The second day of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima’s visit brought a huge millinery surprise- the repeat performance of a statement hat we have not seen in 9 years! Today, Queen Máxima very unexpectedly appeared in the grey silk flower headpiece that she wore for Princess Alexia’s christening in November 2005.
This is a statement headpiece to be sure. It really is a work of art as the grey petals on the silk flower anchoring this piece carry movement, texture and shape that feels very real. It’s huge, it’s bold, it’s brave and it’s beautiful. While the colours are soft, there is still significant contrast between the frothy headpiece and Máxima’s tweedy tunic. I love this contrast and think it makes the whole ensemble work but suspect some of you might feel differently. No matter our like or dislike of this headpiece and/or its pairing with this outfit, it is wonderful to see it return from the back of the millinery vault, isn’t it?
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: November 19, 2005
Photos from Patrick van Katwijk, and Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis
Royal Hats 
I like it from some angles and hate it from some others. While I like the contrast in textures, I think this outfit is too boxy/structured for the floofy hat. I wonder if the netting was removed and the flower worn on that back of the head as a calot would work? Too bad I don’t know how to photoshop. But Max’s meggawatt smile always wins the day!
Buffy I agree with you. This is a big, busy hat and I think it looks better in photos when you don’t see so much of the netting.
Seule Maxima peut porter un chapeau comme celui ci ! elle est parfaite
Quite large and quite fabulous !! I adore her outfit! She is so lovely and that smile makes everything she wears even better!
There is only one woman in the world who could wear that ridiculous hat and yet appear chic…..Max. Love it on her, hate it on anyone else!
Tout simplement magnifique ! elle seule peut se permettre ce genre de chapeau
Love it!!! Its so over the top, but so beautiful on Queen Max. I doubt many other women royal or not could pull off this hat!
Wow. That is a hat. On anyone else, I would hate it….but it’s Maxima…so I love the entire outfit.
love the hat, love1the jewelry, love Max!
Love the whole outfit! Of course, her megawatt smile makes anything she wears look good! She is one beautiful lady.
Go Max, what a gal. Terrific hat and it goes with the outfit very well. Love the jewellery, love the softly curled hair (yes, it might have been better rolled up, but the gentle curls/waves here are great). She looks every inch a queen – and always that great smile. I might not have seen grey as being a great colour for her, but it seems she can wear almost any colour well.
The hat shines with her sedate outfit, and her hair is pretty. However, I don’t think the hat goes well for this function. It’s more suited to a christening, wedding or Ascot.
I agree shannon, I think the original outing of this hat at a christening was more appropriate.
I love this all around. I think the hat is fantastic with a more sedate outfit. This is one of the best times I’ve seen her hair down and it matches well with her make up. Great show from Queen Max on this Asia tour for sure!
I really couldn’t believe the first two pictures when I saw them, but I think the headpiece is marvelous! Perhaps the monochrome ensemble (simple design and in gray, no less) makes the over-the-top hat work.
The contrast really does make this headpiece work, doesn’t it? I love it more every time I see it.
Oh my goodness. This is some hat. Personally I don’t like it. The silver flower would have probably been okay on it’s own but then to add the netting all over and around it (shown to incredible full blown effect in the second picture). Too too much IMO and a little dated looking. And I’d have to agree on this occasion, the hat or the hair- it should have been up. Sorry folks, coz I am a major Máxima fan.
Louise E I agree, I find all that netting just too much. And although I think her hair looks good here, a chignon would have worked better with this over-the-top hat.
LOVE IT!!! From the head to the toes!
So sorry, but the only part of Queen Max’s look that I like is the earrings. The hat is dreadful and the outfit makes her look dumpy, which she is not.
The queen is SO beautiful . . . only SHE can pull off a spray-painted head of lettuce and some steel wool!
Touché!!
Jimbo I got a good laugh at your comment. I wonder if the designer was in their kitchen, looked at some lettuce and some steel wool, and said, “I am so inspired by these objects I must make a hat now!”
Wonderful, classic Maxima. That is all.
I’m on board with the others, preferring a low chignon with this ebullient hat but, hey, I had trouble getting past those fabulous grey pearl earrings (which seem to be favourites of Maxima’s as well) and stunning diamond and pearl broach. Anyone know the history of the broach as I’m guessing it may be part of the Royal collection? Is it me or does the headpiece’s netting seem to have been tamed a bit compared to the last wearing? It does serve to liven up a very tailored, simple ensemble, lifting up its mood considerably. To wear this hat, one would have to be really ‘on’ that day, don’t you think? You just couldn’t feel grumpy and tack that on without feeling a whole lot better, am I right?
ridiculous
Finally making a comment on here, because I simply adore this hat and was so excited to see it reemerge after too many years of hiding! I will agree with @ladyofthemanor and @jamiemid about the choice of hairstyle; that is my one complaint.
I am not wild about the design but it does go very nicely with her outfit. She can make anything work because of her personality, although I agree with the comment that a low chignon would have worked better than her hair being worn down.
Very beautiful! A real queen.
Too far over done for me – it harkens back to something MGM costume designer Adrian would have plopped on some stars head in the 30s!
The headpiece is interesting and I can agree about the interesting contrast of textures. However the look is a disaster due to the hanging hair. Give me a low chignon and I might be on board.
I agree ladyofthemanor, it had to be ‘hat’ or ‘hair’ here. It’s a shame because her hair looks good here, but it’s too much combined with such a busy hat. A chignon would have been the only way to go. I might start to like it if some of that netting was removed too.
If anyone could pull off wearing this over-the-top hat, Maxima can.
It is something a bride would wear in white for her first marriage or in another colour for her second. It is nice but way overdone. Beats the first aid bandages she has been wearing. The Queen seems to go from one extreme to the other.
She is a beautiful lady. I do not think she has hit her mark yet. She will in time.
I shutter at the cost that is involved with her wardrobe though.
Her warddrobe costs a great deal I m sure.but queen Maxima constantly recycles.her style is over the top(which i looove)so maybe we give notice to her outfits a lot.but other royals also wear new clothes which also cost a great deal of money.& I m sure the budget is manged carefully.
I agree Jane. This hat is not to my personal taste and I think it was more appropriate the first time she wore it at a christening. I love the jewels and of course her megawatt smile!