For the May 22, 2004 wedding of the Prince of Asturias and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, the Dutch royal family were represented by Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, Princess Máxima (as were their titles at the time), Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien. Princess Laurentien wore a very pretty straw hat with a wide, curved brim in sea foam green. The hat was unique as the crown extended under the brim, forming a sort of headband around Laurentien’s head. It is a hat I thought suited her very well but unfortunately, was completely lost against the horrible burgundy net wrap and multiple strand necklace she wore. Had those two items been replaced with a tailored pale green or cream coat, the full elegance and beauty of this hat would have shone.
Princess Máxima was undeniably included among the best dressed guests at this wedding in an exquisite blush embroidered dress, pink coat and pink hat. The hat, designed by Fabienne Delvigne, featured a huge, upturned two-layer brim with rough, frayed edges. The unfinished edges of the hat created a most beautifully delicate effect (an oximoron to be sure) and provided both contrast and compliment to Máxima’s dress and coat. The hat is a very haute couture look but one that I think Máxima carried off magnificently and stunningly well.
Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Parma, pictured here with her brother Prince Jaime, wore a large cream straw hat with downward curving mushroom brim. The hat was trimmed with a large spray of straw flowers and leaves on the side and provided a neutral accent to her vibrant coral and orange ensemble.
Stay tuned tomorrow as we look at the hats worn by remaining royal guests at this grand wedding.
Photos from A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, and Lalo Yasky via Getty
Royal Hats 
Maxima can wear just about anything! And look smashing in it!!!
I don’t hate Laurentien’s outfit, but I like the hat best of all.
I have noticed the many ankle-strap shoes worn by the ladies, I love them. They are so feminine and pretty. Yeah to ankle strap shoes! Maxima’s hat is gorgeous of course, though my favorite is Martha-Louise’s red one.
No, no, no to ankle-strap shoes … the strap creates a ‘cut’ for the eye and shortens the length of the leg. Okay if you have particularly long, shapely limbs, but no good for short limbs, shapely or otherwise. Try and picture these shoes without the strap and you’ll see what I mean.
Wonderful these wedding posts!! Love this outfit by Maxima, it’s exuberant and at the same time soft and distinguished because of the colour. She wears a hat like this one in red at a dutch wedding and got a lot of negative comments as she outshone the bride. Not easy to do it right.
I liked Princess Laurentien’s unusual straw and the shade of green is lovely and suits her complexion well. I hated the wrap with this outfit, as it really didn’t go with anything else. Her floral dress looked like it was made from faded old curtains, and it looks like the lining of the dress, or her slip, is showing in the first photo. Why on earth she wore that garish, multiple stranded necklace, when she can, and often does, borrow tasteful, elegant jewels from the Dutch Royal Collection, I will never know!
Maxima’s outfit is stunning and she rocks a huge hat, however, I don’t like the frayed edges, as it reminds me of a hat a friend of mine bought, and the dog got to it, and frayed it, and I just can’t get that image out of my head.
Maxima looks utterly fabulous, dramatic, fashionable, beautiful. This is her at her absolute best, when she brings these big, bold looks nobody can hold a torch.
Alas I can’t say the same for Laurentien. I think she may have got dressed during a power cut.
This is one of my most favorite Maxima looks! She just looks so incredible chic!
Totally agree
I agree! This is one of the best. The color is perfect for her. The only thing I wonder about, and I am sure this is overstated, but I do wonder about the wedding guest sitting behind her.
Love, love, love Maxima in this outfit. The colour suits her, the shape suits her and boy does that hat suit her. She’s also had fun with her jewellery, using a brooch as a coat clasp. My only quibble is the ankle-strap shoes. Nobody should be allowed to wear them (‘cept maybe with trousers ’cause then you can’t see the strap!), they are not flattering, even to those with long, shapely legs. Doesn’t Wax look the fellow who knows what he’s got! He’s often pictured with a daft grin on his face when he’s in the company of his wife – and I love it.
Adore. The hat and the coat are so beautifully matched, colour wise, and then teamed with the blush/nude tones of the dress, bag and shoes. Very nice. The hat is a great size for Max and I like the frayed effect and it’s translucency.
I am actually also okay with Laurentien’s look. I like the wrap – the gorgeous vibrant colour for starters and the pin to hold it together – and I think it adds some pop to the overall pale green tone. The hat is a pleasant shape, the headband bit is okay and I think the dress fabric and print look rather nice too. And yep, I even like the chunky necklace. Sorry Hat Queen💐
P.S. Thanks for the extended coverage, loving it!! 💐💐
Like Philip Treacy said, fearless hat wearers can make dramatic hats work. Max is the most fearless of them all and this hat is amazing.
Certainly not a hat that just anyone could wear, but Maxima can make this work! The rest of the outfit being so understated allows the hat to shine without the entire look being too much. Head to toe, this is a hit!
Adore! It’s messy but still so very beautiful.