In the afternoon of 22 March Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands will open an exhibition of her own hats at Museum Palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands. “Chapeaux! Hats of Queen Beatrix” shows more than hundred hats the Princess wore as a Queen between 1980 and 2013. The exhibition will be on display from 23 March to 27 August 2017. The hats are shown together with pictures of the occasions she wore them.
With or without hat, the profile of Queen Beatrix was and is still very recognisable, and even when seeing nothing more than a shadow, you will know immediately it is her. During her reign Queen Beatrix wore always hats at daytime engagements and events (hats preferably shouldn’t be worn at engagement starting after 6pm): openings, events, state visits, receptions, ceremonies, Queen’s Day or Prince’s Day. They were part of her work outfit. The milliners she used during the years are Harry Scheltens, Emy Bloemheuvel and Suzanne Moulijn. The hats were always chosen, designed and coloured in combination with the rest of the outfit.
I had a look at my pictures of Queen and later Princess Beatrix. Not always the hats were well visible, but I picked the clearest ones and hope you will like them. I am very much looking forward seeing the exhibition myself.
