Queen Maxima’s Bright Blue Turquoises

On Tuesday, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague for the presentation of the Appeltjes van Oranje (or “Apples of Orange”) Prize. Three prizes are awarded annually to innovative projects in the field of social welfare and social cohesion. The 2021 prizes focused on projects with the theme of mental strength and wellness. Winners receive a special bronze Apple of Orange statuette, designed by Princess Beatrix, and a cash prize of 15,000 euros to be put toward further supporting the winning project.

The winners of this year’s Appeltjes van Oranje Prizes were Ixta Noa, a national organization committed to helping people who are dealing with psychological vulnerabilities; Zelfregiecentra van Vriendendiensten, a regional foundation dedicated to developing activities for and with people dealing with mental health issues, promoting well-being, self-reliance and independent living; and Expertise Center Education Care Saba, an organization on the island of Saba that offers services to young people who experience issues with behavior, learning, communication, physical, and/or social-emotional development.

For the awards ceremony, Queen Maxima wore an outfit in a bright shade of turquoise. The ensemble echoes the colors of one of the mental health awareness ribbons used in the Netherlands, which may have been either a deliberate choice or a happy coincidence.

With her blue shirt dress, Maxima wore a pair of earrings set with turquoises. These appear to be different in size, shape, and hue than the turquoise earrings that belong to Princess Beatrix. It’s tough to tell from this angle, but it looks like these earrings may also have a gemstone surround.

I think I spot a hint of a coordinating turquoise ring on Maxima’s right hand. She’s also wearing her wedding and engagement rings, her watch, and a trio of bracelets: a delicate chain bracelet, a slim gold bangle, and a geometric bracelet that appears to be made of square diamond clusters.