Queen Letizia of Spain and Princess Infanta Sofía took parallel paths in black slingbacks on Sunday, arriving at the Royal Palace in Madrid for Spain’s National Day reception. The pairing linked two generations of royal style through one shared code — a pointed, open-back silhouette grounded in Spanish design.

Letizia reached again for her Massimo Dutti slingback pumps, a mainstay in her rotation since early spring. Cut in smooth black leather with a low stiletto heel and sharply drawn vamp, the pair reflected her preference for understated precision. She wore them with a Carolina Herrera green tweed dress, cinched by a Hugo Boss belt and finished with Herrera’s “Victoria” Insignia bag in black leather.

Sofía’s version arrived closer to the ground. She chose Magrit’s “Barbara” flats, also in black patent, with a slim strap and a polished gold heel accent. The design mirrored the silhoeutte of her mother’s shoes while softening them for her age. A Carolina Herrera polka-dot silk dress completed the look.

Both pairs came from homegrown labels. Magrit, the Spanish atelier behind many of Letizia’s custom shoes, also works closely with Princess Leonor, while Massimo Dutti remains a steady feature in the Queen’s public wardrobe, especially for travel and daytime appearances.

The moment also extended Letizia’s ongoing slingback streak. In recent weeks, she’s alternated between Sézane’s Paula Babies mary janes and her Massimo Dutti pair — two silhouettes driving the open-back trend now circulating from Paris runways to Madrid boardrooms.

National Day remains one of Spain’s few occasions where diplomacy and ceremony meet style. The reception, held after the annual military parade, gathers the country’s leading figures at the Royal Palace — a setting where the monarchy’s public image is shaped as much by presence as by precision. Seen together, the mother-daughter duo rendered the slingback as both heritage and evolution — one elevated, one grounded — reaffirming its quiet hold on modern royal dressing.