Tag Archives: Queen Máxima

Dutch Royal Wedding 20 Years On: Religious Ceremony

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Last week, we looked back 20 years at the hats worn to Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien’s civil wedding on May 17, 2001. Today, we continue with their religious ceremony, held May 19, 2001 at St Jacobs Church in The Hague.

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Laurentien’s gown, made of radzimir silk, was designed by Edouard Vermeulen of the House of Natan (she and Constantijn resided in Brussels at the time so a Belgian designer wasn’t surprising or controversial). The bodice followed a straight boat neckline, modernized with a cowl-like fold.

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Three quarter length fitted sleeves opened to a dramatic pointed calla lily shape.

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The gown’s unique silhouette continued with a fitted empire waist, below which the skirt opened, as a coat, to reveal a column skirt beneath.

The coat’s train flowed to a length of 3.5 meters (12 feet) over which Laurentien wore a full length, layered silk tulle veil. Unfortunately, the veil obscured the deep V at the back of the dress, a design feature that beautifully balanced the gown’s high neck at the front. At the time, I thought it was beautifully modern and sleek gown, elegantly regal in scale and design.

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Laurentien anchored the veil with the diamond Laurel Wreath Tiara from the Dutch royal jewel collection. With her pearl and diamond drop earrings and voluminous veil, the tiara has just the right amount of sparkle, gravitas and height to complete this bridal look.

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Queen Beatrix topped a blush silk floral collared dress and variegated pastel woven coat with a wide brimmed rose straw hat. The hat featured a wide, round crown with straight sides and flat top and an upturned kettle brim, trimmed with a layered pink silk hatband and swath of tulle wrapped around the crown.

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Laurentien’s mother, Jantien Brinkhorst, wore a red straw hat with wide, sidesweeping brim. Notice the gentle brim pleats on the lower side.

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Máxima Zorreguita, who would marry Prince Willem-Alexander the following February wore a brimmed taupe straw hat. The brim’s binding and triple layered hatband looked to be in the same silver silk as her suit, linking the pieces together.

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We’ll look at hats worn by other members of the Dutch royal family and royal guests in tomorrow’s post. For now- what do you think of Laurentien’s bridal look, 20 years on?

Hats worn by royal guests and extended members of the Dutch royal family
Hats worn to the civil ceremony

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Images from Getty as indicated  

This Week’s Extras

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Princess Carla of Bulgaria in a peach sinamay draped rose hat
Queen Máxima repeated a tan linen halo bandeau headpiece on Thursday

King Carl Gustaf and Princess Christina attended the opening of an exhibition on their grandmother, Crown Princess Margareta, along with Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria. There are some fantastic historical photos in the exhibition that include hats.

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Incredible transformation in this remade straw bowler hat by Norwegian milliner Sigrid Modes
Such fun texture from the round petals covering this magenta bandeau by Australian milliner Wendy Diggles
Charming woven tutti fruitti straw boater by Scottish brand Scotch Bonnet Millinery
Moss green Panama straw fedora with black hatband by British brand Arts On Hats
Adore the silk applique on this slate blue cuffed design by Canadian milliner Jay ChengWhite straw cloche decorated with fascinating replica Dorset buttons by Australian milliner Jo Peterson
Gorgeous sheen on this lilac straw teardrop percher with ombre pleated fan by British milliner Sarah Blackmore

Vibrant yellow hysteresis loop shaped disc with feather starburst by British milliner Viv Jenner
Layered statement bandeau in black and natural straw with abstract rose by Australian milliner Louise Macdonald
Wonderful blush surprise beneath the extended brim on this cloche by Australian milliner Cynthia Jones Bryson
 Incredible statement brim, beautifully shown off with silk binding by Dutch milliner Marianne Jongkind
Lovely ivory laurel leaf headdress with pearls by Australian milliner Sylvy Earl
Interesting use of flat navy flowers to add texture to this black straw hat by British milliner Naomi Uhlig
Charming ivory cloche with extended crin brim and blush twists by American milliner Maria Etkind
Fantastic short-brimmed boater covered in jeweled lace with flying bow by British milliner Ian Bennett

 

Lovely photos shared by Luxembourg’s royal house shared for Prince Felix’s 37th birthday this week

And finally, Swedish National Day greetings from Haga Palace and from Florida!

