While the Netherland’s Queen Maxima may have started her royal career as a princess marred in controversy (her father was a member of Argentina’s Dirty War regime), she has quickly risen into the country’s good favor through her warm demeanor and fantastic sense of style. As the BBC wrote earlier this week, “Maxima is fluent in fashion and knows how to utilize its power of expression.” The skill, a hard one to master, was similarly executed by historically influential royals like the Duchess of Devonshire and France’s Empress Eugénie to massively popular effect. Now that Maxima is the Netherland’s Queen, this is sure to only be the start of her fantastic ensembles. See her best looks so far.
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Maxima and husband King Willem-Alexander arrive at the Muziekbouw just after Queen Beatrix officially abdicated her throne. Maxima wears a wine-colored lace dress by Dutch designer Jan Taminiau, covered with a whisper pink stole for warmth.
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Maxima (still a princess here) visits Show Band in mid-April of this year. Her trapeze overcoat is accessorized with a vintage bamboo-handle bag and a wrist full of chunky Lucite bangles.
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Maxima pays a visit to The Hague for the Conference for International Food Stability in November 2012. Her UN-appropriate business look is punched up with bright cobalt blue heels, multicolored stone bracelets, and a friendly smile.
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In this dramatic look from October 2012, Maxima wears a giant fascinator and bell-sleeved blouse to a royal wedding in Luxembourg. The ensemble is kept in conservative (aka: royal) check with the addition of a modest pencil skirt.
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On an official visit to Germany in April 2011, the then-Princess Maxima stopped by the Palucca Dance High School in Dresden, in this ballet pink ensemble. Part business (conservative cut, low heels) and part party (lots of glimmering rhinestones, and check that hat!) Maxima’s dress epitomizes her expertly-balanced sense of style.
Still on her 2011 German tour, Maxima hits the Palais am Festungsgraben in a flippy white skirt suit that’s cinched at the waist. A matching saucer-like hat and metallic peep-toe shoes cap off the look.
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Maxima attends the wedding of Dutch Prince Floris to Aimee Sohngen in a head-to-toe bouclé look with husband Prince Willem-Alexander.
It says something when even your funeral clothes are chic. Maxima attends the funeral of Princess Juliana of the Netherlands in 2004.
On an official visit to Brazil in 2003, Maxima wore this lush gown and matching bolero to a state banquet at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It’s shimmering cummerbund and ruffled bottom reflect the year’s bohemian-inclined trends.
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Maxima turns up to the Netherlands’ Royal Theatre in a head-to-toe gold pantsuit as part of the celebrations for Queen Beatrix’s 70th birthday in 2008.
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Maxima steps out in a shocking hot pink look to celebrate Queens Day in 2008.
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Maxima wore this shimmering layered pink gown to an official banquet while on a 2011 state trip to Germany.
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Maxima’s blue floral-printed gown is paired with a pair of matching sapphire earrings and a crown, worn to celebrate Queen Margrethe of Denmark’s 70th birthday in 2011.
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Back on her stylized whirlwind tour of Germany in 2011, Maxima wears an emerald green gown (accessorized with actual emeralds) to a performance of the Dutch Royal Concert Orchestra in Berlin.
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