Queen Beatrix completed her last official engagement as Queen of the Netherlands this morning in The Hague. Very fittingly, she opened The Huygens Exhibition, a “spectacular show about the House of Orange, the Golden Age and the revolutionary scientific progress achieved during that period. The exhibition combines political history, science and the arts to provide a full immersion into the context of the times”. I thought it was poignant that her last official engagement involved a look back in history before we all look forward to the next monarch on April 30. It’s amazing the continuity these royal families are part of.
Beatrix wore one of her classic blue domed single tier cake hats. I don’t think there’s anything to say except she looked radiant and happy, and that we’re all going to miss seeing her this way, as Queen, very much.
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
It is such a sad day to have to say goodbye. She has been the best Queen. She has done so much for my country. We can never thank her enough for what she has done for us.
You are thanking her! By letting her go into this new time in her life, you are thanking her and paying her tribute. The nice thing about the Dutch tradition of abdication is that it lets Queens know how much they have meant to their people. She also will still be present and you will see her from time to time!
I like her well enough but I’m looking forward to the crazy hats Maxima will wear when shes queen. It’s gonna be epic.
I can’t wait. Max is either epic fail or epic amazement. It’s not going to be boring, that’s for sure!
Will she continue to dress with this style hat when she is Princess Beatrix again? Would she retain the same look?
As Hyacinth commented here already, Queen Beatrix has found a style that works for her and is all her own. I can not imagine this will change when she becomes a princess again. It will, however, be interesting, to see if her hat wearing frequency stays the same. I have a hunch that she’ll only wear hats for official functions. Since those will be decreasing, I think we’ll see her in fewer and fewer hats.
I really admire that she has found a style that works for her and not been swayed by trends. She looks beautiful. I can’t imagine these large round hats on any body else.
Royal blue for her final hat. I just love that. And I just love this pretty blue hat.