Tiara Watch of the Day: Queen Máxima in Portugal

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima began their state visit to Portugal yesterday, including a state banquet in the evening.

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Straight off of her latest production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, it's Máxima in all out MAX mode! This is some dress, huh? If anyone ever invites her to an enchanted woodland state banquet, she's all set. The gown is Jan Taminiau (of course) and while she has worn it for a previous private event, this is its big public debut. Balancing out that egg-sized gemstone around her neck, she chose the Dutch Emerald Parure Tiara, a relatively small diadem from the Dutch collection.

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I love this ensemble more than I thought it was possible to love a shiny jade thing, but I will say this: that delicate top is not at all up to the task of managing the weight of the large golden collar and sash. She's falling down on one side.

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Speaking of sashes and collars (pause for a brief Sash Nerd moment), both Wax and Máx received the Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator. The President received the Order of the Netherlands Lion. Most of the orders in regular use don't have you wear the collar AND the sash at the same time, but they all have their own rules. It's just a lot of stuff, both worn at once.

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Prior to the state banquet, they held the official welcome ceremony. This is a new Natan dress for Máxima, but you could've fooled me. All these blush/beige outfits with the big hats are starting to blend together, in spite of my usual affection for a soft pink.

And prior to the prior to, the couple arrived the evening before in Lisbon. Máxima was wearing some kind of giant bug thing, which frankly feels like a personal insult. If you require a visual for this world of NOPE, you can click here. I'll remain here, choosing to think about absolutely anything else instead.

UPDATE: A bonus tiara! As often happens when royals come to visit, the Duke and Duchess of Braganza were invited to the banquet. (The Duke is the head of the House of Braganza and claimant to the Portuguese throne.) The Duchess really went for it, wearing Queen Amélie's Diamond Tiara, also known as the Dom Luís Diadem. That's her big gun, very rarely used. Her diamond choker, another Braganza heirloom, can also be worn as a tiara.

The Duchess of Braganza at the state banquet.
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