Máxima's 40th Birthday: HRH Princess Máxima of The Netherlands

Happy, happy birthday to our dear Princess Máx, who turns 40 today!  And how's this for a birthday present: a Tiara Alert, courtesy new official portraits taken for the occasion!

This is the full setting of the Antique Pearl Tiara; Máx has worn the full version several times, but on the blog, we last saw her sporting just the base of the tiara at Haakon and Mette-Marit's wedding.  This is just gorgeous -- I love how the pearls seem to absorb the light around them.  Wonderful!

PHOTO CREDITS: Erwin Olaf

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This entry was posted by Ella on Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 at 1:19 PM and is filed under HRH Princess Máxima. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

25 Responses to “Máxima's 40th Birthday: HRH Princess Máxima of The Netherlands”

  1. Jake says on May 20th, 2011 at 2:21 PM :

    What an absolutely GORGEOUS photo. Stunning without a doubt, and I love the fact she is trying to be serious, but a cheeky smile is working to escape nevertheless. That's the Máxima we know and love! Happy birthday and here's to many more decades to come!

  2. PJ25 says on May 20th, 2011 at 4:42 PM :

    Fabulous! Just Fabulous.

  3. Patricia says on May 20th, 2011 at 4:57 PM :

    Back to the plus column in my book with this look.

  4. cece18 says on May 20th, 2011 at 5:12 PM :

    Now THIS is how to liven up a delicate diamond tiara with pearls. Stunning.

    CP Mary's jeweler, please take note....and go wrangle some ginormous baroque pearls, of course.

  5. Suze says on May 20th, 2011 at 5:26 PM :

    The tiara is beautiful but the hair can only be fake with a hair piece at the back of the head. Thus, with her smug expression, I feel put off.

  6. Matthew says on May 20th, 2011 at 7:39 PM :

    Perfection. Love the hair, love the gown, and love LOVE the jewels. It's great how the brooch despite being pinned on the far shoulder faced the viewer...no accident. And the matte lips. Very chic. She wears the clothes and jewels and NOT the other way around. Can't say enough good things.

  7. sandra says on May 20th, 2011 at 8:36 PM :

    And big ups to the photographer, sadly unnamed, who has done a superb job with this portrait. Look at that lighting, brilliant.

    And he or she has done the very thing a portraitist should do - given us a hint of what makes the subject tick. The smile and the eyes are key. Mona Lisa, pah.

  8. nancy says on May 20th, 2011 at 9:00 PM :

    This is one of the most stunning royal portraits I have ever seen. It ranks with the best of the formal studies of Princess Diana. The royal family should be so proud of her.

  9. Phoebe says on May 20th, 2011 at 9:03 PM :

    Strange photo: she looks yellow, and the pearls look like lightbulbs sitting in top of the tiara.

  10. Ella says on May 20th, 2011 at 10:43 PM :

    @sandra: The photographer is credited at the bottom of the post; it's Erwin Olaf.

  11. Tara says on May 20th, 2011 at 11:56 PM :

    She looks really pretty although, like Phoebe, I was thinking the the same thing about the pearls looking like lightbulbs.

  12. Lise says on May 21st, 2011 at 12:01 AM :

    AbFab

  13. Cynthia Victoria says on May 21st, 2011 at 12:29 AM :

    These are the kind of pearls that should be on CP Mary's tiara instead of those little round ones. Maxima is lovely.

  14. PJ25 says on May 21st, 2011 at 1:55 AM :

    Natural pearls like the one's Maxima is wearing can reflect light with the same brilliance as diamonds if they are captured correctly. There's a reason natural pearls are more expensive then diamonds! The photographer has done an absolutely marvelous job here.

  15. Sherian says on May 21st, 2011 at 4:12 AM :

    She is beyond beautiful and most of all she is a very intelligent strong woman who will one day make a great Queen.

  16. Ky Person says on May 21st, 2011 at 4:55 AM :

    This tiara looks wonderful on Max, but then of all the Crown Princesses, I think she and CP Victoria are the best at wearing them. I worked with a woman who had been a nanny in The Netherlands. She said the people there loved Max for her warmth and exuberance she shows. She will make a very good consort some day.

  17. JamesB says on May 21st, 2011 at 5:15 AM :

    Wow fabulous - those pearls are huge, and Max wears them beautifully. I do heart our Max, she just looks like so much fun at all times, even when trying to be all regal, there's still a personality there. Love her!

  18. Sir Tom says on May 21st, 2011 at 11:49 AM :

    Wonderful. I think Máx has taken over and become my favourite Crown Princess. She just looks like she's always having such a good laugh. And these pearls are stunning.

  19. joanne says on May 21st, 2011 at 5:44 PM :

    Many happy returns to Her Royal Highness - she looks simply perfect. Those pearls make me swoon.

  20. maggie says on May 21st, 2011 at 6:53 PM :

    This is a terrific picture - she looks regal, but at the same time has that twinkle in her eye that is so very Maxima. This isn't my favourite tiara, but it looks great on her.

  21. sandra says on May 21st, 2011 at 7:33 PM :

    @ Ella. Thanks - I was so dazzled by the photo, I couldn't read! :)

  22. SalannB says on May 23rd, 2011 at 6:30 AM :

    I am such a huge fan of Maxima...what a beauty.

    I love the dress, hair makeup and the jewelry. Perfection.

  23. Mandy says on May 23rd, 2011 at 8:04 PM :

    She looks gorgeous. Love the tiara.

  24. scarebaby says on May 24th, 2011 at 12:20 AM :

    This has to be one of the greatest royal portraits ever. It almost reminds me of the Mona Lisa -- a secret smile like she knows something extremely amusing! LOVE her!

  25. JaneBarr says on May 31st, 2011 at 6:07 PM :

    I love pearls and this is simply stunning! The tiara is incredible and vaguely reminiscent of the Cambridge lover's knot tiara--except pointed up not hanging down! The pearl on the shoulder is the perfect touch. She looks confident and beautiful.

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