Princess Leonor Is Growing Up To Be Her Mom's Twin

When Queen Letizia married into the lavish Spanish royal family in 2004, there were questions about her suitability. As a commoner from a middle class background, she was different from the other European princesses that had previously joined her country's royal fold: She had earned a master's degree, studied abroad, built a successful career as a TV presenter and journalist, and was a divorcee. What's more, she has long been fiercely independent, and for years, she had trouble finding her footing within Spain's royal family. However, even after Letizia transformed into the queen of Spain, she never lost sight of who she is. 

As journalist Alberto Lardiés said in El Mundo (via the AP) in 2022, "Letizia has always been talked about since she arrived in the monarchy because she is such an interesting and complex person who eclipses all others, including the King Emeritus Juan Carlos, when he was king." It would seem Letizia's unique background and independence have helped instill a sense of strength and work ethic in the heir to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor.

Thanks to her mother's influence, Leonor has learned a lot about maintaining a good public image. She knows how to address crowds, choose a dress, and even hold her head high. Although Leonor and Letizia do not always outwardly resemble each other, the crown princess is already her mother's twin in terms of character.

Although Queen Letizia was initially deemed a questionable spouse for King Felipe IV, their relationship has ultimately proven to be a major asset for the Spanish crown. Sure Letizia has had to transform from a middle class girl to a queen, but her professional experiences — first as a radio presenter and later as a news anchor — have prepared her for the monarchy. 

At the height of her career, Letizia not only spent time behind the desk as an anchor on multiple national news programs, but traveled the world to report on international crises, such as the 9/11 attacks in New York. After she married into the royal family, the skills Letizia honed throughout her time as a journalist sure came in handy. When she addresses crowds, her voice remains crystal clear, and her tone is even and commanding. She's given a number of eloquent and moving speeches, including her speech on feminism at the 2015 Woman Awards.

It seems that Letizia has shared this talent with her daughter. In 2018, Leonor gave her first speech at the age of 13. Five years later, on her 18th birthday, Leonor gave another speech. In it, she declared her allegiance to the constitution and reaffirmed her commitment to her country. The feedback for her public performance was overwhelmingly positive, showing that sometimes the apple really doesn't fall too far from the tree.

Public speaking is not the only skill that Leonor, Princess of Asturias, seemingly picked up from Queen Letizia. She also appears to have inherited her mom's ability to approach royal life with confidence. Unlike many other women of her rank, who tend to hold themselves in more reserved positions, Leonor has embraced Letizia's stronger body language. As nonverbal communication expert Judi James told the Express, "We tend to see royal women holding bags or using a hand clasp at waist height to keep their hands occupied. But Letizia seems to be encouraging a sense of strength and solid self-esteem in her daughters by being the role model for this power-pose."

Apparently, we can observe this sense of confidence in the way that Letizia and Leonor hold their arms. According to James' interview with the Express, "There are no signs of the kind of desire to self-diminish shyly that you can often get when the arms are at the sides, i.e. a pulling of the arms into the sides of the torso." The body language expert went on to explain, "Instead the three women display the important 'upturned V' gap under the armpits that, along with a slight splaying of the feet, suggests admirable levels of confidence." All in all, it appears that Leonor has gained Letizia's ability to appear powerful and strong as she performs her duties. 

When King Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014, the throne went to his only son, Felipe, Prince of Asturias. After Felipe became King Felipe VI, his wife became Queen Letizia. And their eldest child, Princess Leonor, became the heir to the throne. As the future queen of Spain, Leonor certainly has a lot on her shoulders, but by all accounts, she's already learned to channel the current queen's confidence and elegance. 

In a 2022 chat with Express, body language expert Judi James noted the way that Leonor and her sister, Her Royal Highness Infanta Sofía of Spain, often stand next to Letizia. As far as James is concerned, this establishes a sense of equality and respect among the trio. "The mirrored pose suggests three confident women rather than one wife, or mother, and two young daughters," James explained, going on to note that this "results in the two girls mirroring their mother and all three standing tall with their arms hanging relaxed at their sides in an unusual gesture of confidence and assertiveness."

Clearly, Letizia's daughters have already learned a lot from her. As the Daily Mail noted in 2024, Leonor was the "picture of confidence" while attending a military engagement. And after Leonor and her sister attended an event in 2023, the Daily Mail described the pair as "perfectly poised."

It's no stretch to say Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Queen Letizia make very similar facial expressions. This was especially apparent in late 2023 when the mother-daughter duo were walking together through the streets of Madrid to commemorate the XV Legislature of the Cortes Generales. On this occasion, Leonor and Letizia were photographed looking like twins. Both seemed to be glancing downward as they walked. Both appeared to be speaking and smiling at the same time. And both held their heads slightly angled to the side.

As if all these coincidences were not striking enough, Leonor appeared to be mirroring Letizia's posture as they strutted forward. Like her mother, Leonor was photographed holding her right hand over her midsection. The princess and the queen also seemed to be perfectly synchronized as they walked, with each woman lifting her foot at the same pace and angle as the other. When Hello! magazine called Leonor the "lookalike daughter" of Letizia, following the event, they weren't kidding. 

To bring things together even more adorably, Leonor and Letizia picked out outfits that complemented each other. The queen donned a red knee-length dress under a dark navy blazer, the princess sported a tree green knee-length frock under a camel coat. Both wore pointy, closed-toe pumps. The silhouettes looked to be coordinated, and the color combination seemed especially perfect given that the Christmas holiday was just around the corner.

