Japanese/Spanish State Visit: State Banquet

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On Wednesday evening, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko held a state banquet at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo for their guests, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain.

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Queen Letizia went for a classic, fairy-tale princess look, topped off with the all-diamond Spanish Floral Tiara. She picked up the blue in her gown with a pair of diamond and sapphire earrings.

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Like this morning’s pair, these earrings belong to her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia. The brooch which secures her order sash is the central element of her fleur-de-lis tiara.

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In this view of the full dress, you can also see that Letizia wore the pair of diamond bracelets from the joyas de pasar, stacking both bracelets on her left wrist.

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Empress Michiko no longer wears tiaras for health reasons, but she glittered in diamond earrings and a lovely diamond necklace. She wore the small ribbon of the Order of Charles III. King Felipe wears three orders: the Order of the Golden Fleece at his neck, the sash of the Order of Charles III, and the collar of his highest Japanese order, the Order of the Chrysanthemum. He received the last order on this trip.

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Here’s a look at the back of Michiko’s gown and evening jacket; note the metallic features of the fabric.

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The emperor wore the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece, plus the sash and star of the Order of the Chrysanthemum. Letizia wore the sash of her highest Japanese order, the Order of the Precious Crown.

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Several other ladies from the imperial family were also present at the banquet, and we got a brief glimpse at their tiaras. Crown Princess Masako, wearing the Pearl Sunburst Tiara and its mirrored necklace, sits beside her mother-in-law. She also wears the sash of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. (So does her brother-in-law, the Prince Akishino, who is sitting to her right.)

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Beside Crown Prince Naruhito, the Princess Akishino wears her wedding tiara (plus its mirrored necklace) and the sash of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. Her younger daughter, Princess Kako, wears her diamond tiara and necklace with the sash of the Order of the Precious Crown. (Princess Mako was also in attendance, wearing her diamond tiara and jewels with the sash of the Order of the Precious Crown.)