Images from social media as indicated 

Dutch Royal Wedding 20 Years On: Civil Ceremony

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Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary earlier this month, a milestone which warrants a look back at their nuptials.

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Constantijn and Laurentien’s circles overlapped years before they decided to marry, Laurentien’s mother Jantien a school friend of Queen Beatrix and her father,  Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, a prominent Dutch politician and diplomat (and, ironically, vocal proponent of a smaller Royal House and reduced political role of the Head of State). The couple, who then resided in Brussels, returned to The Hague for their three day wedding celebration: civil marriage on May 17, 2001,  gala dinner dance at Palace Noordeindeon May 18 and religious ceremony on May 19. Laurentien turned to Edouard Vermeulen of fashion house NATAN for all of her wedding attire.

She arrived at Oude Raadzaal (Old Town Hall) for the civil ceremony in a watermelon pink belted coat and dress topped by a lavender-grey hat with upfolded halo brim. Trimmed simply with a hatband in the same straw, the hat’s focal point was a pronounced brim pleat over Laurentien’s left eyebrow.

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It’s always hard to regard past looks objectively- at the time, I was awed by the dramatic shape of this hat and thought the look to be bold and confident.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne

Queen Beatrix wore an ivory straw flat crowned hat with wide layered pink and ivory folded straw hatbands and a pink upturned Breton style brim that beautifully set off her ivory coat and pink accessories.

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Laurentien’s mother Jantien topped her pale cornflower blue suit in a matching hat in the most unique shape – a sort of pillbox with pointed crown over which lay a slanted downturned brim – trimmed with a long quill. The hat’s scale and shape worked so well with the open collar on her jacket.

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Máxima Zorreguita, who would marry Prince Willem-Alexander nine months later, wore a grey straw hat with jauntily upturned brim on the right side. The hat was trimmed in a dark taupe hatband and bound brim (notice the matching clutch!) and an oversize grey flower with lime leaves and curled feather staments that curved around the left side of the design. Interestingly, the hat would reappear two years later on a visit to Brazil with smaller brim and trimming. I prefer this original version.

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Princess Margriet topped her blush suit with a wide brimmed black sinamay hat with tall ruched hatband around the shallow, rounded crown and a relaxed, fluted brim.

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Princess Annette wore a cream hat with straight-sided, domed crown and mushroom shaped brim with side embellishment. I’ve not been able to locate a photo of Princess Marilene.

Twenty years on, which of these hats best represents fashion of the time? Which one stands out to you most?

We’ll continue with a look at the religious ceremony later this week.

Images from Getty as indicated  

Dutch Monarchs Visit North-Limburg

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima paid a regional visit to North-Limburg today, the day full of engagements related to healthy food, sustainable farming, bio-circular economy, theatre and youth mental health along with a walk through Nationaal Park de Maasduinen.

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For this event, the Dutch queen debuted a new pilllbox hat in emerald braided straw.

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There’s much to love- colour, scale, texture, and beautiful styling with this green dress and patterned coat. Win win win!

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Designer: unknown. Dress and coat by Oscar de la Renta
Previously Worn: this hat is new

That’s now back-to-back green hats for Queen Máxima (a first, I think!) What do you think of her new pillbox today?

Images from Getty as indicated

Dutch Queen Celebrates Leather Company

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Queen Máxima was in Weesp yesterday, visiting Dutch leather company Smit & Zoon on the occasion of its 200th anniversary. For this occasion, she repeated her avocado felt hat with flat crown and wide, cartwheel brim trimmed with Petersham ribbon brim binding, hatband, and back bow.

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It’s a hat familiar to many of us and it’s lovely… except for the visible dent on the left side of the crown!

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: Dec 14, 2018; Nov 22, 2018; May 23, 2018

We don’t often see such glaring issues on a royal hat and while I’m a little surprised this one wasn’t fixed before this outing, my guess is that we’ll see it good-as-new on its next appearance. It’s an amusing mishap, one that reminds me even a queen is susceptible to a squashed hat!

Images from Getty as indicated