The President of the Republic of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and his wife, Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, are making a three-day state visit to Belgium at the invitation of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. On the evening of March 24, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde hosted a state banquet at the Castle of Laeken in honor of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his wife Ms Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam.
Queen Mathilde wore a powder pink gown with long sleeves by Pierre Gauthier. The Queen first wore this dress in November 2016 during a gala dinner held on the occasion of her state visit to the Netherlands. Tonight, the Queen also wore the tiara officially named Brabant but commonly known as the Laurel Tiara. This classic-style tiara, made of platinum and brilliant-cut diamonds, was created in 1912 by Hennel & Sons.
Both ladies look lovely. They are pretty much complete opposites (one is tall, the other very petite, one wearing dark colours the other wearing pale colours, etc.) but they each make their chose style work for them. I feel that Mathilde could have benefitted with a bit more colour - either in her gown or in her make-up - otherwise everything is much too pale. I do however like that she chose a less imposing tiara and her hair style is soft and beautiful. The skirt of her gown is very full, and because she is high-waisted, the fullness begins from much higher than most gowns, giving her a slightly triangular silhouette in this gown. I think if the gown had been less full and more straight, it might have looked nicer. She still looks very good though.
ReplyDeleteThe Singaporean First Lady has a lovely style of gown too. I like the neckline, the sleeves and the contrasting fabric print, and of course, the rich colour is lovely.
Overall: very nice.
- Anon 9:13
I completely agree with you about the model of Mathilde's dress. It's too volimunous in a way
DeleteAgree 100%.
DeleteDamsel Dragonfly
Queen Mathilde looks simple, but elegant at tonight's banquet. I do wish the waist of the dress was more accentuated, it would look better on her figure.
ReplyDeleteI know the Belgian royal jewelry collection is quite small but some pink or amethyst colored pieces would have matched nicely with her pale pink dress and dark purple sash.
I totally agree with everything you said. I made the same observations.
DeleteBeautiful queen! We haven’t seen the laurel tiara for a while, methinks. The colour of this gown suits Mathilde very well, although the shape makes her look a tad bottom-heavy. The First Lady’s dress is also very elegant - not so sure about the headdress.
ReplyDelete/ Oona
Just beautiful, love this gown and the jewels. Both ladies look good.
ReplyDeletecss
I think this gown, as reflected in the pictures, is too pale. The color looks too close to her skin tone. She wears pink very well, but they were brighter tones. The tiara is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI would have preferred QM with a middle parting,that way we have got to see the tiara in its finest. That is my only quibble. The dress is perfect. Light and Spring like. Perfectly feminine for QM who suits that look.
ReplyDeleteLowri.
Both lovely dresses. Perhaps a darker lipstick on the queen would of brightened her face. Beautiful lace on both dresses. I wish we could see the belt on the first lady, it most likely enhanced her dark dress.
ReplyDeleteNeither the cut nor the color Mathilda’s dress are flattering to her.
ReplyDeleteEveryone has their own taste, but I’d say fashion is about confidence, not just the cut or color. If Mathilda feels great in the dress, that’s what really matters.
Delete女王陛下は夢のように美しい装いです。
ReplyDeleteファーストレディーはチョーカーネックレスとイヤリングを着ければ更に素敵だろうと思います。
i agree
DeleteWhat a lovely picture !Q,M elegant as ever: maybe she choose this modest colour not to out- shine the first lady of Singapore who is so small but very lovely dressed too.
ReplyDeleteThat was my thought to
DeleteQueen Mathilde is looking very good during this state banquet. Her make-up is better than with the pink outfit during the day. I often wondered where that beautiful dress by Pierre Gauthier was gone. The commenters who are criticizing her waist (again) forget that this dress is from 2016 at a state banquet to the Netherlands. If you compare the pictures of the dress it fitted better then. Queen Mathilde was a bit slimmer than now. It is difficult to see which bracelet she is wearing. They say it is the kunzite bracelet and ring. Didn't find a close picture. What I noticed was the difference in the pictures of the waterfall brooch. It seems to me that the brooch needs to be cleaned. It is much darker than on the pictures of 2016 in The Netherlands.
ReplyDeleteQueen Mathilde looked stunning at the state banquet! It's true that her style can sometimes be unfairly scrutinized, especially with comparisons to past appearances. The dress by Pierre Gauthier certainly had a different fit back in 2016, but she still wears it with elegance. As for the bracelet and ring, it’s always hard to get a clear look without a close-up, but it’s interesting that the kunzite set is being speculated. Regarding the waterfall brooch, you make a good point about the difference in color; sometimes older pieces can show signs of wear and tarnishing, but it could also be the lighting or how the brooch was photographed. Either way, Queen Mathilde always manages to impress with her regal presence.
Delete@ Anonymous 09:14
DeleteIn the meantime I could read another website with pictures of this state visit. The bracelet is indeed the one with kunzite and diamonds. I also saw a close up of the waterfall brooch and it is much darker than before. It cannot be because of the lighting or the way it was photographed because one could see the difference with her other jewelry very clearly.
Thank you for sharing your observations. It’s interesting to hear about the change in appearance of the waterfall brooch. The darker tone could suggest a different setting or lighting condition, but it’s certainly possible that the piece was altered or cleaned. The difference in contrast with her other jewelry further adds to that possibility. It would be fascinating to learn more about any modifications made to it.
DeleteQ.Mathilde looks like a sort of frothy dream, that's utter beauty!
ReplyDeleteHer jewels and tiara are to die for.
Her hair are equally soft and beautifully styled.
The Singaporean First Lady is so lovely and impeccably attired.
I like all the other participants, too.
What a magical atmosphere all around!
Well done to them all.
I think the first wear of the gown for Mathilde is shown here: https://www.newmyroyals.com/2016/11/gala-dinner-queen-mathilde-and-king.html?m=1. This was 9 years ago. I think at the time it better matched her complexion and figure; I don’t think it has worked particularly well this week for her … but it’s always hard to judge truth from a few micro-second photos … it can be that in person the colour was just perfect last night but it doesn’t work well in the photo flashes … and it can be that with movement the dress is an absolute dream. - Mary
ReplyDeleteThe color of the gown washes her out.
ReplyDeleteBelle allure pour toutes les deux ; j'aime beaucoup la Première Dame dans ce style de robe de couleur grenat mais est-ce que ses bijoux sont cachés ?!
ReplyDeleteJe craque vraiment pour les boucles d'oreilles par rapport à son diadème !
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful, pale gown. The design suits the Queen, love the color, soft and feminine. Her tiara and beautiful diamond earrings are gorgeous. Her hair looks divine, it suits the tiara and accommodates it perfectly.
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