Koningsdag 2024

The Dutch royal family were in Emmen today to celebrate the king’s birthday and eleventh anniversary on the throne.

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Queen Máxima wore a design described by the milliner as, “a custom headpiece made of silk and feather butterflies by Berry Rutjes during the royal family’s visit to the city of Emmen for King’s Day. The butterfly is a symbol of the city, because of the butterfly garden. Of course she knows how to wear it like no other.

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The effervescence of this design suits both its wearer and the informal occasion while retaining an elegant sophistication that isn’t costumey. The overall look is balanced, the lace skirt on the dress a great counterpoint for a head full of swirling butterflies. Yes, a wide brimmed hat could have done the same, but the butterflies are fantastically fun.

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Milliner: Berry Rutjes. Dress by Natan. 
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new. 

Princess Amalia followed the butterfly brief, adapting a pair of her mother’s gold brooches by Argentinian jeweller Celedonio into hairclips.

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Princess Ariane tied her hair back with an ecru velvet ribbon.

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Thoughts about today’s butterflies in Emmen?!

Images from Getty as indicated 

Luxembourg Wedding in France

Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg and Nicolas Bagory celebrated their religious wedding ceremony on Saturday at the Church of Saint Trophyme in Bormes-les-Mimosas in the south of France.

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Alexandra turned to couture house Elie Saab, a favourite of her mother, for her gown. In ivory duchess satin, the design focus is a pleated portrait collar neckline that folds into an empire line beneath the bust and extends over-the-shoulder to cap sleeves. The folded motif is repeated at the hip where the skirt opens to a sleek A-line silhouette in front and modest train at the back.

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Alexandra topped the structural gown with a full-length silk tulle veil studded with pearls, sequins and crystal-centered miniature flowers that glittered like magical snow.  The beautiful veil was anchored with the grand ducal family’s Chaumet Choker Tiara made slightly more delicate with the removal of the piece’s large pearls. It’s a great combination, the diamond latticework pattern of the tiara works pairing beautifully with the lines of the gown, the studded veil and tiny blossoms in Alexandra’s hair providing the most romantic contrast to soften and elevate the overall look.

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The young bridesmaids, which included Princess Amalia, wore fresh floral half circlet headpieces atop their white dresses with patterned blue sashes, also worn by the pages.

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We all want to see royal brides looking their very best on their wedding day and such can be said about Princess Alexandra. We wish this couple many years of happiness!

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See three great galleries of photos the Luxembourg Monarchy’s website here, here and here.

Images from Getty and social media as indicated  

This Week’s Extras

Last weekend, Princess Yoko wore an ivory silk covered bowler for a visit to Yasukuni Shrine. On April 29, Princess Hanako wore a wonderful yellow hat for an award ceremony at Ueno Royal Museum.

On Tuesday, The Duke of Gloucester took part in Anzac Day commemoration in a black bowler hat.

Also on Tuesday, Princess Amalia attended the Seville Fair in a red floral headpiece.

There have been rave reviews for the “Hats Made Me” millinery exhibition that opened this week at the Stockwood Discovery Center in Luton, the millinery manufacturing center of the UK. If you’ll be in the UK between now and December, don’t miss it.

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week (see the comments for more):


A very pretty new portrait of Princess Yoko of Mikasa was released this week

 

Princess Alexandra’s veil is absolutely beautiful! We’ll look at today’s religious ceremony in depth on Monday.

Images from social media as indicated 

Dutch Royals Visit Curacao

King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Princess Amalia continued their Caribbean tour, moving Thursday to the island of Curacao.

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Thursday, Queen Máxima repeated an open-crowned headpiece covered in an ecru textured natural fiber (presumably cotton or linen) trimmed with stacked bows on one side.

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It’s a bit clunky in execution, the bows lacking crisp finesse and the ringed shape sitting, from some angles, a little awkwardly on Máxima’s head.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan.
Previously Worn:   Jun 24, 2015; Nov 16, 2013

Yesterday, Queen Máxima and Princess Amalia both wore fedora hats. Queen Máxima wore a wide brimmed design in warm toasty brown natural fibre, simply trimmed with a golden yellow hatband.

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Designer: Julia Fedora by 360Five Everyday. Dress by Sandro Paris.
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Princess Amalia wore her second working royal hat! In white crushable flexibraid material, the design follows a traditional fedora shape and is trimmed with a navy ribbon hatband with small side bow. She wears it really well.

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Designer: Fiona Fedora from House of Ord. Dress by Zara.
Previously Worn: This hat is new.

What do your think of  the hats on this tropical tour so far?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Catching Up… The Dutch Royals

In early September, Queen Máxima paid a working visit to the United States. On September 8 in Austin, Texas, she repeated a white silk dress and open circle hat, tapered around the back to fit the contours of her head, both of which are hand painted by Argentinian artist Pablo Piatti.

Designer: unknown. Dress by Natan, in collaboration with Argentinian artist Pablo Piatti 
Previously Worn: Jul 5, 2021

On September 9 in Houston, Máxima repeated a textured brown straw bandeau headpiece trimmed with coffee hued silk roses.

Designer: unknown. Dress by Natan.
Previously Worn: Jun 29, 2022; Mar 10, 2020

On September 14, Queen Máxima attended the HBSC symposium ‘Young in the 21st Century’ in Utrecht. For this event, she repeated a black straw picture hat with upturned “slice” brim.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan. 
Previously Worn: Sep 5, 2019; July 18, 2017Nov 7, 2016

On September 15, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima spent the day in the Peel region of the Netherlands. For this day out, the Dutch queen repeated a halo bandeau headpiece of pale pink silk roses studded with blush net veil.

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Designer: Berry Rutjes. Dress by Natan.
Previously Worn: May 11, 2022

On Wednesday, September 20, the Dutch king and queen were joined by Princess Amalia, Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien for Prinsjesdag, the opening of parliament in The Hague.

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Queen Máxima wore a sculptural beret covered in the same lilac-grey recycled air-mesh/neoprene fabric as her dress and shawl. 

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Designer: Dress by Benchellal.
Previously Worn: this hat is new 

Princess Amalia wore her mum’s draped pink abaca calot hat, adorned again with the diamond star brooches that Queen Máxima placed on it the first time she wore it. It’s a lovely colour and face-framing design on Amalia.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Gown by Asos. 
Previously Worn by Queen Máxima: Jun 14, 2019Sept 14, 2014Sept 13, 2013May 24, 2013Jan 21, 2013Apr 29, 2011

Princess Laurentien topped her pale pink crepe cady wrap dress with a headpiece with bow-base in the same fabric and a large blush bloom. The flower is lovely but at close view, the bow lacks the finesse and crisp finish that I think the beautifully tailored gown deserves.

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Designer: Eudia. Dress by Hardies Mode 
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new. 

Yesterday, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima began a state visit to Sweden.

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For their arrival in Stockholm, Queen Máxima wore a domed brimless hat covered in the same pink silk as her dress, with ruched starburst detail gathered on one side. The hat is topped with a brown dotted net tulle veil.

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At first glance, it’s a subtle design that seems charming enough. At closer view, there are some construction issues. We see enough fabric covered hats here at Royal Hats to know that such pieces simply should have as many puckers around the bottom of the hat as this one does.

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Designer: unconfirmed. Dress by Natan. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new. 

Which hats here stand out most to you?

Images from Getty as indicated