Members of six royal houses gathered at the former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Oswiecim, Poland today to commemorate the 70th anniversary of its liberation. Gathered together to remember the horrific history of this place, where more than one and a half million people lost their lives, were the King and Queen of Belgium, the King and Queen of the Netherlands, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and the Hereditary Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg.
For the outdoor commemoration ceremony, Queen Mathilde wore a large black faux fur hat.
Queen Máxima repeated a black wool calot hat with wide, folded cuff around the perimeter of the hat. In a respectful and touching gesture, King Willem Alexander wore a traditional Jewish kippah.
Crown Princess Victoria and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stèphanie did not wear hats for this event. This commemoration, however, was not about hats or who attended. It was about taking time to remember a period of purest evil so that through this memory, humanity can keep it from becoming part of our future.
“What is done cannot be undone, but one can prevent it happening again.” – Anne Frank, 7th May 1944
I encourage you to watch the full commemoration ceremony below.
Photos from Getty as indicated and Patrick van Katwijk via Monarchy Press
Royal Hats 
I thank you HatQueen for letting us know about this commemoration. May all the victims rest in eternal peace. King Willem Alexander wearing a Jewish hat and a well-tailored dark coat and suit was respectful and dignified. Queen Maxima’s black coat and calot with her hair in an elegant updo,was appropriate for this occasion. King Philippe’s dark coat and suit was dignified, but it’s a shame he didn’t wear a Jewish hat too. Queen Mathilde’s fake fur crownless hat and fake fur coat collar looked undignified for this event.
Some people have commented in other articles about how it is better to wear fake fur than real fur. Some fake fur is made from skinned dogs. Please see this link or google this fact.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-438110/US-campaigners-reveal-fake-fur-trim-actually-dogs.html
I agree with what TiarasRUs says: January 28, 2015 at 1:34 pm, Queen Máxima’s black calot hat and tidy hairstyle and her overall understated elegance were impressive. King Willem Alexander was respectful in a smart suit and a kippah. I didn’t like Queen Mathilde’s big furry donut hat, and I think it would have been better if she had worn a smaller and more low key hat. But I was impressed with the attendance of all these royals and they seemed to be genuinely involved in proceedings.
It was good to see so many European Royals commemorate the 70th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation. May all those who died RIP. Kudos to King Willem Alexander for donning a kippah. Queen Máxima looked elegant and her black calot hat and asymmetrical chignon hairdo made a good team. Trust Queen Mathilde to don another donut hat, and even worse, it was too large and the faux fur was ugly. I hope we don’t see this hat again.
You read my mind when you posted this TiarasRUs.
Thank you, Hat Queen, for this respectful and lovely post. We must never, ever forget.
Maxima looks stunning and most appropriate for the occasion. It’s always good to see the Dutch royals aren’t afraid of showing emotion.
The respect, and even pain on their faces, was very touching. Wonderful representatives of their countries during this tragic anniversary.
Thank you for the video
Queen Mathilde wore a headband
King Willem Alexander wearing a Jewish hat made me well up with tears.
Excellent post and very appropriate hats.
I think we have seen this exact kippah on him before in a synagogue (or something similar). Even more beautiful then that he owns/has kept a kippah to have one at occasions like this. Beautiful!
Amen to never forgetting. If we do not learn from history and remember it, we are doomed to repeat it. I am impressed with everyone who attended, but especially with King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima. Someone on the radio was talking about the remembrance services, and particularly noted their participation, and that it seemed to have a profound impact on them.
I agree with what jamiemid says: January 27, 2015 at 3:47 pm. Thanking you HatQueen for bringing us this tragic memorial event. It was handled very tastefully.
Total respect
May we never forget and may they rest in peace.