Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands visited Scheveningen yesterday to unveil a monument dedicated to all fishermen who lost their life at the sea during the exercise of their profession.
Beatrix wore a black straw hat with flat crown and brim, wide ribbon strips wrapped around the crown and a large black and white poppy on the side. I thought it was a sensitive touch choosing a hat with a poppy (a flower associated with remembrance) for this event and while the brim is a little small for my taste, the hat looked very fine on Beatrix. She last wore this hat on a visit to Qatar in March 2011.
There was an interesting discussion in the comments this week about Queen Máxima history of repeating hats just once or twice (a few of us think she’s going to wear hats more frequently now that she is queen and will therefore, wear each hat more times). I think we’re also going to see Princess Beatrix recycle hats more as well. What do you think about this?
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
This hat is just gorgous and so perfect for a memorial. You can’t ever go wrong in black and white. I just love the poppy flower on the side with her necklace and earrings combo.
I don’t like how flat this hat is on top and those bands around the sides look a little heavy. Even with those things, it’s still a really nice hat! I love the poppy on the side.
Great hat, and I like how the necklace and earrings echo the poppy. A fair and light touch on this black look.
I think this is a very good hat, with the poppy taking it out of ordinary cake-hat territory. Just out of interest (any Dutch people reading this?), I wonder if the poppy has the associations of remembrance there? In the English-speaking world, it developed out of the First World War mainly because of the poem In Flanders’ Fields by the Canadian John McCrae, but I wonder if the idea has spread elsewhere?
Interesting point. The poppy is not associated with remembrance in France.
Interesting point, indeed. I suppose the poppy is associated with remembrance just in Commonwealth countries.
It is also not associated with remembrance in Spain
I’m Dutch and in the Netherlands the poppy is not associated with remembrance.
I adore this hat as it is a variation from her usual shape which is exciting! Is Princess Beatrix going to be more daring as a princess? I hope so!
And wearing a hat more than once? Absolutely, we must! I realize the millinery folks want business, but a new hat every time you walk out the door? Royalty or not, that is excessive. Plus, if you find a great hat, you only get to enjoy it once? That’s silly.
She has several hats in this style and this is not a new hat design for her. And her hat style has not changed at all since becoming princess because she has not worn any new hats!
It’s a very nice hat that is very flattering on Princess Beatrix. I like the smaller brim on her. You can still see her very well but I like the brim better than those “donut” hats she often wears. I didn’t make the connection to the poppy but is very fitting for a memorial.