A new member of a royal family can often get a makeover.
But Queen Letizia of Spain has undergone something of a transformation since her marriage to King Felipe VI in 2004.
In addition to a haircut and fashion overhaul, the journalist-turned-royal underwent a rhinoplasty or “nose job” in 2008 and looks a little different from her days as a newscaster on Spanish TV screens.
Now 50 years old, Letitzia’s appearance has changed so much that the wax figure of her on display at the Museo de Cera (Wax Museum) in Madrid has changed twice since it was first created in 2004.
The clothes are also different. Before her marriage to King Felipe, Letizia’s journalist wardrobe was filled with no-frills boxy two-piece suits, a staple, being replaced by a more colorful, feminine style.
Today, Queen Letizia of Spain, 50, is a style icon, known for her impeccable dress sense and long, dark locks (pictured in 2023)
Letizia’s hairstyle, dress sense and facial expression have evolved since she married King Felipe VI in 2004
Before her marriage to King Felipe, Letizia’s journalist wardrobe was filled with no-nonsense two-piece suits (pictured in 2003)
The first wax figure of Letizia was unveiled in February 2004, just before she married King Felipe VI (left); but a second was created after she underwent rhinoplasty 2008 (right)
She was soon seen in tailored sheath dresses, sky-high pumps and eye-catching jewels, even looking chic in off-duty in billowing blouses and a pair of jeans.
Letizia’s naturally light brown hair was given subtle blonde highlights and she wasn’t afraid to cut her hair in a trendy bob in 2015.
Now she flaunts long, dark brown locks that she styles to a slick blow-dry in a totally different look from her early days as a royal.
In 2008, the royal family underwent surgery on her nose, which the palace said was performed due to a breathing problem.
As a result, the Museo de Cera replaced the first wax figure of the royal family installed just before she married the then Prince of Asturias to reflect her new likeness.
However, the waxwork was redesigned and unveiled in 2017 to once again mark the Queen’s “physical changes.”
Gonzalo Presa, the museum’s director of communications, said Ruth TV at the time, while public feedback had been mostly positive, “social media opinion” had proved more critical.
He said: ‘This museum was created to remember the characters who have been and are part of Spain’s history.
Letizia’s appearance would undergo a total transformation after her marriage to King Felipe, depicted in her first official portrait in 2005
Letizia underwent rhinoplasty in 2008, which the palace said was performed due to a breathing problem
Letizia has often changed her hairstyle and was not afraid to adopt a trendy bob in 2015
The journalist-turned-royal opted for more bright colors after marrying Felipe and chose a feminine guipure lace Felipe Varela dress for her birthday portrait in 2012 (right)
“There will be people who like it a lot, and there will be people who don’t like it or don’t like it at all.”
Presa added: “The physical changes and the passage of time, but especially the physical changes that the monarch has gone through, have forced us to review his physical image.
“We believe this is the best of all, and it is also in our opinion that it best expresses the majesty which Letizia’s character is supposed to have as Queen of Spain.”
Before meeting the heir to the Spanish throne, Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano whose father Jesús José Ortiz Álvarez and stepmother Ana Togores are both journalists, she enjoyed a long career in TV and newspapers.
After also working in Mexico, she worked for the popular TV channel 24 Horas, anchoring the popular Telediario 2 evening news bulletin, by the time she met King Felipe VI.
A third version of Queen Letizia’s wax figure was unveiled in 2017 to reflect further changes to her appearance, most notably the dark hair
Letizia was previously married to Alonso Guerrero Pérez, a writer, but the couple divorced after just one year.
In a statement in 2014, Mr Presa described the queen as an “icon of beauty” but said her figure was changed because “time catches up with everyone”.
He described the latest version of her wax work as an ‘improvement’ and said: What we want to do is reflect Letizia’s style and beauty.
“I prefer this version, aesthetically speaking, to the version from ten years ago.”