As King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima begin their State Visit to Indonesia today we’re looking back at some of Queen Máxima’s finest tiaras worn to state banquets all over the world. Here are nine of the finest tiaras Queen Máxima has worn to give us a few options.
Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara: State Visit to Japan, 29 October 2014
Embed from Getty ImagesQueen Máxima wore a tiara she’d never worn before during her second outward State Visit as queen consort: the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara.
Its provenance is unknown, and there are a few stories about its origins. At the very least, it was made in the 1800s—either for Princess Sophie of Württemberg upon her marriage to King Willem III in 1839; or for Queen Wilhelmina in 1897—and features intricate and ornate diamonds and pearls with a row of detachable drop pearls. Queen Juliana rarely wore the Württemberg Tiara, but Queen Beatrix made it a signature of her reign.
Dutch Sapphire Parure: State Visit to Denmark, 17 March 2015
Embed from Getty ImagesIf this looks familiar, it’s because Queen Máxima wore this exact outfit and almost this exact tiara, the Dutch Sapphire Parure, to King Willem-Alexander’s inauguration in 2013.
The tiara was commissioned by King Willem III in 1881 for Queen Emma, and she later wore it to her daughter Queen Wilhelmina’s inauguration. Reworked in 1928 to make it one setting with no detachable options, the tiara features over 600 diamonds and Sri Lankan sapphires. This has become one of the biggest tiaras in the Dutch collection, worn by Queen Juliana, Queen Beatrix and now Queen Máxima; who had it changed in 2013 to sit higher on her head.
Ruby Peacock Parure: State Visit to Canada, 27 May 2015
Embed from Getty ImagesCommissioned in 1897 by Queen Wilhelmina, this ruby and diamond tiara was made to resemble a peacock tail, with the jewels fanning out around it in swirling designs. The Ruby Peacock Parure can also be dismantled and worn as an aigrette or a necklace; and Queen Máxima has worn it on several state occasions, including a State Visit from Sweden in 2009, back when she was still Princess Máxima.
Queen Emma’s Diamond Tiara: State Visit to New Zealand, 7 November 2016
Embed from Getty ImagesAnother tiara created by King Willem III for his wife Queen Emma, Queen Emma’s Diamond Tiara features three clusters of diamonds with a central diamond surrounded by smaller stones on its base. It also can be worn with diamond stars, though these haven’t been seen on the tiara since Queen Wilhelmina’s time.
A well-worn tiara during the reigns of Queen Juliana and Queen Beatrix, this is now mostly worn by Princess Laurentien—who has worn it with a ruby setting—and Queen Máxima, who wore it to great effect in New Zealand.
Ruby Mellerio Tiara: State Visit to Italy, 20 June 2017
Embed from Getty ImagesCreated for Queen Emma by jeweller Mellerio dit Mellers in 1889, this tiara features three large scrolls created from rubies and diamonds and two smaller scrolls connected on a diamond strand setting.
What makes the Ruby Mellerio Tiara unique is that, so far, it has only been reserved for Dutch Queens to wear, and Queen Máxima wore this stunner for her first official portrait as queen consort.
Stuart Tiara: State Visit to Luxembourg, 23 May 2018
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Stuart Tiara is the grandest in the Dutch jewel vaults and features the biggest stone in the collection: the Stuart Diamond, a pale blue diamond that was purchased in 1690 by King William III and Queen Mary II of England and named after Mary’s House: Stuart.
The diamond hung from a necklace until 1897 when Queen Wilhelmina had a tiara fashioned for it to wear to her inauguration. She also wore it at her wedding; and in Queen Juliana’s reign, she wore it frequently, though Queen Beatrix never wore it publicly. Queen Máxima was the first to wear it in decades when she sported it in Luxembourg, albeit without the Stuart Diamond, but never fear! She brought out the big guns for the UK State Visit later that year…
Stuart Tiara with Stuart Diamond: State Visit to the United Kingdom, 23 October 2018
Embed from Getty ImagesQueen Máxima wore the Stuart Tiara with the Stuart Diamond attached at the State Banquet for her visit to the United Kingdom a few months after the State Visit to Luxembourg.
The Stuart Diamond, which was purchased by English King William III and his co-ruler Queen Mary II, was a nice nod to the British-Dutch ties between the royal families. The diamond is said to be 40 carats.
Dutch Diamond Bandeau: State Visit to India, 14 October 2019
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Dutch Diamond Bandeau was fashioned out of a diamond necklace given to Queen Emma upon her marriage to King Willem III in 1879, and first worn by Queen Juliana in 1937. Her mother, Queen Wilhelmina had fashioned the necklace into a tiara but only wore it once publicly before her death. This tiara has made the rounds and has been sported by several Dutch princesses and queens since then, but is perhaps most closely associated with Queen Máxima, who wore it several times both as Princess and queen.
Queen Máxima has worn the Dutch Diamond Bandeau at several State Banquets, including one in Berlin, in 2011, and one for the President of Cape Verde in 2018.
Dutch Emerald Tiara: State Visit to Ireland, 12 June 2019
Embed from Getty ImagesQueen Máxima has worn this convertible tiara in both its emerald and pearl settings, but for a State Visit to Ireland in 2019, she, fittingly, wore the emerald setting.
Queen Wilhelmina had this tiara, one of diamond dots and scrolls, made for her daughter, Queen Juliana. In the 1950s it was reworked, and two settings of diamonds and emeralds were removed to make earrings, turning the tiara into a parure. Queen Juliana often wore this upside down, in an art deco-inspired way, and several Dutch princesses have worn it since; though in its usual, right-side-up setting.
