The Surprising Friendship Between Kate Middleton And Queen Letizia Of Spain

Princess Catherine of Wales and Queen Letizia of Spain may hail from different countries, but the two royals still have a lot in common. Both Catherine and Letizia were born into typical middle-class families who had no palace connections. They were both phenomenal students who were accepted at some of the best universities that their countries had to offer, and they both fell in love with a prince.

In addition to these more superficial similarities, Catherine and Letizia share a deeper sort of bond. They have faced many of the same challenges — especially in terms of how they were received into royal life. When she fell in love with Prince Willian, Princess Catherine experienced quite a bit of classism from courtiers who didn't want to accept a middle-class princess. Letizia, too, experienced some blowback when it was announced that then-Prince Felipe had selected a typical working woman as his bride.

Over the years, these common experiences have allowed Catherine and Letizia to forge a unique friendship. Although they live countries apart, the two royals inhabit very similar worlds. 

The British royal family is all about keeping tradition alive, and one of their most exciting protocols is the massive dinner party that occurs the night preceding the nuptials of the heir to the throne. In 2011, Prince William and Princess Catherine partook in this tradition by hosting many of Europe's most important royals for a delicious meal at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London. King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain were in attendance that night, but they wouldn't meet their hosts until the following day as William and Catherine decided to skip the pre-wedding gala. 

The prince opted to spend a quiet night with his father at Clarence House, while the royal bride spent the night before her wedding relaxing at a hotel. Because of this unusual choice, Catherine and Letizia only crossed paths the next day at the royal wedding. Although the women surely greeted each other at the event, they likely did not have much time to chat, as Catherine would have been busy ensuring that her special day went on without a hitch.

Although Princess Catherine and Queen Letizia had very limited contact at first, the tabloids spun rumors about their relationship. Some reports alleged that Letizia was jealous of the British princess, with the Portuguese outlet, Caras, even alleging that the two women were "rivals."

"As perfectionistic as she is, Letizia (39 years-old) is feeling overshadowed by the young Kate, who is 10 years her junior," claimed a piece in Caras. "If Kate has the advantage of being sporty, enthusiastically practicing the activities that the royal family enjoys, like hunting or skiing (which she went out of her way to learn), Letizia not only dislikes skiing ... but also sailing, which the Borbón family practices during their summer vacation." Because of this, the article alleged, Letizia was "jealous" of Catherine.

USA Today, also considered the two princesses "rivals" in a 2014 article. However, according to the American publication, Letizia was the one who was coming out ahead. "She's the next Queen of Spain, Princess Letizia," read the report. "She's not only going to give Duchess Kate of Cambridge a run for the royal money, she's stealing ahead of her in the queenship stakes." Of course, these reports were not a reflection of Catherine and Letizia's relationship, as the two women had barely spent time together at that point. 

Despite the rumors swirling around Princess Catherine and Queen Letizia, the two women are said to be fast friends. Royal fans were able to see this dynamic for themselves in 2019 when Letizia and her husband, King Felipe, attended the Garter Day ceremony at Windsor Castle. During this grand event, Catherine and Letizia were spotted chatting with huge smiles on their faces. Although they both respected the formality of the occasion, the royal women were even seen laughing at each other's jokes. Dressed in similar black and white attire, the duo looked like two peas in a pod. 

Of course, the Garter Day ceremony wasn't just held to exhibit Catherine and Letizia's friendship to the world; it was also meant to help strengthen Britain's relationship with the Spanish royal family. As such, Queen Elizabeth II honored Felipe by knighting him and inducting him into the Order of the Garter.

Following this special recognition, the Spanish royal family has appeared to have grown much closer to their British counterparts. Felipe even traveled to England in 2023 to watch Spanish tennis player, Carlos Alcaraz, compete at Wimbledon. Always wonderful hosts, the Wales couple invited the Spanish king to share their box. In turn, King Felipe was thrilled to meet William and Catherine's kids at the tournament. While Letizia was not present at the event, it definitely allowed the two families to grow closer.

Princess Catherine and Queen Letizia's families clearly share a strong bond. However, royal life is not the only thing that the two women have in common. Both Catherine and Letizia are known as unapologetic fashionistas, and at times, it seems that the two women might share wardrobe inspiration.

Over the years, the royals have experienced a number of "twinning" moments. In March 2020, Catherine wore a pink collared Rixo frock to the Bahamas. The piece looked strikingly similar to the pink collared dress that Letizia had worn just months earlier at the 2019 Spanish National Day parade. Although Catherine's outfit was admittedly much less formal than Letizia's, it's safe to say that the two royal women are drawn to similar pieces.

The reason for this might have to do with the evolution of the royal role. Because modern queens and princesses work in a professional context, many of Queen Letizia's best fashion moments have involved pantsuits, blazers, and other pieces that invoke a sense of "business casual." Like her Spanish counterpart, Catherine has been known to push the bounds of royal fashion by wearing brightly colored pantsuits — despite the late Queen Elizabeth's rumored preference for skirts. This means that Catherine and Letizia are inevitably attracted to similar styles.

Although Princess Catherine and Queen Letizia may enjoy each other's company, their friendship cannot be prioritized over duty. Both women have a lot of royal responsibilities — meaning that they can't just visit each other whenever they want. In fact, because of their titles, Catherine and Letizia cannot spend a lot of time together outside of official state visits. Unfortunately, these major events are not always easy to plan.

This was clear in 2017 when the king and queen of Spain headed to Britain to spend time with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The visit only took place after the Spanish royal house scheduled and cancelled two other trips to London. As reported by the Express, the first trip was cancelled due to a political crisis that had occurred in Spain the year before. The second was rescheduled due to surprise general elections in the king and queen's home country.

These instances show just how difficult it is for royals to find a time to meet up and socialize with each other. After all, their duty to their country must always come before fun visits and friendships.