Tag Archives: Queen Máxima

Prinsjesdag 2021

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The Dutch parliamentary year officially opened today with the presentation of the government’s 2022 spending plans and a speech from King Willem-Alexander to members of the Senate and House of Representatives in the Grote Kerk in The Hague.

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As for Prinsjesdag events in the past, court dress was observed by royals in attendance. Queen Máxima topped a her tailored blouse and ballgown skirt with a repeated a pleated tomato red calot/turban.

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It’s a strong look for her, although the crisp pleats previously seen in this hat seem to have been lost since it’s initial two outings.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Skirt and blouse by Natan. 
Previously Worn: Oct 11, 2018; Feb 3, 2015; Oct 1, 2013

Princess Laurentien paired her silver and gold brocade gown with a circular headpiece of layered grey and gold sinamay that expanded in pillowed layers around one side of her head.

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The shape is a great take and expansion on the bandeaux so popular at present and the design creates such beautiful movement around Laurentien’s face.

Designer: Eudia (Evelien Gentis-Smit). Gown by Hardies.
Previously Worn: This design is new

What do you think of this pair of millinery designs today in The Hague? Jump to this post to see all of Queen Máxima’s past Prinsjesdag hats. 

Images from Getty as indicated  

Dutch Queens Open Tech & Care Projects

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Queen Máxima opened the National Superfast computer ‘Snellius’ in Amsterdam yesterday, repeating a bandeau headpiece of overlapping pale pink silk petals.

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It’s not the most dynamic look we’ve seen on Máxima, it’s a pretty one, framing her face in the most lovely way and combining well with the rest of her pale pink ensemble.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: May 13, 2021;  May 14, 2014; March 10, 2011

Princess Beatrix was in Capelle aan den IJssel yesterday to open a care organization. She repeated a dark woven pillbox with large crin bow at the back.

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The standouts on this hat are it’s scale and texture, which is just so interesting.

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Designer: unconfirmed. 
Previously Worn: June 9, 2018; April 19, 2012; likely others

What do you think about this repeated pair of millinery designs yesterday in the Netherlands.

Images from Getty as indicated  

Queen Máxima On The Move With Sideswept Hats

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima visited the municipalities of Deventer, Raalte and Olst-Wijhe yesterday for a day of events themed around collaboration.

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For these visits, Queen Máxima wore a new hat in burgundy sinamay with a sidesweeping brim and double layered hatband tied in a side bow..

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The colour is lovely and pairs well with her printed green dress (who knew leaf green and burgundy could work so well together!). However, there are visible construction issues with the brim’s finished edge, which is horribly wobbly. That’s not an issue of material but, unfortunately, one of very poor technique and completely ruins what could have been beautifully sweeping lines on the hat.

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

Today, Queen Máxima opened the House of Culture and Administration of the municipality of Midden-Groningen in Hoogezand.

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For this event, she repeated a warm brown straw picture hat with high upswept slice brim. The hat is simply trimmed with a Petersham ribbon hatband tied in a loose bow at the side.

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The brim edge here is not perfect but looks much better than the first hat. That’s because of the bias brim- if you look closely at the brims of the two hats, the weave of the straw on the brown hat is in an x shape around the face, as opposed to a + shape on the burgundy hat. The brown hat is likely blocked from a parasisal capeline (see one here) which is woven in concentric circles and as such, places all points around the brim on the bias. Because woven materials stretch on the bias, it’s then possible to block the brim into a super smooth surface.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Zeus + Dione
Previously Worn: Jul 7, 2021;  Jul 2, 2019;  May 25, 2018;  Feb 18, 2017; Nov 28, 2016; Nov 1, 2016; Sep 14, 2016; Jun 2, 2016; Apr 21, 2016; Mar 10, 2016
Comparison pairings with other outfits: see here

Thoughts about these two hats?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Norwegian Royal Wedding 20 Years On: European Royals

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We conclude our look back at Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s wedding today with the remaining royal guests and what a glittering group it was!

Queen Paola wore the elegant Queen Elisabeth’s Art Deco Bandeau. She and King Albert attended with Prince Phillippe, the men both in uniform with caps (Princess Mathilde was in the last trimester of her pregnancy with Princess Elisabeth and remained at home).

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Princess Kristine Bernadotte (3rd wife of Prince Carl Bernadotte who was born a Swedish prince/Duke of Östergötland but ended up a Belgian prince thanks to his mother’s lineage after relinquishing Swedish succession) wore a tiara of unknown origin which, following her death in 2014, remains a mystery.

Grand Duchess Josephine wore the Belgian Scroll Tiara.

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore the Luxembourg Chaumet Choker Tiara with diamond lattice base and pearls

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Princess Sibylla of Luxembourg wore her diamond Art Deco Tiara.

Queen Sofia wore the exquisite Spanish Floral Tiara.

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The Countess of Wessex wore her wedding tiara, a piece rumored to be made from four alternative sections from Queen Victoria’s Regal Circlet.

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Princess Laurentien wore the Dutch Ears Of Wheat Tiara.

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Prince Willem-Alexander attended with fiancé Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti (they married a few months later on February 2, 2002) who wore the base of the Dutch royal collection’s Antique Pearl Tiara. While we’re used to seeing this tiara with the pearls, this was Máxima’s first tiara outing and the smaller scaled version made a great inaugural piece for her.

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And finally- a pair of bachelor prince heirs, both in military uniform with caps.

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One poignant comment yesterday wondered if we’d ever see such a glittering array of jewels at a single event. After all of the social distance and pared-down scale of events we’ve all experienced over the past year and a half, it seems impossible, doesn’t it? I have, however, hopeful that as the next generation of crown princesses enters adulthood, the weddings of these future queens will enthrall and delight just as those of their parents did.

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Images from Getty as indicated; Scanpix and Corbis

This Week’s Extras

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On Thursday, Queen Máxima opened the world’s first 3D printed bridge in Amsterdam. She repeated a natural straw hat by Fabienne Delvigne with sharply raised slice brim.
Queen Margrethe in an artfully wrapped headscarves Friday in Fuglafjørður and yesterday in Vestmanna, both in the Faroe Islands
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Numerous stunning hats in this year’s Melbourne International Millinery Competition
Veiled scarlet percher lavishly trimmed with silk roses by Irish milliner Carol Kennelly
Luminous gold straw hat with angular crown and black net trim by Czech milliner Jolana Kotabova
Deep red dyed sinamay rolled lily headpiece with feathers by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
Uniquely shaped natural straw hat with darling blush flowers around the crown by British milliner Ruth Ravenscroft
Australian milliner Melanie Athineros proves grey is far from boring with this dimensional, textured feather headpiece.

Wonderfully sleek red straw wide brimmed fedora with butterfly trim by British milliner Louise Pocock
Super cool and unique layered puffy silhouette on felt hats from Danish brand Andersen & Berner
The most classic braided straw summer hat in “vintage pink” by French brand Rose Cherie Paris
The loveliest denim blue straw beret with fun bow by Australian milliner Lauren J. Ritchie
Such lovely lace applique on this coral bandeau headpiece by Irish milliner Kate Betts
Fantastic texture on this trilby and pattern on this Garbo hat by Russian milliner Lia Gureeva
Adore the volume, shape and dramatic drape of this scarlet silk turban by Nigerian brand Hatabelles

 

Lovely portraits of King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and their daughters taken this week at their annual summer photocall at Huis Ten Bosch Palace
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If you’ve not seen this documentary on the Duchess of Kent, it’s worth a watch (there are some great hats!)

Images from social media and Getty images as indicated