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| Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images |
September brings the annual opening of parliament in the Netherlands, and though this year’s celebrations were a little different, we’ve still got royal jewelry to enjoy!
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| FRANK VAN BEEK/ANP/AFP via Getty Images |
The event was marked by several changes this year, all meant to promote safety in the midst of the pandemic. These included doing away with the usual grand carriage ride, as well as changing the location from the Hall of Knights to the Grote Kerk Church, which created more space for the members of parliament to attend while social distancing. The royals also did not make a balcony appearance to greet the public, as crowds could not gather.
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| Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images |
But King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, Prince Constantijn, and Princess Laurentien were all present on Tuesday in The Hague, where the king read his speech from the throne before Dutch MPs. And, delightfully, both Maxima and Laurentien dressed for the occasion.
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| Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images |
Prinsjesdag is a unique event with a daytime formal dress code. For the ladies, this means long gala gowns with hats or headpieces rather than tiaras. This year, Queen Maxima wore a bright golden gown for the event, plus coordinating gloves suitable for a daytime event. The ruffled dress contrasted beautifully with the sash of the Order of the Netherlands Lion.
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| Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images |
She accessorized with a delicate headpiece and dazzling jewels. The diamond pendant earrings belonged to Queen Juliana. You might recognize the large brooch pinned to Maxima’s sash: it’s Queen Emma’s Sapphire Bow Brooch, worn on this occasion with the large citrine and diamond cluster from the Dutch Citrine Brooch.
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| Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images |
Maxima also wore gems on both wrists: her diamond wedding bracelet on the left, and her grand citrine bracelet on the right.
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| Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images |
Princess Laurentien also dipped into the royal vault for the occasion, accessorizing with heirloom jewels that belonged to Queen Juliana.
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| Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images |
She wore Juliana’s aquamarine briolette drops, as well as her grand pear-shaped aquamarine and diamond pendant, worn suspended on this occasion from one of the family’s small diamond ribbon brooches. Laurentien pinned the brooch to the sash of the Order of the House of Orange.
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| Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images |
She also wore an aquamarine bracelet…
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| Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images |
…and an aquamarine ring.
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| KOEN VAN WEEL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images |
It’s just SO GOOD to see major royal jewels out and about in the world again, isn’t it??? I have missed them so much!
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