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16 photos show how Queen Máxima of the Netherlands' style has evolved through the years

Mikhaila Friel

2023-12-02T10:32:01Z

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands photographed in 2005, left, and in 2023, right — Queen Máxima of the Netherlands photographed in 2005, left, and in 2023, right. Getty Images

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is known for her regal style.
Before marrying the Dutch king, she wore simple and casual looks.
More recently, she has experimented with bold cutouts and sheer designs.

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is considered a style icon to many.

The Dutch queen was born Máxima Zorreguieta in Argentina in 1971, and she met her now-husband, Prince Willem-Alexander, during a vacation in Seville, Spain, when she was around 28 in 1991, the Daily Mail reports.

Originally, Máxima had no idea that Willem-Alexander was a royal and she thought it was a joke when he later told her the news, the publication added.

Before the couple married in 2002, Máxima was photographed wearing simple and casual outfits at the few public engagements she attended. After she became a princess, Máxima turned to formal wear and her wardrobe consisted of ballgowns, tiaras, and fascinators.

Her regal style was even more apparent after she became Queen of the Netherlands in 2013. More recently, the queen has experimented with more daring ensembles, such as dresses with sheer and illusion necklines, and bold cutouts.

Here's a wider look at the royal's style evolution.

At a 2001 photo call for her engagement to Willem-Alexander, Máxima dressed in a simple red dress and accessorized with a floral brooch and earrings.

Willem Alexander and Maxima Zorregiuet — Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta announce their engagement on March 30, 2001. MARCEL ANTONISSE/Getty Images

Greeting the public later that year, Máxima wore an all-red ensemble, which consisted of a leather jacket, a pencil skirt, and a matching clutch bag.

Maxima Zorreguieta — Máxima Zorreguieta greeting the public in The Hague in October 2001. JASPER JUINEN/Getty Images

Máxima became a princess upon her wedding to Crown Prince Willem-Alexander in 2002. She paired an ivory gown with a five-meter train by Valentino with the Dutch Pearl Button tiara.

Willem Alexander and Crown Princess Maxima — Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Crown Princess Máxima Zorreguiet before their royal wedding in 2002. Anthony Harvey/Getty Images

Source: Royal Central

Queen Máxima dressed in a more regal manner after becoming a princess. She wore an off-the-shoulder dress in the Netherlands' national color, orange, and rewore her wedding tiara to a different wedding later that year.

Crown Prince Willem Alexander And Crown Princess Maxima — Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Crown Princess Máxima at the wedding of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Ari Behn in 2002. A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert/Getty Images

That same year, she wore a black coatdress embroidered with florals and styled her hair in a sleek updo for a family christening.

Princess Maxima 2002 — Dutch Princess Máxima attends the christening of Eloise Sophie Beatrix Laurence in December 2002. Michel Porro/Getty Images

During a state visit to Brazil the following year, the princess wore a one-shoulder blouse with flared details and a floor-length, ruffled skirt with beaded red earrings.

Queen Maxima 2003 — Máxima is photographed during a state visit to Brazil in 2003. Julian Parker/Getty Images

In one of her boldest looks to date, Máxima wore an oversized fascinator, a trench coat with a tie belt, and a pair of pink-and-red heels in 2005.

Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander and Princess Maxima — Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima attend the wedding of Prince Pieter Christiaan and Anita van Eijk in 2005. Michel Porro/Getty Images

Máxima and her mother-in-law, Queen Beatrix, coordinated in pink ensembles at a joint engagement in 2008. The princess wore a bright-pink two-piece and matching hat, while the queen wore a tweed dress, blazer, and hat in a lighter shade of pink.

Princess Maxima and Queen Beatrix — Princess Máxima and Queen Beatrix photographed in 2008. Mark G. Renders/Getty Images

At a wedding in Greece in 2010, Máxima changed up her usual formal look with a green-and-pink strapless dress and a gold, sequinned belt.

Alexander and Maxima 2010 — Willem-Alexander and Máxima attend the wedding of Tatiana Blatnik and Prince Nikolaos of Greece in 2010. Europa Press/Getty Images

After Beatrix abdicated in 2013, Willem-Alexander and Máxima were declared king and queen. Máxima wore a custom Jan Taminiau gown with a matching cape and a sapphire tiara gifted by Beatrix to the inauguration.

King Alexander and Queen Maxima — Willem-Alexander and Máxima became king and queen of the Netherlands in 2013. Jasper Juinen/Getty Images

Source: Hello Magazine

Attending a wedding in 2015, Queen Máxima wore a lace mermaid gown with an illusion neckline by Jan Taminiau. She also wore a diamond and ruby tiara, a matching choker necklace, and ruby drop earrings.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands — The Queen of the Netherlands attends the royal wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden and Sofia Hellqvist in 2015. Ian Gavan/Getty Images

Source: The Court Jeweller

Máxima stood out in a one-shoulder lilac dress embroidered with purple flowers and gold detailing in 2017. She completed the look with a purple shawl and wore her hair down in relaxed waves.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima 2017 — King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima in 2017. Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

While visiting the British royals in 2019, Queen Máxima opted for a floor-length gown with a sheer neckline and sheer sleeves. She styled her hair in an updo and wore the Stuart Diamond Tiara.

Dutch royals and British royals — Queen Máxima, King Willem-Alexander, Queen Elizabeth II, and the then-titled Duke and Duchess of Cornwall at Buckingham Palace in 2018. WPA Pool/Getty Images

Source: The Court Jeweller

At the 2020 state opening of Parliament, the queen wore a Claes Iversen dress with ruffled detailing. She rounded off the look with a gold headband by Maison Fabienne Delvigne, gold gloves, and a royal sash.

Queen Maxima of The Netherlands on a throne — Queen Máxima of The Netherlands attends the state opening of Parliament in 2020. Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

Source: Hola

Wearing a bolder look, Máxima wore a Jan Taminiau dress with floral cutouts and paired it with an asymmetrical fascinator at King Charles' coronation in 2022.

Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander — Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander at the coronation of King Charles in 2023. Jeff Spicer/Getty Images

Source: Town and Country

More recently, Máxima wore another daring look at a royal engagement in November 2023, opting for an Iris van Herpen gown with a semi-sheer neckline and a built-in cape.

Queen Maxima — Queen Máxima photographed in November 2023. Pierre Suu/Getty Images

Source: People

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