King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima opened the exhibition “Mapping Australia” at the Aboriginal Art Museum in Utrecht today. For this event, Queen Máxima topped her bronze and navy striped dress with a chic midnight blue felt fedora hat with extended, slightly floppy brim.
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne Previously Worn: At first glance, I thought this hat was this fedora variation last worn in November 2014but the crown shape on the two hats are different (today’s hat does not have the distinct pinches and indented crown of the previously worn hat or the feather trim and the brim shapes are different). I think this hat is new.
I really like the scale of this fedora on Máxima admire the styling on this ensemble- it’s so well balanced and sophisticated. What do you think of this new hat on her today?
Queen Máxima’s ensemble at the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge two weeks ago struck a positive chord with many readers here at Royal Hats. While the shape of this design is a very familiar one on the Dutch Queen, this particular iteration has been in circulation for less than a year; on each outing, so far, it has been paired with a different dress. Since the hat is turning out to be a popular one both for Queen Máxima and for us fans, let’s take a closer look at each ensemble it has been paired with:
Queen Máxima has long favourite this upswept ‘slice’ brim shape and it is a style we have come to associate closely with her. I think this piece works so well for a few reasons- the neutral, natural colour lends itself to infinite colour pairings but the slightly darker brown tone brings beautiful warmth to an outfit yet still offers a contrast against Máxima’s light skin and hair. Looking at these different ensembles, what pairing do like best with this hat?
Prince Carlos and Princess Annemarie of Bourbon Parma hosted numerous events in Piacenza and Parma, Italy this weekend in celebration of their son’s christening. At a mass on Saturday held at Santa Maria della Steccata Basilica, Prince Carlos officially ‘showed’ little Prince Carlos Enrique to the people of Piacenza. For this event, Princess Annemarie topped a draped blue chiffon dress with a twisted white silk headpiece.
— Albert Nieboer Photography / Royal Press Europe (@Royaleurope) September 24, 2016
Designer: Eudia Previously Worn: I believe this headpiece is new
For the christening yesterday, Princess Annemarie chose a dress and cocktail hat in a deeper shade of blue. The hat features a beret base trimmed with a large flat bow and swath of crin that encircles most of the design like a sort of flying brim. It’s a lovely colour on Annemarie but the near vertical placement was awkward- I would have much preferred to see this piece placed up and forward, perched down over her hairline on the right side of her forehead.
— Albert Nieboer Photography / Royal Press Europe (@Royaleurope) September 25, 2016
Designer: Eudia Previously Worn:This hat is new
Queen Máxima used this occasion to debut a new hat with interesting history. During her June 10 visit to Urk, local milliner Hoedenhuis Kaptein gave it to her as a gift.
While we don’t often see gifted items wore publicly, Queen Máxima surprised yesterday by wearing this hat. In pale grey straw, this design features an intended crown and slightly curved brim; it is trimmed with a white hat band and small grey bow at the side with trailing tails. I really like the strong shape of this piece on Máxima – we see so many repeated shapes on her and it’s wonderful to see something completely different- and think it could be a great design for her but I’m not sure its pairing with her delicate teal lace Dolce & Gabbana dress showed the hat to its best. I think this is an occasion where the individual pieces of this ensemble work better separately than they do together.
King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máximaand princesses Amalia, Alexia & Ariane in Parma for christening of Prince Carlos de Bourbon de Parme pic.twitter.com/Pc0n7p1RTx
— Albert Nieboer Photography / Royal Press Europe (@Royaleurope) September 25, 2016
Designer: Hoedenhuis Kaptein Urk Previously Worn: This hat is new
Princess Viktoria was the only other member of the Bourbon Parma family in millinery of any description, a small pink fascinator floral pouf made from heat shaped petals. The scale feels too small for her and it’s far too twee for my liking, particularly in combination with her clunky heart shaped necklace.
Designer: unknown Previously Worn: I believe this headpiece is new
It is always lovely to see hats at this type of royal family event, even though I would have liked small tweaks on each of the ensembles we saw yesterday. Did any hats here stand out to you? And what do you think about Queen Máxima wearing a gifted piece?
Members of the Dutch Royal family celebratated Prinsjesdag today, the start of a new session of Dutch parliament. King Willem-Alexander, who addressed a joint session of the Dutch Senate and House of Representatives, was joined in The Hague by Queen Máxima, Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien. As per tradition, the women wore 18th century court dress (long gowns and hats).
This design is one of Máxima’s original upswept brim ‘slice’ hats in natural Parabuntal straw, simply trimmed with a grosgrain ribbon hat band and side bow (and according to the designer, in Máxima’s favourite colour). It is an incredibly versatile piece (evidenced by the five other ensembles she has paired it with) that balances beautifully with the gold skirt. In many ways, I think this ensemble works better as a whole picture than in smaller parts because the balance of colour and texture is so beautiful (how great is the contrast of royal blue against the gold hat and skirt?)
Princess Laurentien topped her Hardies Hague and Talbot Runhof chain mail armour inspired gown with a coordinating cocktail hat. With a beret base made of layered black and silver sinamay to replicate the multi dimensional gunmetal grey metallic colour of her gown, the hat is finished with a wide ruffle of pleated crinoline. It’s a strong look full of amazing texture that Laurentien carries very well.
Queen Máxima attended the tenth “Postcode Lottery Green Challenge” international competition for sustainable entrepreneurship in Amsterdam yesterday. For this occasion, she repeated one of her go-to hats with upswept ‘slice’ brim.
In coffee coloured straw, this hat will be familiar to most of you- it features a rounded crown and is simply trimmed with a matching grosgrain ribbon hatband and abstract folded ribbon bow at the side. While the design is not one of Máxima’s standouts in terms of colour or shape, it is a great piece that paired exceptionally with her white Gucci dress, warm brown accessories and citrine earrings.The resulting ensemble is one of my favourite for her so far this year.
Queen Máxima’s ensemble at the 
Royal Hats 