State Visit to Oman - Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque: HM The Queen of The Netherlands and HRH Princess Máxima of The Netherlands
Looks like Máx borrowed Bea's scarf from the last mosque visit, and Bea decided to go as Flora rather than Merryweather. You guys, I think the Scarf Cake Hat really is my new favorite thing. So medieval!
Well, that's it from this Dutch state visit -- stay tuned for more of Queen Daisy's Ruby Jubilee this weekend! 
PHOTO CREDITS: ROBIN UTRECHT/AFP/Getty Images
I love Máxima's outfit much more this outing, especially the shoes haha; the color is beautiful on her. And yes, I definitely agree Beatrix needs to repeat this look.
Apparently, there's been much backlash over Queen Cake wearing the scarf and long coat with gloves. The people have been criticizing her for being more covered up than the women of Abu Dhabi and that she's "sanctioning" the oppression of women.
The BBC News Website has an article about it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16524897
I agree too! And I like that shade of blue on Max.
I'm just curious, how come Max isn't wearing a hat under the scarf, but the queen is? Queen Elizabeth also placed a scarf over her hat when she went to Abu Dhabi. Is it just a personal thing?
Oops...I didn't mean the article. I meant the comment about Flora. lol!
Oh now this I love. She looks like Ali Baba! That is hilarious.
Queen Beatrix looks particularly striking. I love her all black ensemble with diamond bracelet complemented by that wonderful pink scarf. Excellent. I think she out-glams Maxima here.
Max's outfit is gorgeous. Especially the shoes. I would almost give my right arm for them!
Bea looks like the fairy in Cinderella.
Bea looks very queenly here. I love the medieval look about it. Don't get Max's dress. It's beautiful but is it too accomodating?
Ha ha Sophie - you're right!
@crazycap: By "accommodating" I'm supposing you mean the "Oriental" look of Max's dress ... which to me looked like she might have scored it at an Indian bazaar (love the shoes and pashmina though).
So I wonder how is Max "accommodating" and Bea isn't, given that the Queen looks like she's wearing local dress (apart from the hat, of course)? Not by any means do all women in the Gulf states wear gloves. It's been over 20 years since I lived there (not in Oman, but I did visit) but at that time very few women wore gloves in public.
Visiting a mosque is a serious business, just as one should not wear shorts or swimsuits or have bare shoulders in a church, mosques have their own dress code. Women must cover their hair and what would be considered "street clothing" in the West. Bea has done that in spades, Max has done half that - the cover put over the clothes (abaya) is deliberately loose fitting.
It's all about respect and that's what these female visitors are both showing. They will have been appraised of the requirements and made their choices.
I'm with you Ella, I've been loving Cake's hat and scarfe combos when visiting mosques. She looks fantastic. The blue scarfe is very striking and really like Max's outfit.