Lady in red! Queen Máxima of the Netherlands stuns in a scarlet gown as she and King Willem-Alexander host a lavish state banquet for President Macron and his wife Brigitte

• Queen Máxima of the Netherlands lit up the room in her stunning scarlet gown
• Read more: How the female royals have rocked combat chic

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands made a bold fashion statement with a gorgeous scarlet gown as she and her husband welcomed President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte for a state dinner at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.

The royal, 51, donned an elegant bright red dress which featured puffed ornate sleeves and exposed her shoulders.

She and King Willem-Alexander, 55, wore matching sashes adorned with badges as they posed for a photo ahead of a decorated banquet for their guests.

Opting for a personalised touch, the mother-of-three also accessorised with a decorative brooch in the shape of a butterfly, with stunning pearl-drop detail.

Maxima also wore her tiara and a pearl necklace, whereas her husband cut a dapper figure in a tuxedo and white bowtie, putting his military medals on display.

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands made a bold fashion statement with a gorgeous scarlet gown as she and her husband welcomed President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte for a state dinner at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam 

Elsewhere Brigitte, 69, was effortlessly elegant in an indigo maxi-dress which showed off silver and bronze designs.

The wife of President Macron, 45, collected her blonde tresses up in an up-do as her husband wore a suit and a blue and yellow sash – suggesting that he received the Order of the Netherlands Lion, a renowned civil honour in the Netherlands.

The French politician – who was pictured clinking glasses with Willem-Alexander, and delivering a speech at the table – is set to outline his vision for the future of Europe during his two-day state visit to the country.

Macron’s trip to Amsterdam and The Hague is the first state visit by a French leader since Jacques Chirac 23 years ago and underscores the close links between the Netherlands and France and the two leaders. 

After arriving in Amsterdam, Macron met with Willem-Alexander and inspected a guard of honor on the square outside the capital’s royal palace as a military band played and the French and Dutch flags fluttered in a brisk breeze. 

Maxima was dazzling in a yellow ensemble, pairing a smart wrap coat with an orange and blue fascinator.

She was beaming as she shook hands with Brigitte, before the group stood side-by-side to watch the guard of honor. 

Earlier today, Macron lay a wreath at the national monument near the palace in the historic heart of the city and then travelled to The Hague for a meeting with leaders of both houses of the Dutch parliament – before delivering his speech.

The royal and King Willem-Alexander, 55, wore matching sashes adorned with badges as the posed for a photo ahead of a decorated banquet for their guests

Macron and the King were pictured clinking glasses as they sat down for the ornate royal banquet

President Macron looked to be delivering a speech at the table as the royals and their guests sat down

King Willem-Alexander address his and his Queen’s guests, with the French president listening with interest 

Máxima and Macron smiled while Willem-Alexander delivered his speech during tonight’s glitzy dinner 

On Wednesday, Macron itinerary includes visiting a science park in Amsterdam, talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and viewing a blockbuster exhibition of paintings by Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum.

The afternoon speech at a theater in The Hague comes after Macron raised eyebrows with comments on Taiwan after his recent visit to China.

‘The question we need to answer, as Europeans, is the following: Is it in our interest to accelerate (a crisis) on Taiwan? No,’ Macron was quoted as saying in an interview published Sunday in French newspaper Les Echos and by Politico Europe.

‘The worst thing would be to think that we Europeans must become followers on this topic and take our cue from the U.S. agenda and a Chinese overreaction.’

