The pocket square is a small accessory with a big impact. It will come as no surprise that King Willem-Alexander is a fan of the handkerchief. I received a question via email about the royal pocket square. When does he wear it and when not?
Before any readers raise their eyebrows: a pocket square is a small, square cloth that gentlemen can wear in the breast pocket of their suit. In the past, the accessory was used by workers to scrub the sweat and other dirt from their foreheads. In the twentieth century, the upper class embraced the white variety, in order to communicate with the crystal-clear fabric that they were not involved in the dirty work. Nowadays, this meaning no longer applies, but the handkerchief has remained.
King Willem-Alexander always wears a white version. In doing so, he follows the advice to match the pocket square to the shirt in terms of color when wearing a formal suit. The times that Willem-Alexander did not wear a white shirt can be counted on two hands.
Another good option is to coordinate your tie and pocket square. Although the etiquette book says that patterns should not match, you can choose a whole in terms of color. So: blue tie, blue pocket square. King Charles is a fervent supporter of this theory. (Too bad he didn’t open the button of his jacket for the official portrait.)
In terms of folding techniques, the choice is more than enormous. For example, you have ‘The Presidential’: a tight stripe of fabric of one centimeter above the edge of the breast pocket. (1) Prince Carl-Philip and Prince Daniel regularly opt for this. (2) King Willem-Alexander consistently opts for the so-called ‘one corner up fold’, as the name suggests, a folding technique in which one point peeks out of the breast pocket. (3) The ‘two corner up fold’ is a slightly more complicated technique, in which two pyramid shapes emerge above the edge of the pocket and the (4) ‘three corner up fold’ goes a step further. (5) King Filip of Belgium appropriately regularly opts for the so-called crown fold with four points and Prince Charles has a strong preference for the casual (6) Puff Fold.
Now we move on to the reader’s question, because when does the king wear a pocket square and when not? I think we can safely say that all formal and/or national moments are framed by a royal handkerchief. Think of commemorations, Liberation Day, King’s Day, the King’s Day concert, Prince’s Day, the Christmas speech, occasions with the black tie dress code, the reception of presidents/heads of state, foreign trade missions and state visits, weddings, the presentation of his newborn daughters, religious gatherings, the commemoration in Normandy, the presentation of credentials and regional visits.
The pocket square does not appear at working visits, openings, anniversaries, lunches for distinguished guests, photo sessions and receptions for Dutch politicians (except for the photo on the steps).
Even at a meeting with Zelensky, who himself was dressed in military clothing, the accessories were also absent. Rules and customs are therefore not set in stone.
That Marien, the king’s valet, keeps a close eye on things is evident from the care with which he prepares the handkerchief or not. Take the opening of the Holocaust Museum. As you have already read above, the king normally does not wear a handkerchief at openings. But this time a synagogue was also visited during the opening and the king did wear a handkerchief. After all, the accessory is part of religious gatherings. In that case, as a valet you must have read the program.
The pocket square was folded differently than we are used to from the king. I do not come across this variation in any of the booklets on folding techniques, so I do not rule out that it was accidentally turned.
