The sweet taste of success for Letizia

She's been seen making a big entrance to a hotel famous around the world for its chocolate cake and there's no doubt that a flying visit to Austria is proving a huge success for Queen Letizia.  The Spanish consort is in Vienna to open an exhibition on Velazquez on what is her first overseas solo trip since her husband took the throne in June this year.

Queen Letizia of Spain meets the President of Austria, Heinz Fischer, and his wife, Margit, at the start of her visit to Vienna

And food has never been far from the agenda.  Almost as soon as she arrived in Vienna, Letizia was off to the Presidential Palace where she met the President of Austria, Heinz Fischer, and his wife Margit.  And after a brief photo call the three disappeared off for a private lunch.

A brief smile before lunch for a happy trio

After her meeting with the president, the queen headed to the world famous Hotel Sacher where she was greeted by a crowd all eager to take her photo.  The legendary Sachertorte is served at the hotel - a chocolate cake with ground almonds, its recipe is a closely guarded secret.  And after a brief rest at the hotel, the queen was back in action in the evening as she made her way to the Kunsthistorisches Museum where the major retrospective on Velazquez is being held.

Queen Letizia arrives to open the new Velazquez exhibition in Vienna

Letizia was sometimes criticised while still Princess of Asturias for not having her own agenda and for not taking on a fuller oversea agenda - she had just a handful of solo engagements in foreign countries during that decade.  But since becoming king and queen, Felipe and Letizia have taken on a bumper overseas agenda with trips to the Vatican, Morocco, Portugal and the Netherlands among many. But this first step into solo territory marks another milestone for her. And judging by the packed hallways at the museum and the cheering crowds at the Sacher, this visit will leave the sweet taste of success.