The Euro Royal Bringing Bold Color (And A Splash Of Glamour) To Coronation Weekend

Westminster Abbey is perhaps the last place you’d expect to see the Barbiecore trend making its presence felt. Enter Queen Letizia of Spain.

As fashion phrases go, Barbiecore has become almost as unavoidable over the past year as naked dressing and quiet luxury. Still, the 13th-century Westminster Abbey is perhaps the last place you’d expect to see the Mattel pink trend making its presence felt. Enter Queen Letizia of Spain, who arrived for the Coronation of King Charles III dressed in a bubblegum skirt suit worthy of the fashion doll’s wardrobe, complete with coordinating clutch, sling-back heels and dramatic disc-shaped hat.

Arriving for the Coronation of King Charles III in a pink Carolina Herrera peplum skirt suit. Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images

Letizia’s top-to-toe pink look for the church followed her nod to London fashion at Buckingham Palace on the eve of the service, for which she chose a zesty green midi-dress from Victoria Beckham’s spring/summer 2023 runway, as previously seen on a certain Kendall Jenner.

Queen Letizia arriving at Buckingham Palace, wearing Victoria Beckham SS23. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The former news anchor, 50, has always taken a more experimental approach to royal style than her counterparts in other countries. (See the always considered Princess of Wales, who rarely puts a foot wrong, but could never be accused of jumping on trends.) Not only was Letizia among the first royals to embrace the grey hair movement during the pandemic, she’s previously worn backless dresses and even ab-revealing waist cut-outs for public appearances, bringing a refreshing sense of freedom to the formal (and frequently stuffy) world of royal events.

In the absence of the Duchess of Sussex – who could usually be relied on to bring a swish of drama with her wardrobe in her days as a working royal – Letizia and her vivid designer looks stepped into the limelight on Coronation weekend.