Princess Beatrix opened a the three-day international conference on Chinese Buddhism and the Scholarship of Erik Zurcher at Leiden University today. She repeated this black straw hat with rolled brim and black patent band around the crown. Last time we saw this hat, I declared my indecision on it (I just can’t get on board with the sides of the crown extending straight up over the rounded top of the crown) and today’s outing doesn’t help. What do you think?
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: March 12, 2013; January 22, 2013; October 29, 2011; May 4, 2009
Photos from Hollandse Hoogte and Hollandse Hoogte via Corbis and Dichtbij.nl
Royal Hats 
Princess Beatrix…love her. The hat…hate it. The wrap…burn it.
Do not like the hat at all, on Beatrix or anyone else. I think the black patent band makes it look cheap.
The hat? I can’t see the hat! All I see is the red and black puff balls on the cape/shawl/whatever it is!
I was just going to write the exact same thing! I cannot see it past the horrible pompom wrap! She looks like a very sweet lady but this is truly awful.
The band looks like plastic (aka cheap). I could totally see Maxima wearing that wrap though!
It does look plastic. It looked better the last times she wore it but this hat should be retired.
I’m not a fan of the wide patent leather band.
It’s her hair, it’s the inverse of the shape of the hat…
Noooo, and what’s up with all the puffballs stuck to her coat or wrap? That is amusing.
I agree on both points!
The black patent band is too harsh. Affixing a few red puffballs to the hat might have kept to the somewhat carnival theme, I suppose. This is not a good outfit.