King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima moved on to Sydney today where their schedule included visits to the inner harbour and Opera House, Cockatoo Island, the University of Sydney and Government House.

King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima continued their tour of Australia today in Canberra where they visited the Australian War Memorial, the Afghan Memorial, and met with Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull and Mrs. Turunbull Parliament House. For this calendar of more formal events, Queen Máxima surprised in orange from head to toe. Her wrapped straw calot, first worn on a trip to Curacao in 2011, features a straw double half bow and feather quill. On its own, the hat is a whimsical and rather fun accessory but paired with this coral lace dress (with incredibly awkward pink lining) and all orange accessories, the ensemble is catapulted way over the top into “Apricot Pumpkin Spice Barbie” territory.

After a lacklustre millinery start to this week’s visit to Australia, Queen Máxima was back to her blazingly glamorous self today for the Melbourne Cup at Ascot Raceourse in Perth. On paper, a brown straw hat with simple embellishment reads as rather boring- something this hat is certainly not! In coffee coloured straw, the hat’s upswept ‘slice’ brim is a Máxima signature that is beautifully balanced with a simple rounded crown and monochrome grosgrain ribbon hatband that folds into a flat bow at the side. The hat’s simplicity is a perfect counterpoint to Máxima’s more elaborate beaded aqua Natan dress and the resulting ensemble is a dazzling success.

King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima kicked off their Australian visit (which will commemorate the 400th anniversary of the landing of Dutch explorer Dirk Hartog in Western Australia) today in sunny Perth. Queen Máxima repeated her sand and turquoise silk linen Matthijs van Bergen dress with matching folded calot hat. This is such a great dress, it’s a shame that this design resembles no more than… a dinner napkin? A head bandage? Whatever it is, I’m afraid, it is neither noteworthy nor attractive.