During the Dutch monarch’s visit to Canada in May this year, Queen Máxima repeated an unstructured navy picture hat in loosely woven straw. The distinctively striped piece has a twin in lime green.
Visiting Aruba, October 29 & 31, 2011
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
In Japan, April 19, 2005 and in Canada, May 27, 2015
The brim of the navy hat is slightly larger and less smoothly shaped than the green one but the two are undoubtedly related. The green hat first appeared during the above 2005 visit to Japan while the navy hat had its début on the 2011 Dutch tour of the Caribbean (below right) – just two days after Máxima repeated the green one (see top two photos). I find it most curious that despite a number of light straw summery hats to choose from in her millinery closet, Máxima chose two versions of essentially the same design to wear within a week, on the same foreign tour.
What do you think of these relaxed straw hats?
Photo from Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis; Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
After seeing these hats, I couldn’t help but think what they might look like, after being caught in a storm.
Please indulge me with this minute-long video which possibly answers my question.
Thanks again, HQ, for your entertaining blog. Where I live, school starts up again tomorrow, so I may not have the chance to read you as often as I would like! My “hat’s off to you!” – Jimbo
I really like the blue and green hats in the loosely woven straw. This Queen really suits wide-brimmed hats.
Despite their similarities and being worn on the same tour to the Caribbean, they fit well with the climate and culture of that region, and the very different colors helps contrast them. These look like light and easy hats to wear, and definitely the material seems to be a better quality than the paper straw most packable summer hats are made out of.
I like that these hats are different than the normal fare.
These are at the beautiful end of casual. I think both are great. More repeats please!
I agree with your post Gottfried. I would love to own these hats.
I have a question…what do the royals do with their clothes including hats and shoes when the time comes to actually dispose of them?
Good question Jane. I have read that Queen Elizabeth’s clothes have any distinctive trims removed and are sold to recycled clothing shops. Unwanted gifts are sold on, and the man dubbed “Fawcett the Fence” used to sell off items the British Royals didn’t want. Please see the link.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1424583/Rumours-that-brought-down-The-Fence.html
Brilliant – she wears the large picture hats so well – wish she would stick to those vs turbans
Love the green and blue but not sold on the pink/red.
I forgot to add that Máxima has a third hat in this type of woven straw- one we’ll look at more later this month
Embed from Getty Images
Oh Lord, I was trying to wipe that one from my memory!
Thus one reminds me of a mutant jellyfish.
LOLOLOLOLOLO, I so agree with you and your comment had me roaring with laughter…………
UI thought this one was especially Max-ish. Over the top and loving it
I much prefer these casual brimmed sun hats for Max’s Caribbean travel ensembles than the turbans. Both easy to pack, but the sun hats are much more becoming.
If it were me, I would say packing ease. They probably fit together in the same case and that saves room for other important stuff, souvenirs!
That’s a good point: packing ease. Of course, if that one hat box is lost or damaged, then two (or more) outfits are affected.
I like the blue and green hats very much since they let so much light through the brim, and this changes the colors and casts a shadow. These hats look different depending upon the lighting and upon what’s behind them.