letizia in cherry. Carla was wearing Dior with black Louboutin while Letizia was dressed by Felipe Varela. Another favourite designer for Letizia is Miriam Ocariz, considered one of Spain’s most talented fashion designers.
As a royal bride Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby was a controversial choice with her troubled past. But love won out and Norway’s Crown Prince Haakon married the single mother who has gone on to give him two children of his own. Crown Princess Mette-Marit is a very Norwegian blonde and has a very feminine, folksy, almost girlish style. She always look pretty wearing simple clothes but, always, has something added to the collar, or accessory to make an impact. Graceful and gentle Mette-Marit has great legs and is very tall. In the flesh she is even prettier and she has charming manners. Crown Princess Maxima brings an unbounded exuberance to her role as consort to Holland’s Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. The daughter of a wealthy landowner in Buenos Aires, she has adapted to the role of a future queen without looking back, despite the political storm that took place just before the wedding in which Argentine politics prevented her father from being at the wedding. Maxima is tall and statuesque. Sometimes photographs do not do her justice. In person she is very handsome and she has such a unique radiance about her. Her choice of clothes reflect her personality, she is Latin and in one outfit she will happily combine three shades of pink. A fashion choice that might seem over the top for some is an expression of joy to Maxima. At the time of their marriage Willem said he did not want to change anything about the woman he had fallen in love with. The couple’s public demeanour speaks volumes for their happiness together.
