On this day in 2004, Felipe and Letizia were married at the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid (Spain)
Exactly 22 years ago today, the whole of Spain was celebrating. Prince Felipe married Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, making her the Princess of Asturias and the future Queen of Spain.
The day before the wedding, Felipe and Letizia hosted a gala dinner at the Palace of El Pardo, attended by more than 300 guests. For the occasion, Letizia wore a silver gown designed by Lorenzo Caprile.
The now-king and queen, Felipe VI and Letizia, were married at the Almudena Cathedral. Theirs was the first wedding held at the cathedral, which was consecrated in 1993.
More than 1,200 guests attended the wedding. Among them were representatives from twelve reigning royal houses and twelve non-reigning royal houses.
One of the best-kept secrets of the day was the wedding dress, which was revealed at that moment. It was a Pertegaz design featuring a V-neckline, a funnel neck, gold embroidery, long sleeves, and a 4.5-meter train.
Also wore three main pieces of jewelry: The most striking was the Prussian tiara that Queen Sofía wore on her wedding day—an Empire-style piece crafted from platinum and diamonds. She also wore floral-shaped diamond earrings, a gift from her in-laws, and her engagement ring.
As for the pumps, they were custom-made in off-white leather with a 12-centimeter heel. The shoes were custom-made by the Madrid-based brand Pura López.
As for the groom’s attire, there were no surprises, as he wore the Army’s full dress uniform. It featured the embroidered emblem of the Infantry, the rank insignia of a major on the sleeves, and around his neck the Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece and the Grand Cross of the Collar of the Order of Carlos III.
As a point of interest: before the wedding, one of Spain’s most devastating terrorist attacks took place on March 11, 2004, on trains at Madrid’s Atocha Station. The Virgin of Atocha has deep roots in the Spanish royal family, and in honor of the tragedy, Felipe and Letizia held a small mass in the Chapel of Atocha; the bride also donated her bouquet.
The most talked-about absence from the wedding was that of Caroline of Monaco husband. Her then-husband, Ernest of Hanover, had overindulged in alcohol the day before and, after getting into a major altercation in Madrid that required the intervention of the Summa, allowed his partner to attend the celebration alone.