Queen Letizia forced to greet royal guests at state banquet sitting down - reason revealed
Queen Letizia of Spain looked resplendent on Wednesday as she attended a Dutch state banquet at the Royal Palace Amsterdam alongside her husband King Felipe.
During their two-day visit to the country, the Spanish royals are being hosted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. Wednesday's glittering banquet was a family affair with Máxima and Willem-Alexander's 20-year-old daughter Princess Catharina-Amalia also in attendance.
Other royal guests, meanwhile, included their Royal Highnesses the Princess of Orange, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and Princess Margriet of the Netherlands.
For the special occasion, Letizia, 51, looked beautiful in a glistening royal blue satin gown which she teamed with a yellow sash and a sparkling Cartier Diamond Loop Tiara. A pair of Queen Victoria Eugenie's diamond earrings and a grey pearl brooch from the Joyas de Pasar added extra sparkle.
In photos from the evening, Queen Letizia could be seen sitting in a chair for roughly 45 minutes as she greeted around 240 guests. While the move may come as a surprise to many royal fans, there is a very simple explanation: Letizia has been suffering from a prolonged ailment.
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According to Spanish outlet El Mundo, the Spanish royal reportedly has chronic metatarsalgia - pain in the ball of the foot - in both of her feet, as well as Morton's neuroma in her right foot, which involves a thickening of the tissue around one of the nerves leading to the toes.
Her condition is said to be caused by wearing high heels for long periods of time, prompting Letizia to eschew her vertiginous heels in favour of more comfortable flat shoes.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia arrived in the Netherlands on Tuesday night. They attended a reception with the Spanish community, with Letizia opting to wear a striking black Bardot top and silver satin skirt.
The pair were officially welcomed by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima during a ceremony in Dam Square in Amsterdam before they laid a wreath at the National Monument.
For the special occasion, Queen Letizia debuted a gorgeous green tweed dress from Moisés Nieto, while Queen Maxima exuded elegance in head-to-toe red.
Meanwhile, King Willem-Alexander and King Felipe later participated in a sports day organised by the Cruyff Foundation. The duo also sat down to discuss the development of a maritime hydrogen corridor between the port of Bilbao and the port of Amsterdam.
