Pascua Militar Pearls for Queen Letizia

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The Spanish royals rang in the new year on Monday with the annual Pascua Militar celebrations in Madrid, and Queen Letizia accessorized with some fantastic family heirloom earrings.

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The ceremony, which was begun by King Carlos III in 1782, takes place every year on Epiphany. The day begins with a military review in the courtyard of the Royal Palace in Madrid, attended by the monarch and the prime minister as well as high-ranking military officials.

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Following the review, a reception is held in the throne room of the palace, which includes speeches by both the monarch and the minister of defense.

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Queen Letizia wore a vibrant blue gown for this year’s ceremony. Long dresses or skirts are customarily worn for the event, even though it takes place during the day.

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Letizia’s primary accessory for this year’s celebrations were her earrings, which featured round pearls set in a gemstone surround.

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Diamonds and sapphires gleamed beside the pearls and coordinated nicely with the color of Letizia’s dress.

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If the earrings look familiar, there’s a good reason. Letizia’s worn them once before, for the gala held on the night before her royal wedding in May 2004. The earrings, which are part of a set that includes a coordinating necklace, belonged to King Felipe’s grandmother, the Countess of Barcelona.

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She also wore one more piece of jewelry with her ensemble: her gold oval ring, which you’ll see above on the index finger of her left hand.

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Letizia didn’t wear a brooch this year as she did for both previous ceremonies, but her gown did have one more bit of sparkle, courtesy an embellished button.

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I always love seeing a little sparkle in Spain to kick off the new year!