Nobody does a state visit quite like the Dutch these days. Seriously. It's a festival of tiaras and giant hats, which is - hello - the reason why I love this royal watching thing. And for this trip, first to Brunei and then on to Singapore, Máxima seems to have packed an extra bit of fabulous.
Monday and Tuesday they called on the Sultan of Brunei, and Máxima threw up a chic streak in full-skirted green, classy florals, stunning white, and luxuriously ginormous millinery. And then she decided to dress like a banana set free from the fruit basket, just so we know she still has some bad judgement left.
And then! It was time! For the tiaras!
There's no reason to hold back when you're at the Sultan of Brunei's house, really, and Queen Saleha led the way in her large diamond tiara. Beatrix also went big - her tiara, which she wore on her wedding day, is one of the two largest she uses. As for Máxima, I expected more, but I can't complain; she is the queen of sneaking bling in under the radar, and you can't argue with the
Rose Cut Diamond Bandeau. I also can't argue with her Jan Taminiau gown, which is better suited for state banquet purposes than for its original
Prinsjesdag purpose.
Click here for a video.
Night two, double the tiara fun! Bless the Dutch ladies, they busted out the tiaras even though the men were in business suits. This is what it will look like when they finally put me in charge of the world, kids: tiaras all the time, no matter what. Anyway. Beatrix wore the family aquamarines, and
Máxima added yet another tiara to her repertoire. Well, sort of. She wore the base of the
Pearl Button Tiara with stars for her wedding and after, but this is the first time we've seen her in the actual pearl button version. I won't say it was a successful outing, but she's excused since she let us see something new.
Next they headed to Singapore, where a separate state visit began on Thursday.
Máx wore a hairy little repeat from
Princess Carolina's wedding. Some of you found it festive and appropriately Máx-level zany the first time we saw it...I think it needs a wax. I shall concentrate on the stunning pink jewels and on her delightfully sherberty second outfit of the day.
And then! Tiaras! Or: Tiara! and Not Quite a Tiara! more accurately.
For the first evening in Singapore, Beatrix wore her favorite, Queen Emma's Diamond Tiara. It's a notable step down from her first night in Brunei; perhaps a nod to their hosts this time around not having tiaras of their own to flaunt. Máxima certainly toned it down in the tiara department, wearing a haircomb-type thing from Queen Wilhelmina which went unseen for a century or so until she wore it to the pre-wedding festivities for Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. She paired this with an overall look last seen on Barbie, I'm pretty sure. I'm just saying.
Click here to see video.
The Singapore visit ends today.
UPDATE: The last day in Singapore.
A slower end, to be sure, but I do like both of these repeats.
What's your favorite outfit from this double trip?
Photos: All Over Press/PPE/ANP/Dutch Photo Press/Abaca/EPA/Getty Images
There's no reason to hold back when you're at the Sultan of Brunei's house, really, and Queen Saleha led the way in her large diamond tiara. Beatrix also went big - her tiara, which she wore on her wedding day, is one of the two largest she uses. As for Máxima, I expected more, but I can't complain; she is the queen of sneaking bling in under the radar, and you can't argue with the Rose Cut Diamond Bandeau. I also can't argue with her Jan Taminiau gown, which is better suited for state banquet purposes than for its original Prinsjesdag purpose. Click here for a video.
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