Well, thanks for that. Queen Maxima has got the autumn State Visit season off to a flying start with a wardrobe that can only be described as eclectic. After luring us into a false state of security with a very Maxima outfit to start off with things went from feathers to flowers as the Queen of the Netherlands tried out all kinds of different looks on her three day visits. You'll love some, you'll be less certain about others but because it's Friday and because we've not been able to do this for months. here's the return of State Visit style as Queen Maxima wows Portugal.
The Dutch king and queen arrived in Lisbon on the evening of October 9th 2017 ahead of the official welcome the following day. There was no missing Maxima at the airport as she gave us purple trousers, purple top and bright pink scarf all in one go. That's the way to make a first impression.
Things were much more muted for the first full official day of the State Visit. We've seen Maxima in this overall look many times before. For a day which included an official welcome (complete with national anthems and inspection of the guard), a ride on a tram and a visit to the tomb of poet Luiz Vaz de Camoes, Maxima kept things calm in a beige dress with large brimmed straw hat and toning accessories. The hat is so familiar it's almost uniform for the Queen of the Netherlands while the dress is pretty usual too. Don't worry, things are about to get a lot busier.
The State Banquet involved an all time Maxima classic. The Dutch queen chose an off the shoulder green dress with fabulous frills and spills at the edge of the skirt. The feather effect embellishments on top of lace might be too much for most people to pull off. Not Maxima. She added that cracker of an emerald tiara belonging to her royal house along with some of its most stunning green stones and wowed all round. The queen of green in Portugal.
Day two involved about as packed an agenda as you'll find in a royal diary this week. The King and Queen of the Netherlands visited a cancer treatment centre, met students at the University of Lisbon, held a trade lunch, opened an art exhibition and posed for photos by the Tagus River. It was sunny, there were blue skies, it was almost like summer which may be why Maxima stuck the world's biggest fabric flower to the side of her head. The dress is a familar royal sight - Crown Princess Victoria has the same frock and debuted it at the christening of Prince Alexander last year. However, Maxima tried to mix it up and make it her own by adding a range of accessories in a variety of colours, none of which seemed to go with the dress itself. When even Maxi can't make a look work, it really is beyond royal hope.
There was no retiring quietly despite the mismatch. On the evening of day two, Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander welcomed their hosts to a concert given as a thank you from them for the visit. Can you spot the Dutch queen? Yep, why wear one trend when you can pack several into an outfit that will linger long in the memory? We've got this season's hottest colour, red. We've got the vogue for stripes and blocks. We've got this summer's cape sleeves. We've got it all in one dress. Maxima is in a league of her own and then some.
It's not how you start, it's how you finish as they say and for her last hurrah in Portugal, Maxima tried a mix of all the fabulous fancy bits she'd shown us already on this three day visit. The last part of the trip saw the royal couple head out of Lisbon for a day involving time at the gorgeous palace of Sintra and a visit to an aeronautical factory. What better outfit to pick for this than a one sleeved top with tassle effect skirt and a large floral headpiece? We can only be glad that she went for palest peach and nothing bolder because this is such a statement it defies description. But it sums up the State Visit style of this trip perfectly. It's bold, it's got its own sense of style and no one will ever forget it. Rather like the queen wearing it. Well played, Maxima.
Photo credit: President of Portugal press photo.
Photo credit: President of Portugal press photo.
