Official announcements or press releases from Banco de España

Banco de España Unveils Leibovitz Portraits of Royals for 137,000 Euros, Inspired by Velázquez

Nov 26, 2024, 12:09 PM

The Banco de España has unveiled two portraits of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, photographed by renowned American photographer Annie Leibovitz. The portraits, which were commissioned to mark the tenth anniversary of Felipe VI's proclamation, depict the King in military uniform as Captain General and the Queen in a historic Balenciaga dress from a private Catalan collection. The photoshoot, inspired by Velázquez's 'Las Meninas', took place over nine months and involved three outfit changes for Felipe VI and a focus on historical fashion for Letizia. The total cost for these portraits was reported to be 137,000 euros, and they are now on display at an exhibition at the Banco de España.