The American photographer Annie Leibovitz will be the owner and mistress of the Royal Palace of Madrid this Wednesday. At her disposal she will have the different spaces to choose in which photograph the kings Felipe and Letizia who will pose for her, for the time she needs, for the portraits for which the Bank of Spain, the entity that commissioned the work, will pay Leibovitz. around 160,000 euros.
The photographs taken by Leibovitz will not be included in the official portraits of the Kings nor will they be used for events and in official centers. They may not be reproduced and their only copy will hang, framed, in the Kings’ portrait gallery of the Bank of Spain.
The entity signed a contract with the company that manages Leibovitz’s work last year, which states that the bank will pay $150,000 plus taxes for the order, which, at the current exchange rate, will mean a disbursement of just over 160,000 euros. A price below the fees that Leibovitz usually charges for his portraits.
Before signing with the American photographer, the Bank of Spain consulted with the King’s House to obtain the approval of the Kings and, at the same time, obtain their commitment to be able to have a few hours to take the portraits that, as agreed, They had to be held in a place assigned to National Heritage, finally opting for the Royal Palace of Madrid. Although no details have been given, it is expected that the Kings will pose for the portrait in ceremonial attire.
The Royal Palace, which was the residence of the Spanish royal family from Charles III to Alfonso XIII, is now used for official events and, above all, to be visited by tourists. This Wednesday it will be closed to the public so as not to hinder the photographer’s work and due to the presence of the Kings.
The Kings have cleared their agenda this Wednesday to be at the disposal of Leibovitz, who these days has already been touring the different rooms of the Royal Palace to choose the stage where his assistants have begun early in the morning to install the lights and everything necessary to carry out the Photography. Felipe and Letizia already know Leibovitz who, in 2013, the Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities, expressed his desire to photograph the then Princes of Asturias. The photographer whose lens celebrities from all over the world have passed by, she carried out two photo sessions for Queen Elizabeth II. A ceremonial portrait at Buckingham Palace, in which he even dared to suggest to the British sovereign that she dispense with the crown, and others, in Windsor, more informal, in which Charles III’s mother posed with her dogs, and also with his youngest grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The portrait of Felipe and Letizia is commissioned by the Bank of Spain to complete the gallery of royal portraits owned by the entity. The bank was founded in 1782 during the time of Charles III, whose portrait, painted by Goya, begins the collection that continues with the rest of the Spanish monarchs until reaching Juan Carlos and Sofía who, separately, star in two paintings painted in 1983 by the Sevillian artist Carmen Laffón. In addition to the gallery of kings, the Bank of Spain houses a large collection of works of art, as well as another gallery that contains portraits of the people who have presided over the entity.
