Queen Letizia Rewears Diamond Bow Brooch in Finland
Queen Letizia of Spain reached for a family heirloom in the far north. She wore a bow-shaped diamond brooch for a stop at Arktikum, the museum and Arctic science center in Rovaniemi, during Spain's state visit to Finland from Oct. 5 to 7.
She was joined there by her husband, King Felipe VI, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb. A state visit is the highest-level formal visit between countries, with ceremonies, meetings and a banquet.
The brooch is made of diamonds and platinum and was long favored by her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia. Sofia began wearing it to royal events in the 1970s, often to hold in place a sash, the wide ribbon worn with medals and honors, according to Town and Country.
Queen Letizia last wore it in public at a reception at Buckingham Palace before the coronation of King Charles III in 2023. That coronation, in May 2023 in London, drew royals from across Europe. Then she paired the bow with a short-sleeved, gathered chartreuse dress and larger sapphire earrings.
The setting in Finland was very different. She paired the same brooch with a navy midi skirt and matching blazer, slouchy boots, a burgundy handbag and simple drop earrings. The darker, practical outfit fit a daytime visit to Lapland's largest museum.
The three-day trip was intended to highlight and reinforce ties between Spain and Finland, according to the Spanish Royal Household. It opened Oct. 5 at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki. On Oct. 6, Queen Letizia and Innes-Stubb spoke with pupils during a school visit in Helsinki, while the king delivered a gala dinner speech.
The evening dress code brought more diamonds. Queen Letizia chose a close-fitting gown for the state banquet and skipped a tiara, wearing a diamond flower brooch and diamond stud earrings instead, as reported by Hello Magazine. She added the sash of the Order of the White Rose of Finland, Finland's national honor for service to the country. For the gala dinner she also wore a historic pair of diamond cuffs.
What makes this stand out is the reuse. Royal jewels often move across generations. This bow has now linked Sofia in the 1970s, a coronation weekend in London and a museum stop near the Arctic Circle.
