The queen herself is not in charge when it comes to the glittering diadems.
Actually, we always thought that Máxima occasionally opens the palace vault to take out a glittering tiara or diadem. However, according to protocol, the Queen does not have access to these sparkling gems at all. How exactly does that work?
Only for the crown bearer
Traditionally, Queen Máxima is not allowed to choose which family jewels she wears to a chic occasion such as a state banquet. The only person who decides who can wear what is the crown bearer himself – King Willem-Alexander. Before 2013, it was Beatrix who decided what her sisters and/or the brides of princes could wear. “She turned out to be very generous with ‘lending’ the jewelry,” writes Marc van der Linden in his book Royal Beauty. “But she also clearly made sure that the largest, most important pieces remained close to the throne.” For example, Beatrix never lent out the complete sapphire diadem. She only wore it herself when she was head of state.
Queen’s debut
But Beatrix is not the worst, and gave her daughter-in-law this sapphire diadem, a masterpiece from the Orange vault, on her first day as queen. And while Máxima, unlike the previous queen, is not head of state. Well organised!
Queen Máxima also seems to be able to make good agreements with her husband. Although Willem-Alexander officially decides on the jewelry, he is said to be loose with this tradition and let his queen make her own choices when it comes to tiaras.
The Queen’s Favorites
In her more than twenty years as a royal, Máxima has shown that she has a few clear favorites (we previously wrote about her beloved pink/ruby tiara). While as a princess she had to ask her mother-in-law Queen Beatrix if she could borrow a parure, she now has to turn to Willem-Alexander for this.
That the king does not make a fuss about lending out ‘his’ royal jewels became clear when a photo was released around Princess Amalia’s birthday in which the then 8-year-old princess wore the Mellerio tiara. Apparently, as young girls, the princesses were given the opportunity to occasionally have a fancy dress party with the royal splendor from the palace vault. Amalia can already see which copies she wants to lend to her sisters later!
Source: Royal Beauty – Marc van der Linden | Image: NL Image
