Over the past few years, Queen Máxima has amassed a collection of ruched pinky-beige close fitting hats, all in modified calot shapes:
A pleated calot of unknown design worn November 3, 2014 in South Korea
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Headpiece by Fabienne Delvigne worn on a visit to Achterhoek, May 6, 2014
Beaded Fabienne Delvigne design worn to christen a lifeboat on April 2, 2014
Opening the Fries Museum on September 13, 2013 in a ruched Fabienne Delvigne design (originally worn with diamond star brooches to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding on April 29, 2011)
The first hat is clearly designed as a perfect match for the dress it accompanied and stands slightly apart from the others as the only piece made of fabric. The remaining three intrigue me- all are from the same designer and all are made of straw, making them less tied to a particular outfit. The designs are so similar, I can’t help wondering why all three were added to Máxima’s millinery wardrobe. I suppose slight variations in colour probably account for this but it seems peculiar to have three such similar designs in very close colours in one’s hat closet. The last hat was the first one to appear in 2011 and I wonder, dearest readers- do you think the others were necessary additions?
Photo from Getty as indicated; Robin Utrecht and Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis; Dutch Photo Press; Dutch Photo Press
Royal Hats 
How many ways can you fold a napkin and put it on your head? #pleasemakeitstop
Color variation is the only explanation. Agreed with Jake that the Cambridge wedding was the best appearance of any of these.
I’ve never quite understood Máxima’s love affair with these ruched calots; they don’t do anything for her in my opinion, and their color almost always blends in with her hair, making them virtually useless as a hat. In fact, I’d prefer she’d go hatless than wear these calots (I know, heresy!). The only one of these I liked at all was the last one when she wore it at the Cambridge wedding, but that’s because it worked so well with that particular hairstyle and the star brooches made it stand out more, even though her whole ensemble was beige.
One keeps thinking WHAT has she got on her head now?
The first one looks nice from the side and you can see it has some colors in the fabric just like the top of Queen Maxima’s skirt. These are not my favorite hats, but of this batch I like the last one best because it has the ends tucked in and it looks like the Queen’s hair is all neatly tucked in as well. It seems to be sitting in the right place on her head too, not too far back and not too far forward. These hats don’t appeal to me in general because their design is kind of messy and their color is so bland.
Is it at all possible that the hat (#s2-4) is so constructed that it is just one hat worn at different angles? I.e. From front to back of head, then across but different sides across so different details are seen? These all look so similar…because they are the same???
If you click over to the original posts (which show all angles of the hats), you’ll see that each is different. #2 has an open ‘doughnut’ style crown, #3 is beaded with fine seed pears and has a slim horizontal opening while #4 is the only one of these three with the crown completely enclosed.
I’m not a great fan of the style or the colour of the hats, but Queen Maxima is such an attractive woman that she could get away with almost anything on her head!
This is a real head scratcher……perhaps there is more of a varience in colour in person than appears to be in photos. It is the only reason I can think of for these very similar hats.
I suppose the story is quite easy. Máxima goes to Brussels to order some clothes at Natan. Mr Vermeulen (the designer of Natan) works together with ms Delvigne, who also works in Brussels, so Máxima can shop one complete outfit in one session. And yes, it seems nobody (ms Delvigne, nor the lady-in-waiting, nor Máxima herself) realises some similar designs have been bought with other specific outfits.
I do find it a little hard to believe that people whose careers and interests are so bound up in dressing exalted personages would make so many duplications from lack of awareness, but I suppose anything can happen.
Variations on her ‘paper bag/burlap’ donut hole hats. The 4th one reminds me of a type of hat worn by the masses during the French Revolution days!