Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI of Spain were set to host the royal family's traditional summer reception for Balearic Islands society at the Palacio de Marivent in Palma de Mallorca on Tuesday night, an event that draws attention each year both for its institutional significance and for the dress the queen chooses to wear.
Marivent, the royal family's summer residence on the island, hosts the reception annually and has become one of the most closely watched fashion moments of the Spanish summer. Letizia, a former journalist who married Felipe in 2004 and has been queen consort since he became king in 2014, typically uses the occasion to wear Spanish labels and designs suited to Mallorca's Mediterranean setting. Ahead of this year's event, here is a look back at four dresses that have defined her style at the reception in recent years.
2019: the red dress that became a Marivent classic
Before the reception was paused during the coronavirus pandemic, Letizia wore one of her most memorable looks at the event in 2019. She chose a red midi dress with a halter neckline and a flared skirt that highlighted her figure with simple, timeless elegance.
She completed the outfit with metallic heeled sandals and a matching clutch, underlining that red remains one of the colours she wears most comfortably for major summer occasions. The look is still considered one of the most iconic in the reception's history and a frequent reference point when her best summer style is discussed.
2022: the coral Charo Ruiz Ibiza dress that made headlines
The 2022 reception produced one of the most talked-about outfits, when Letizia wore a design by Charo Ruiz Ibiza made from a coral fabric with a tropical print, a fitted bodice, a bardot neckline and a voluminous skirt.
The dress became one of the most discussed of that season for its Mediterranean feel and for showcasing one of Spain's best-known summer fashion labels. Letizia paired it with wedge espadrilles, footwear that has become a fixture of her summer wardrobe at the reception.
2023: a blue-and-white print with a Mediterranean feel
In 2023, Letizia surprised guests with a printed Desigual dress in white and blue tones reminiscent of Mediterranean ceramics.
The design featured a bardot neckline and a flared skirt, worn with white wedge espadrilles that reinforced its relaxed, summery character. The outfit was seen as proof that comfort and sophistication could work well together.
2025: the Tony Bonet dress that marked a turning point
Last year, Letizia opted for a markedly different look, choosing a white dress in the adlib style by Ibizan designer Tony Bonet, from his Arrels collection.
Made from embroidered batiste with a handcrafted finish, the dress had a strongly Mediterranean character. Letizia wore it with gold Marivent espadrilles by Calzados Picón and earrings by Isabel Guarch inspired by the rose window of Palma Cathedral, a deliberate nod to local design talent.
The outfit was widely praised as a summary of how Letizia's summer wardrobe has evolved: comfortable pieces, natural fabrics, Spanish design and a more relaxed kind of elegance.
What Letizia might wear this year
The Marivent reception has become more than an institutional event. It also serves as a showcase for Letizia's summer wardrobe, an occasion where she typically favours Spanish labels, lightweight fabrics and designs that reflect Mallorca's Mediterranean setting.
Following the red dress of 2019, the Charo Ruiz Ibiza coral design of 2022, the Desigual print of 2023 and the Tony Bonet dress of 2025, expectation was high ahead of Tuesday's reception, with indications pointing to another Spanish label and a dress capable of becoming one of the most talked-about images of the summer.