As far as royal style goes, few do it quite like Queen Letizia. As Town & Country once put it, "The Spanish Queen has impeccable taste." Perhaps unsurprisingly, Leonor, Princess of Asturias, has long embraced her mother's iconic sense of fashion, wearing beautifully cut dresses that often look like they came right out of Letizia's wardrobe. 

In October 2023, Leonor attended the Princess of Asturias Awards wearing a gorgeous pink frock embroidered with hot pink flowers. Purchased from the popular Spanish brand, Simorra, the dress provided a sophisticated look with buttons running up the front and an adorable cloth belt cinching the waistline. It also boasted an elegant collar that framed Leonor's neckline.

The dress was remarkably similar to a piece that Letizia wore to the National Culture Awards in 2020. At the event, the queen was photographed in a pale pink frock that had the same front buttons, collared neckline, and cloth belt that we would later see on Leonor's dress. One could argue Letizia's outfit was a little more mature and refined, given the muted shade of pink, but the silhouettes of the two garments were, dare we say, cut from the same cloth.

While Leonor, Princess of Asturias, has certainly gained a lot of style inspo from her mom, it sounds like it's a two-way street. Rumor has it that Queen Letizia occasionally raids her daughter's wardrobe, especially when Leonor has something particularly stylish up her sleeve.

In 2022, Queen Letizia was spotted at the Spanish headquarters for UNICEF, where she was due to attend an important committee meeting. Royal watchers adored her red and white patterned frock, and it didn't take long for them to realize that they had seen that outfit before.

A few months earlier, Leonor had worn the same dress to Teatros del Canal, where she attended a María Pagés dance performance. Both mother and daughter looked fantastic in the piece, although they wore it slightly differently. While Leonor paired it with a casual crossbody purse, her mother dressed it up with a pair of stunning espadrilles. The best part is that other women in Spain could easily replicate the look, seeing as the dress itself cost only $40 at the Madrid-based boutique Dándara.

In October 2023, Queen Letizia's eldest child, Princess Leonor, participated in a flag swearing-in ceremony to mark her dedication to the military. As the future monarch of Spain, she will be the supreme commander of the Spanish armed forces. And so, after she graduated from boarding school, she enlisted in the General Military Academy of Zaragoza. And in uniform, Leonor's Letizia vibes are strong. 

Following the 2024 Military Easter Service, Leonor and Letizia were photographed on the streets of Zaragoza looking each other in the eye. Given that it was a military event, it only seemed natural that Leonor wore her uniform to the event. Her mother, on the other hand, went with a black skirt, cream blouse, and black coat. 

While Leonor and Letizia's ensembles were nothing alike, the similarities between two women's profiles are undeniable. They share a defined jawline, arched eyebrows, and smile. For Letizia and Leonor, this is twinning at its finest. 

Because Queen Letizia and Princess Leonor have such similar jawlines, it makes sense that they look great in the same type of earrings. (Hey, it doesn't hurt that the earrings also happen to be stunning on their own.) Leonor has been spotted wearing her mother's jewels on numerous occasions, and to no one's surprise, the pieces always look fab. At the 2023 Princess of Asturias Awards, the princess glittered in a pair of diamond and aquamarine earrings that are quite familiar to many royal fans.

Indeed, Letizia has been known to wear these jewels to numerous occasions, including the 2015 Miguel de Cervantes Literary Awards, the 2021 National Day festivities, and several state banquets attended by representatives of the Portuguese government. In the past, the earrings have been misattributed to Bulgari; however, it is difficult to confirm where exactly the royal family acquired them. 

Rumor has it that King Felipe IV bestowed the earrings upon his wife upon Leonor's birth. While we don't know whether or not this is actually true, we do know that Felipe and Letizia's relationship is believed to be strong. One could even say that it is as solid as... well, a rock. 

Before she began wearing long gowns and tiaras, Queen Letizia lived in the Northern Spanish region of Asturias. Known for its hilly green landscapes, rich culinary traditions, and delicious cider production, Asturias provides a fantastic cultural experience — and Letizia has not seemed to forget it. In 2023, she brought her daughter, Princess Leonor, to the region of her birth. There, the mother-daughter duo watched a folkloric dancing performance, ate lots of delicious food, and yes, the queen even drank some cider.

Given her ties to the region, it was not surprising to see how comfortable Letizia was in this environment. However, Leonor appeared just as laid-back in her mother's native land. Royal correspondents expressed joy at seeing the princess embrace her Asturian heritage. As Vanity Fair declared, "Leonor more spontaneous than ever in the Exemplary Town of Asturias 2023." 

Because she was just days away from her 18th birthday, Leonor couldn't sip any cider on this trip. However, she did express an interest in learning how to pour it the Asturian way, holding the bottle high in the air, a few feet above the cup below. The crowds praised the way that the heir to the throne seemed to lean into her heritage. Just like her mother, Leonor seemed completely at home in Asturias.

Even though Queen Letizia and Princess Leonor don't look the same in every single photo, the pair sure do walk alike, talk alike, and even carry themselves in an almost identical fashion. Naturally, media outlets in their home country have taken note of the similarities between the regal mother and daughter. And as Leonor gets older, royal commentators have not been able to stop fawning over how alike the pair truly are.

The Spanish outlet Pronto has been one of the many publications to remark on their likeness. In December 2022, for example, the magazine published an article titled, "Princess Leonor and her physical transformation — more and more similar to Queen Letizia." Almost a year later, Vanitatis put out a story titled, "Leonor's change: 'More confident and more similar to Doña Letizia.'" While one may be blonde with blue eyes and the other brunette with brown eyes, their familial resemblance is becoming harder and harder to deny.