Queen Maxima of the Netherlands went discreet with her latest tiara pick but that still meant an impressive display of diamonds.
The Dutch queen was at a State Banquet held in her honour in Suriname for her latest dive into the royal jewellery box.
Queen Maxima, who is visiting the country for three days with her husband King Willem-Alexander, chose an all diamond tiara in a bandeau setting which is definitely on the lower end of the dazzle available to her in the always impressive Dutch royal gem collection.
The tiara began life as a wedding present to Queen Emma of the Netherlands, the last woman to be consort of the country until Maxima so she has a special link to this piece which is a bit of a favourite.
Its origins are clear in its shape – it’s a simple headband of gems and it was turned into a tiara by Emma’s daughter, Queen Wilhelmina, who reigned from 1890 until her abdication in 1948.
Although it’s low key compared to many of the tiaras owned by the Dutch royal family, it’s still extremely valuable with the total carat weight of the diamonds put at over 100.
The discreet nature of this diadem was no doubt a factor in its selection by Queen Maxima for this State Banquet. Although billed as the gala event of the State Visit, it wasn’t a black tie affair and the King of the Netherlands opted for a more low key suit and tie for the meal.
This tiara, paired with a striking ochre evening dress, was a less formal look than we’re used to seeing from Queen Maxima but still brought plenty of glitz to the event.
The State Banquet came at the end of a very busy first day in Suriname which saw Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander swapping the below average temperatures in the Netherlands for the tropical heat near the Equator.
They began with an official welcome ceremony before laying a wreath at the statue of Mama Sranan which symbolises ‘Mother Suriname’.
Suriname was a Dutch colony until 1954 and only gained full independence in 1975. As the first day of the visit progressed, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima also visited the National Assembly and the Court of Justice.
The afternoon of day one saw a meeting between the Dutch king and queen and representatives of descendants of enslaved communities and indigenous people in the country.
Their host is President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons.
The State Visit continues until December 3 2025.
