Wonderful Weekends (2001 Portraits of Queen Maria of Hispania)

Time for a blast from the past. It came as a shocking realization to our editorial team that we have never posted these particular state portraits as they are of such importance and of one of our favourite Royals. Queen Maria of Hispania succeeded her grandmother to the throne in 1996 after the Bloody Revolution. The revolution caused the deaths of her grandmother and father leaving the young 24 year old mother, Queen of Hispania.

The shock and strain must have been enormous and it took a while for the young Maria to emotionally accept her tragic loss and daunting new responsibilities. Hispania also does not enact a coronation or lavish investiture ceremony but rather just features a swearing of oath ceremony. Thus the Queen was spared all unnecessary public appearances and the strains that they might have brought on her fragile state. Her mother and husband decided to keep the entire Royal Family as much out of the public eye as possible. Thus the first official portraits of the Queen were only released many years later in 2001 to celebrate her 5th year on the throne.

The State Portraits are awesome yet seem a little contrived which may be forgiven due to the tense times they date from. It shows the Queen, slightly waxy with the throne, robe and crown in the background. If nothing else the photo is very "official" yet not personal or intimate at all. 

The robe and crown make for a brave assertion of monarchy at a time when Hispania was one of only 5 remaining monarchies after the revolution. 

A feint glimmer of confidence was caught in this photo as Queen Maria smiles and seems to glance at a potentially prosperous future over the cameraman's shoulder. Little did she know it was just on the horizon.