Kate Middleton isn't the only royal to recycle her clothes

Kate Middleton isn't the only royal known for recycling her outfits, there's a very stylish one across the pond who is also known for her frugal sartorial choices.

I'm talking about Queen Letizia of Spain, who made headlines today for wearing a gown belonging to her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia.

With her husband Prince Felipe, she attended the reception of the accredited diplomatic corps accredited in Spain during a celebration act at the Royal Palace.

For the occasion, she donned a gorgeous ballgown which featured a sheer, floral embroidered top, and an acid green full skirt, cinched at the waist with a pink rope belt.

Though modern looking, the dress is over 40 years old. Her mother-in-law Queen Sofia of Greece, Prince Felipe's mother, first wore it in 1977 for a state visit to Germany, then again in 1981 in Rome, to host Chilean President Sebastian Pinera.

You will notice that the top bit of the dress looks slightly different on Queen Sofia in 1981 (left), and that's likely because the skirt is actually separate from the top. It seems like when she had the dress made, she asked for a short sleeved top with a beaded floral pattern for summer, and a long-sleeved top with embroidery for the colder months.

I think we can both agree it looks stunning. It's always lovely when royals delve into the archives for their outfits, after all, they probably have the best vintage designer pieces to hand.

You'll of course remember how Princess Beatrice's wedding dress actually belonged to the Queen, albeit slightly modified to make it more modern.

it was originally designed by royal couturier Sir Norman Hartnell for the Queen, who went on to wear it several times, including the London premiere of Lawrence of Arabia in 1962.