Yesterday in Amsterdam, members of the Dutch Royal Family attended a national memorial for the victims of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, which crashed in eastern Ukraine in July. Queen Máxima wore a simple rounded black pillbox hat in black felt which was trimmed with a flat double bow at the back.
Designer: in Bettina Thomas | Royal Hats Previously Worn: November 2, 2013
Princess Beatrix wore a round black straw hat woven with metallic threads. The indented crown of the hat was wrapped in a tall, rolled band of straw, making it look like a large-scaled bumper style chapeau.
Designer: I suspect Suzanne Moulijn Previously Worn: I think this hat is new
Princess Margriet wore a black straw hat with flat brim that slightly raised around the back. This hat was trimmed with a slim band around the crown and a swath of light straw folds and wispy black feathers around the sides and back of the hat.
I thought all three hats were quietly dignified, yet each flattered their wearer and conveyed a bit of their personal style. My favourite was Queen Máxima’s pillbox- which one did you prefer here?
Princess Beatrix and Princess Margriet of the Netherlands attended the ‘Grand Defile’ , a celebration of 200 years of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn on Saturday. Princess Beatrix repeated a caramel straw hat with flat crown and brim, wrapped in a wide, coordinating band around the crown. A flat bow at the back completed the hat. While this is not my favourite colour on Princess Beatrix, I like this more restrained hat shape on her very much.
Princess Margriet wore a bright teal straw hat with a small, diagonal brim. The brim was trimmed in black piping around the edge and featured a massive teal bloom on under the raised side of the brim. I want to love this hat but something about it seems out of proportion for me. I think if the brim had been slightly bigger, it would have worked more successfully. I do adore the colour and the large bloom.
What do you think of this pair of Dutch royal hats?
The young bride’s ivory silk duchesse gown was made by Belgian designer Pierre Yves. You will note in the photo below that the bodice of the dress was actually a Bolero-length jacket with wide collar, pleated cuffs and front buttons. The main dress, with a box pleated full skirt and pleated cummerbund at the waist, featured a halter-style sleeveless bodice that was covered in Brussels lace. It’s an interesting design for a royal bride but certainly one that lends itself to both the formality of a royal wedding and the ‘lets-get-this-party-started’ vibe a private reception.
Marilène topped her dress off with a full length silk veil edged in ivory silk ribbon. The veil was anchored by a reduced version of the “Ears of Wheat” tiara from the Dutch Royal collection. Unfortunately, the tiara was worn so far back on Marilène’s head that it is nearly invisible.
Princess Margriet wore a pink Breton-style hat trimmed with white and dark pink contrasting bands on the brim and around the crown. It is such a flattering hat shape on her and the colour, shades darker than her pale pink suit, created the perfect amount of contrast for her ensemble. Marilène’s mother, José van den Broek-van Schendel, wore an unusual but very pretty pale grey-blue hat with upturned, fluted brim.
Queen Beatrix wore a giant tangerine straw pillbox hat swathed in open-weave gold net. The unique hat however, coordinated very well with Beatrix’s Indian sari-inspired dress and created a rather bold and striking ensemble
Princess Juliana, in what was to be her final public appearance, wore a black dotted hairnet with black large black bow.
Archduchess Marie-Astrid of Austria wore a taupey-pink straw picture hat with slightly upturned brim and pink flower and ribbon trim (below, top left). Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Parma wore a rusty straw hat with monochrome bloom on the side (below, center right).
Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein wore a cream hat with squared crown and wide, upturned brim (top left, just above the bride). Princess Christina of the Netherlands wore a navy straw hat in a similar shape with a wide, upturned brim. This hat was trimmed with a lime green sash around the crown to match her suit – this colour combination was the most lovely of contrasts (front right, beside her sister Princess Margriet).
While the past sixteen years has brought many changes to millinery fashion, there are a number of hats at this wedding with classic shapes that have stood the test of time. Which one of these royal hats is your favourite?
Prince Maurits and Princess Marilène of Orange-Nassau celebrate their 16th wedding anniversary today. Their wedding celebrations were rather low key as Prince Maurits is the nephew of a monarch and, at the time of his marriage, was fifth in line to the throne. He is, however, the son of a much loved Dutch princess and was the first of his generation to marry so the event was certainly not to be missed. In honor of Prince Maurits and Princess Marilène’s anniversary, today, let’s look back at the hats from their civil and religious weddings.
Prince Maurits met Marie-Hélène van den Broek (she is known as Marilène), daughter of the former Dutch foreign minister Hans van den Broek, when they were both students at the University of Groningen. For their civil wedding on May 29, 1998 in Apeldoorn, Marilène wore a scarlet and orange silk suit topped with a classic, pale beige straw hat. The hat featured a sash around the crown in the same hues as her vibrant suit and the brim was covered in an overlay of translucent chocolate brown net. The cartwheel brim of the hat was an excellent proportion for this tall bride and allowed Marilène’s radiant smile to take center stage. I thought it was particularly adorable that Marilène choose orange as the accent colour for her ensemble to marry her Prince of Orange (also, in a coordinating orange tie).
Princess Margriet wore a royal blue bumper style hat with wide, rolled brim which featured a woven ‘v’ pattern.
Marilène’s mother, José van den Broek-van Schendel, wore a dark blue hat with rounded crown and upturned brim. The hat was without embellishment and she wore it tilted fairly far back, off her face.
Members of the Dutch Royal Family joined Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the Four Freedom Awards ceremony in Middelburg today. Queen Máxima unveiled a spectacular new picture hat for this event in a shade of vivid burgundy. The large scale of this hat along with its gently curved mushroom brim make it an absolute show stopper and its pairing with this fabulous orange and burgundy dress is classic Máxima. I thought she looked amazing.
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne Previously Worn: This is a new hat
Princess Beatrix also looked beautiful in a black straw hat with upturned brim, layered crown, and spray of fuchsia flowers on the side. The gossamer straw gives this hat such a light feeling and I love how the uplifting movement of the hat compliments the tailored cowl neck of Princess Beatrix’s dress. So very, very pretty.
Designer: unconfirmed. I suspect it was made by Suzanne Moulijn Previously Worn: November 30, 2013
Not to be outdone on this day of stellar Dutch royal hats, Princess Margriet wore a cornflower blue hat with a snugly fitting crown and a light straw halo brim. It’s an unusual hat shape that works very well with Margriet’s short hairstyle and served as a chic accessory for her blue and white suit.
Designer: unknown Previously Worn: I believe this is a new hat
What’s better than an event with fabulous royal hats to honor individuals who are promoting freedom in our world?! I’m curious, dear readers, to hear your thoughts on this trio of Dutch royal hats.
Princess Margriet wore a royal blue bumper style hat with wide, rolled brim which featured a woven ‘v’ pattern.
Royal Hats 