Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq Al Said the Honorable Lady Ahad bint Abdullah welcomed King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgian to the Al Alam Palace in Muscat on the second day of the Belgian Monarch’s official visit to Oman and United Arab Emirates. For this event, Queen Mathilde wore a new brimless hat in muted burgundy straw, simply trimmed with a draped bow on the side.
This toque shape is a not a new one for Mathilde and it suits her well, framing her face while having a enough presence to stand on its own against her floral frock. The colour is great, both contrasting against the pale dress while highlighting the darker tones in what really is an exquisite pattern. A larger scale hat would compete with the voluminous skirt (and statement belt) and this smaller design is just right.
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. ‘Geisha’ Printed Taffeta Dress with Pleats by Natan.
Previously Worn: This hat is new
For a visit to visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Queen Mathilde topped a beautifully patterned and embroidered Anita Dongre full length dress with a burgundy headscarf. It’s such a beautiful look and another example of diplomatic dressing at its vest.
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What do you think of these looks on the Belgian queen?
Images from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
The color is lovely on Mathilde, but I was left underwhelmed by this pillbox. It’s the same hat as her daughter Elisabeth wore to the National Day events back in July, which dampens my enthusiasm, but I agree with others that a brimmed hat of some sorts would’ve actually been a great choice for this outfit. I do like the colorful massar headwrap worn by the Sultan.
On the other hand, Mathilde looked stunning in her red-violet headscarf, and I agree with Wies the mask just elevates the whole ensemble even more! Feeling some Sheikha Moza vibes too with this radiant outfit (and I mean that only as the best compliment, of course!).
I agree with everything said about the first dress and hat combination. I like the colour of the hat (and that it matches the colour of the shoes), but not the volume. The large buckle, besides looking peculiar, must be quite uncomfortable when sitting down, even for a slim woman like Queen Mathilde. (These kind of fashion statements never seem to be designed for men.)
Queen M. looks supremely elegant in red. That Anita Dongre dress is a dream and this is the first time since the start of the pandemic that I’ve seen a face mask which actually adds something to an outfit! The burgundy mask in combination with the red scarf and the gold-and-coloured earrings are beautiful – somebody did a very good styling job here.
I rather like the unusualness of Queen Mathilde’s first outfit with the neat burgundy hat. The long red embroidered dress is stunning and I do hope we see it again.
Agree with the the posters.
I actually think a larger hat would have balanced the first outfit more. The dress is lovely but a lampshade brim would have been a really great compliment. It would though have hidden the back of her hair, that figure of 8 updo is really lovely.
Can those cartoonish belts stop being a thing soon though please?!
And how stunning does she look in that beautiful red with the headscarf? That is just such a fabulous look for her.
I do like this discreet hat, but I think I agree, it’s a lot of dress, and a design with some sort of brim might have balanced it better. The red in her second outfit is a lovely glowing colour, isn’t it?
So glad you pointed out that chignon, JamesB — so elegant! I usually like a wide brimmed hat with a full skirt, but somehow this toque looks just right to me — maybe because there’s so much volume in the top and sleeves as well as the skirt.
But I completely agree about the oversize belts! And Mathilde looks gorgeous in the full-length red. Hope we see that one again.
You’re right- it’s the chunky sleeve cuffs that push the dress’ sense of volume over the top. Replace the sleeve with something streamlined (and remove the cartoonish belt) and a wide brimmed hat would be stunning.
I love the burgundy long gown and scarf! Perfect for the venue, perfect for Mathilde. I was not quite so taken with the full skirt, blouse, and “statement” belt. It made an awkward statement to me. A sleeker, more formal suit would have been better, perhaps keeping the hat in the ensemble.