Queen of knitwear! Letizia of Spain steps out in a chic dress in Southern Spain

Queen Letizia looked effortlessly chic as she stepped out in a knitted dress for an event today in Madrid - weeks after she and her husband King Felipe were pelted with mud by protestors in the flood-hit region of Valencia .

The Spanish royal, 52, today presided over the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Aequitas Foundation which is dedicated to helping people with disabilities navigate the justice system.

This morning Letizia arrived at the event - which took place at the National Museum of Prado in Madrid - in a stylish navy knitted dress with a draped neck by fashion brand COS.

She paired the elegant look with a chunky black belt which cinched her in at the waist. Ever practical, the Queen, who used to work as a journalist, carried a £348 calfskin leather handbag from the brand Mauska which was specially crafted in Ubrique, southern Spain .

The mother-of-two, who will hand out various awards at the event, also wore a pair of black leather boots from the Spanish brand Unisa.

She has been opted for low-heeled footwear since she broke her toe earlier this year.

Spanish outlet El Mundo has also previously reported that the Queen has chronic metatarsalgia - or, in layman's terms, pain in the ball of the foot.

Letizia completed her comfortable look with 18-karat rose gold earrings from Spanish-owned brand Gold & Roses.

Each stunning earring features three hoops laden with sparkling diamonds and, in total, the dazzling pair costs an eye-watering £2,600.

The 52-year-old looked typically stylish as she wore her cocoa-coloured tresses down in a sleek straightened blow-dry.

She kept her makeup subtle with a peachy gloss on her eyelids and a slight shimmer on her lips.

Letizia was spotted chatting to José Ángel Martínez Sanchiz - President of the Aequitas Foundation - ahead of the event.

Soledad Cisternas is also due to speak at the celebration as the the former special envoy of the United Nations Secretary General on Disability and Accessibility and former president of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The Spanish royal has been keeping her outfits dark and sombre to match the mood of the nation after catastrophic floods hit Valencia earlier this month, claiming the lives of just over 200 people.

Yesterday the mother-of-two donned a dark burgundy outfit consisting of a tailored blazer and matching smart trousers to greet Olympians and Paralympians who competed in Paris this year.

While at the event - which took place at the El Pardo Palace - Letizia paired the stand-out piece with a black blouse featuring a pussy bow, highly polished black boots and glitzy gold stud earrings.

Letizia was pictured bending down and greeting a Paralympian in a wheelchair by kissing her on the cheek.

Elsewhere, she shook hands of athletes donning the colours of the Spanish flag - red and yellow.

On Tuesday, the Spanish Queen wore a muted green suit as she hosted meetings at Zarzuela Palace.

Her sombre outfits come after she and her husband King Felipe travelled to Paiporta on November 3 to pay their respects to victims and give their condolences to those affected by the floods.

Letizia appeared to be crying as she spoke to a woman in Paiporta, with the Queen wrapping her hands around her shoulder.

She also consoled groups of sobbing local women affected by the flash floods and gave them hugs as they explained their situations to the Queen.

Meanwhile, her husband King Felipe was heckled and had dirt thrown at him by furious locals during the visit.

The monarch was pelted with mud and objects like drink cans by angry survivors of the deadly floods as he walked through the ruined town.

Hecklers also targeted Letizia, as a video showed the Queen bursting into tears with mud on her face, as she was helped through the busy streets by her entourage.

King Felipe is set to return to Valencia today to visit the Jaime I Base in Bétera to talk to members of the army and the air force as well as the Military Emergency Unit.

The monarch will then travel to the port of Valencia to visit the Galicia - an amphibious ship which has arrived with members of the army to assist with damage caused by the flood.

His trip will conclude with a tour of the Valencia Trade Fair site where the main army logistics base has been set up.

But the King is expected to return to the flood-hit region next week with his wife Letizia by his side once again.

It has been reported that they will visit Chiva - a visit which was on their original schedule before it was scrapped due to the hostile reception in Paiporta.