Royal State Visit of the Day: June 25

Royal State Visit of the Day: June 25

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima are on a state visit to Poland, arriving yesterday.

State visits are a time for diplomacy...and a time for maximum sparkle wattage. A win-win situation. Queen Magpie wasted no time getting to the point on this Polish state visit, sporting a pair of diamond and ruby earrings in their longest possible form, her Tutti Frutti-style bracelet, and a ruby and diamond brooch on the shoulder of her fantastic pink dress for her arrival.

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It's a lot of big jewelry for the daytime, I'll give you that, but I see how she got there. The length of the earrings balances the width of the hat, the brooch is the perfect scale to emphasize the shoulder detail, and the thick bracelet is a nice balance for the hand that stays ungloved for most of the time. (She removes one of her gloves so that she can shake hands, not because she thinks she's Michael Jackson, by the way.)

And now comes a rare statement from me: I think the day outfit was a bigger highlight than the tiara appearance in the evening. I KNOW. I have come to the conclusion that, purple though it is, this repeated Benito Fernandez dress and all its varied design details is not my favorite. I suspect it breaks the #1 commandment for gala gowns: Thou Shalt Not Detract From The Jewels.

Video: The banquet

Thankfully there's always solace in sparkle, and the Ruby Peacock Tiara will sparkle no matter what you pair it with.

For more: Gallery from Zimbio of day events, gallery from RTL the banquet.

Photo: Adam Nurkiewicz via Getty Images

Tiara Watches of the Day: May 15

Tiara Watches of the Day: May 15

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Tiaras have been out and about in several countries lately, so let's pause for a quick wrap up:

In the Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima hosted the annual gala reception for the Corps Diplomatique.

Video: Arrival of the royal family

As you can see, everyone arrived in day clothes to change at the palace, except for Máxima. It's like she just knew we needed a proper look at her in the Mellerio Rubies and her zesty (ZESTY!) red gown from Benito Fernandez. A small glimpse is a treat when it comes to this event, which often remains behind closed doors. Another look came as the family left, all in their finery this time:

Video: Departure of the royal family

Princess Beatrix wore the Pearl Button Tiara, and Princess Margriet wore the family's emerald tiara, in its pearl setting.

Elsewhere!

• The pictures released to celebrate Frederik and Mary's 10th anniversary include a new formal portrait with Mary in her rubies. The last time she wore that pink Carla Zampatti gown, I wondered what it would look like with the rubies, and now I know that it is perfection.
• Queen Sonja was absent from a state visit from Israel to Norway earlier this week, leaving Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Astrid to carry the tiara-wearing torch. It's a good thing that Astrid wore her antennae aigrette, because the event needed a little interest next to Mette-Marit's lackluster outfit and practically invisible Diamond Daisy Tiara.

 You can see a quick glimpse of the dinner on video here.

• Last week, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg went on a state visit to Poland. Maria Teresa looked lovely in a blue gown and her Aquamarine Bandeau Tiara.

And that concludes our momentary tiara break. Carry on.

Photos: Swedish Royal Court/Peres YouTube