The Dutch Queen looked glamourous in her crimson gown and pearl tiara, which matched her necklace and earrings 

King Willem-Alexander also delivered a speech next to the French President, his wife Brigitte Macron and Queen Maxima

The monarch appeared to be in high spirits as he said some words at the table, during the banquet

Elsewhere Brigitte, 69, was effortlessly elegant in an indigo maxi-dress which showed off silver and bronze designs

Macron’s trip to Amsterdam and The Hague is the first state visit by a French leader since Jacques Chirac 23 years ago and underscores the close links between the Netherlands and France and the two leaders

Opting for a personalised touch, the mother-of-three also accessorised with a decorative brooch in the shape of a butterfly, with stunning pearl-drop detail

Maxima also wore her tiara and a pearl necklace, whereas as her husband cut a dapper figure in a tuxedo and white bowtie, putting his military medals on display

After arriving in Amsterdam, Macron met with Willem-Alexander and inspected a guard of honor on the square outside the capital’s royal palace

On Wednesday, Macron itinerary includes visiting a science park in Amsterdam, talks with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and viewing a blockbuster exhibition of paintings. Pictured with his wife

The Dutch King and Queen had set up a beautifully ornate hall as they invited their guests for a royal banquet

President Macron and his wife are in the Netherlands for the next two days, as part of a state visit

Earlier today, Macron lay a wreath at the national monument near the palace in the historic heart of the city. He concluded the evening with a banquet

The remarks raised questions about whether Macron´s views are in line with the European Union´s position and whether the bloc of 27 is able to become the ‘third superpower’ that Macron says he hopes to build within ‘a few years.’

The interview was Friday, before China launched large-scale combat exercises around Taiwan that simulated sealing off the island in response to the Taiwanese president´s trip to the U.S. last week. Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Beijing last week for talks and urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to ‘bring Russia to its senses’ over its war in Ukraine.

He emphasized the concept of ‘strategic autonomy’ for Europe which he has promoted for years. He warned of what he called the ‘trap’ that would lead to the bloc ‘getting caught up in crises that are not ours.’

China and Taiwan split in 1949 after a civil war, and the government in Beijing says the island is obliged to rejoin the mainland, by force if necessary.

The wife of President Macron, 45, collected her blonde tresses up in an up-do as her husband wore a suit and a blue and yellow sash – suggesting that he received the Order of the Netherlands Lion, a renowned civil honour in the Netherlands

Maxima donned a stunning bright red dress as she and her husband welcomed their guests today

The Dutch royals grinned as they, alongside Macron and his wife, greeted guests for tonight’s banquet

Earlier today Maxima, pictured at the banquet, was beaming as she shook hands with Brigitte, before the group stood side-by-side to watch the guard of honor

Last week, King Willem-Alexander revealed that his daughters ‘see everything’ posted about them on social media but said that they have to learn to deal with online criticism.

Speaking on the Through the eyes of the King podcast, Willem-Alexander told Dutch radio presenter Edwin Evers that he has ‘very open discussions’ with his three daughters who are encouraged to share their feelings about online trolling.

Willem-Alexander and his wife, Queen Maxima, 51, have three children: Catharina-Amalia, 19, who is heir apparent to the Dutch throne, Alexia, 17, and Ariane, 15. 

As quoted in the NL Times, he said: ‘They are not blind and deaf, they see everything on social media, they read everything, they hear everything. We don’t cut them off from anything. And they talk about it.’

‘It affects them,’ he added, saying that he has also had to learn to deal with negative comments on social media during his time in the public eye.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, 51, was elegant in mustard yellow as she welcomed President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte to Amsterdam this morning

The monarch explained that he encourages his daughters not to see social media criticism as a personal attack, saying that for children growing up, it was ‘very annoying’ to see the criticism posted online. 

‘Kids don’t have a filter in that regard, but it’s reality, and they have to learn to deal with that.’

He said it is important to teach his children not to take things personally as, for the most part, he believes online trolling is not personal. 

According to RoyalCentral, the King has recorded ten episodes of the podcast to mark his first decade on the Dutch throne. 

Elsewhere, Willem-Alexander told the podcast that he hopes his eldest daughter Catharina-Amalia, formally known as the Princess of Orange, can enjoy spending time on herself and with her family before she becomes a monarch in the ‘distant future’.

He said he wished the heir apparent a long time to prepare for the role so she can start a family or do whatever she pleases.

Then he revealed he will sit down with his daughter to decide together when she will ascend the throne, but added it was a decision to be made ‘between Amalia and me’. 

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