Queen Letizia officially opened the 85th edition of the Madrid Book Fair on Friday, May 29, just hours after drawing attention with a video in which she spoke out against tobacco and vaping. The major literary event will fill Madrid’s El Retiro Park with booksellers’ booths through June 14.
This year, humor is the central theme of Spain’s largest publishing industry event. The program features authors and creators including Jonathan Coe, David Safier, Maitena, Liniers, Kevin Johansen, Eva Hache, Joaquín Reyes, Rodrigo Cortés, Camila Sosa Villada, and Bob Pop, among others.
A Perfectly Summery Dress
For the public event, where warm weather was the order of the day, Queen Letizia chose a distinctly summery sleeveless dress with a blue print. The halter-neck design left her shoulders bare and featured a blue background patterned to resemble chalk strokes on a blackboard. A sash-like band at the waist accentuated the silhouette.
© Getty ImagesUpon her arrival, she greeted local officials as well as Madrid residents and onlookers gathered behind the security barriers.
© Getty ImagesWhen and Where to Visit the 2026 Madrid Book Fair
The fair runs from Friday through June 14 in El Retiro Park and features 300 booths along with an extensive cultural program spread across multiple venues.
© Europa Press via Getty ImagesIt is one of Spain’s premier cultural events and one of the most important literary gatherings in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world. It is also a highlight of the spring season for Queen Letizia, an avid reader and a strong advocate for the idea that books nourish the soul at any age. She typically attends both publicly, as she did today, and privately, blending anonymously among readers and book buyers.
Queen Letizia’s Tour of El Retiro
After greeting officials and organizers, Queen Letizia headed toward the fair’s booths. Before beginning her tour, she spoke with several early-childhood educators and took a selfie with a group of young people, all amid considerable excitement from the crowd.
© Europa Press via Getty ImagesShe also had the opportunity to chat with designer and illustrator Miguel Pang, the creator of this year’s official fair poster. Born to a Cambodian mother and a Chinese father, Pang is known for his distinctive visual universe, characterized by visual storytelling, expressive use of color, and unique characters. He balances his creative work with a teaching career.
The Queen also stopped by the displays of the Spanish Association of University Presses, maintaining her trademark smile and taking time to listen attentively to each explanation she was given.
Her New Cookbooks
Queen Letizia visited the booths of Spain’s Ministry of Culture and the Madrid City Council, where she was presented with several books.
She also stopped at the shared space of the bookstores Cervantes y Compañía and Santos Ochoa, a company founded in La Rioja more than a century ago. There, she received a copy of Practical Riojan Cooking by Adela Garrido, one of the titles that Gráficas Ochoa has been printing and publishing for more than 85 years.
© Getty ImagesShe was also given a collection of 1915 postcards honoring the city of Logroño, originally published by founders Tomasa and Santos Ochoa; a facsimile of the Glosas Emilianenses, which contain the earliest known written text in the Spanish language; and commemorative bookmarks marking the bookstore’s 111th anniversary and its first appearance at the Madrid Book Fair.
A Stop at the Children’s Pavilion
As is customary during her visit to the fair, Queen Letizia also stopped by the Children’s Pavilion, one of the event’s most popular attractions. Its goal is to encourage young children to develop a love of reading at an early age in an era dominated by screens.
© Getty ImagesThe Queen greeted children participating in workshops and later sat down with two girls, who explained the projects they were working on.
Read the full article here
