King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima undertook a state visit to Austria this week, arriving in Vienna on Monday.
For the first day of the visit, Queen Máxima wore a wide brimmed hat in red straw trimmed with a monochrome ribbon hatband.
From a distance, the hat tops a stand-out look we’ve all come to love and expect from the Dutch Queen. At closer view, I wish the finishing on the hat was more crisp and polished (note the wobbly brim finishing) but I really like how the hat’s classic, straight lines counterbalance the soft drape of the dress. The ensemble would have noticeably less presence without the hat so that makes it a firm success for me!
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Designer: bespoke “Gladys” design by Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan.
Previously Worn: This hat is new
On Tuesday, Queen Máxima repeated her blue mesh and cotton lace covered calot hat with matching dress. This time, she did not add the aquamarine and diamond brooch she affixed to this hat on its first outing.
I have slightly warmed to the modern placement of mesh and lace on this draped calot but so wish the hat was paired with a streamlined lace dress. This treatment of the dress’ neckline looks like it is swallowing Máxima up and the repeated unstructured trim on both the dress’ neckline and hat are just too much to keep the ensemble from looking messy.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
On this day, the couple visited Kulturhaus Brotfabrik community kitchen for a baking workshop. The resulting images taken are great fun. Don’t you wish we saw more, “Cooking with Royal Hats”?!
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan.
Previously Worn: Oct 14, 2019
Yesterday, for the final day of the visit, Queen Máxima wore a textured golden brown straw bandeau headpiece trimmed with coffee hued silk roses.
The hat is a remake of a layered bandeau/calot Queen Máxima wore in Indonesia two years ago:
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
I think this new version is a vast improvement! The shape is on-trend and the floral trim gives lift and life to the piece which now beautifully frames Máxima’s face. The last version… well, someone in my household described it as two giant garden slugs draped over her head. This version is so much better. Here’s to this improvement!
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Designer: unknown. Natan.
Previously Worn: Mar 10, 2020
All in all, I think this state visit was a millinery success. What do you think of the hats Queen Máxima wore this week in Austria?
Images from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
I adore this scarlet ensemble for Máxima! The gorgeous jewelry helps to break up all the red just a bit, so without the brooch, etc., it may feel slightly overwhelming (but tbd!). While the finishing of this portrait hat could’ve been a little better, it still is made from high quality materials and overall I don’t see really any differences from the RTW pieces of the same material I’ve sold from various professional milliners in my past retail life (and is, of course, much better than the quality of the mass-produced occasion hats).
I agree with everyone else the hat deserves a more streamlined dress and the dress would work better as evening wear. It’s, of course, not my favorite hat, but the color and unique design endear it to me more than many other calots. The aquamarines really help make this ensemble though!
I agree with Wies that if the base material had been blocked on the bias it would look better, but overall this reincarnation is much improved over its previous life and is such a lovely look for Máxima.
Despite a few issues with some details, this was a successful hatted visit to Austria/Österreich. Brava!
My thoughts here are mainly about the appropriateness of each ensemble to the occasion. The red fits really well to the brief of a formal arrival where the King and Queen are intended to be the centre of attention. The blue, though; not the obvious choice to go patting horses and cooking… It’s rather a messy look, and I’m not mad about the hat anyway, so I don’t think this is a winner. The remade bandeau also doesn’t really work for me. I know that I like saucer hats that are tipped steeply to one side of the head, but somehow, when it’s this rose attached to a bandeau, it just looks lopsided and unblanaced to me, not sure why!
…unbalanced…
had to laugh about the slugs comment
I wish other milliners would be given a chance to design a hat, it would be refreshing to break away
I like the red hat
I love Queen Maxima’s new red hat. She can definitely carry off such a bold look. It balances so well with the cape.
I’ve always loved lace but even I find the blue hat and dress just a bit too much. I do love this shade of blue however. I am imagining a different dress to go with the cute hat and a gorgeous wide brimmed hat to wear with the lace dress. Gorgeous shoes.
The addition of the silk coffee coloured roses to the bandeau piece is a winner and compliments the pretty dress along with the new cummerbund style belt and sandals.
Lovely to see lots of interesting sun hats at Wimbledon tennis this week.
The red is fabulous, and so Máxima. It’s a lot of red but she can carry it off.
As we’ve all agreed, the blue lace much less so. The dress could work for an evening do, the hat for a plainer dress – but not together.
And the bandeau is a much improved piece. The last version was just a bit odd!
The red outfit is very elegant, the hat is divine.
I want to like the red hat but I find it too big and plain with not enough style. I do not get the blue hat it does not speak to me at all. I love the flower trim added to the gold hat. It looks great with the rest of the dress.
The red outfit looks very good. The hat has a classic but stylish shape.
I never cared for the messy lace & mesh dress, or the hat. (Nor the placement of the hat.) But the baking pictures are such fun, it makes you forget about the clothes. I love how Q. Máxima participates in whatever the activity, aquamarines and all! She and the King seem to be enjoying themselves very much; it must make a nice change for them, from speeches and state dinners.
The remade bandeau is much better with the large flower. I might have preferred the straw to have been blocked on the bias; it might have looked less sluggish. (I have quite a lot of slugs in my garden. They eat up half of my flowers, so I don’t take kindly to them. I think ’couple of giant garden slugs’ is a very apt description of the headpiece in its original state. The trouble is that now I will never be able to think of it as anything else!)
As always it is fun to take a look at Maxima’s ensembles! The red outfit was broken up by those gorgeous, gigantic pearl earrings and brooch, so I didn’t mind all the red. It is too bad Maxima continues to buy hats that aren’t top quality, but it didn’t destroy the look in any way. The blue outfit did look like a mess, but I would love to start a campaign on “Royals cooking with hats!” These pictures of Max cooking are really priceless. Her face is so expressive! I think the last hat is much improved by the addition of the flowers. Good re-use of the hat.
Only like the red.
RED: That’s a lotta red, from head to toe! Maxima is one brave Royal! She likes her big statement hats.
BLUE: This reminds me of something found at a kitchen sink for scrubbing, so she could help wash up after all her cooking. (Only kidding!) Don’t like it.
GOLD: Huge improvement with the large bloom addition.