King Willem-Alexander and were in the Dutch region of Neder-Betuwe yesterday where they visited Opheusden and Culemborg city halls, a tree farm, and a fruit auction/distribution center. For this day away, Queen Máxima wore a new hat, one of her signature wide brimmed ‘slice’ designs with high upsweep in deep, magenta straw.

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First up- the colour is divine. This is Máxima’s 26th version of this hat style (17th in straw) and she wears the jewel tone SO WELL. I’ve said all I can say about the scale and shape (still SO GOOD) which leaves me quibbling about the finishing. The fantastic Mode Maxima Koningen blog post on this hat includes some great back views which show brim binding that is a little lumpy and, appears to be pieced (see seams at both 4 and 6 o’clock positions), something that should not happen on a couture hat.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Queen Máxima was in Steenbergen this morning to officially open an elderly care house. For this engagement, she reached back in her hat closet for a tall-crowned, ecru straw cloche that hasn’t been seen in over a decade.

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This design, with it’s lively spray of feathers on the side and slim hatband, has much to admire- it’s well constructed with a very finely woven straw and those feathers add great energy to the design. We’ve seen Queen Máxima in just a few cloche hats, I think, for good reason- the classic shape simply does not suit her well and the slightly stretched proportions on this design, while interesting, don’t help. Shape issues aside, I have great admiration for royals who style decade-old hats into current ensembles and this neutral hat pairs well with Máxima’s green silk suit.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Suit by Natan.
Previously Worn: April 4, 2006

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima continued their visit to Germany in Potsdam yesterday with a program of engagements which included a visit with Prime Minister Dietmar Woudke and stops at the Großer Refraktor telescope, film and media city at Babelsberg, and Schloss Sanssouci, neo-classical summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia (and the German rival of Versaille!). For these events, Queen Máxima repeated her large picture hat in pale, dusky pink straw with dramatic, upswept ‘slice’ brim, simply trimmed with a wide Petersham ribbon hatband in the same colour, tied in a bow at the side.

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This is such a familiar and successful millinery look for Máxima, it’s hard to believe this is just this hat’s fourth public outing. And herein lies my only, small quibble with this hat- if you scroll through the photo galleries, you’ll see a slight crease in the hat’s brim, just above Máxima’s left ear. A bit of steam would likely smooth this out and restore the brim to the perfectly sweeping curve we know and appreciate it to be.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan.
Previously Worn: March 28, 2019; May 16, 2018; June 20, 2017 

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima continued their visit to Germany yesday with stops at Foreign Operations Command near Berlin, a shipyard in Rostock, and a cultural market center in Bollewick. For these events, the Dutch queen repeated her textured natural straw pyramid shaped hat which is simply trimmed with a slim silk bow on the side of the hat in the same golden wheat shade as the straw.

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In searching for something good to say, I might remark that  it’s great to see Máxima depart from her usual go-to calots and sidesweeping ‘slice’ brimmed hats or that the warm brown colour contrasts well with her dark jacket. However- there’s no escaping the visible reality that there are issues (again) with the construction of this hat. While I strive to be fair in critiques here, we can all see how the inside of this hat is messily finished. From a milliner who loudly touts herself as doing couture work, I find this absolutely unacceptable.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: Mar 27, 2017; March 9, 2011

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima arrived in the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania region of Germany yesterday for a three-day visit. For this arrival, Queen Máxima repeated her black double bandeau padded headpiece covered in black silk.

Bandeau headpieces are at the height of current millinery fashion these days and through this lens, this headpiece seems more stylish than we’ve given it credit for being in the past. The ensemble is also a great pairing with the headpiece taking a secondary, complimentary role to the patterned skirt and vibrant top- it’s a great look for the Dutch queen.