Dutch queen’s ‘swastika’ coat raises eyebrows on state visit
A fashion faux-pas by Queen Máxima of the Netherlands on the second day of a royal visit to Germany led to consternation on social media on Thursday.
Maxima’s grey coat “caused a brouhaha,” Bild tabloid suggests, due to the fact that one of the patterns of nails and screws embroidered into it by designer Claes Iversen looked like a swastika.
The choice of jacket - above all to be worn in Germany - unsurprisingly had elements of the Twittersphere up in arms.
“Which idiot is responsible for choosing Maxima’s clothes,” one user asked, also suggesting that the garment looked like a military jacket.
welke #debiel is er verantwoordelijk voor #maxima haar kleding?? #hakenkruis #militairemantel #ophef #logisch
— Joep O' Leo (@Joepoleo) April 15, 2016
As the Rheinische Post pointed out, though, for the true sticklers among us, the symbol which the pattern on Maxima’s jacket resembles is actually more like the Buddhist symbol of eternity, not the Nazi swastika, the hooks of which point in the opposite direction.
Photo: DPA
Maxima and husband, King Willem-Alexander, were in Nuremberg after spending Wednesday in Munich.
The German media’s tutting at Maxima’s fashion choices could not be in starker contrast with their fawning last year over the elegance of English Queen Elizabeth on her state visit in 2015.
One tabloid suggested at the time that the Queen had “conquered Berlin in her snow-white dress.”
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Maxima’s grey coat “caused a brouhaha,” Bild tabloid suggests, due to the fact that one of the patterns of nails and screws embroidered into it by designer Claes Iversen looked like a swastika.
The choice of jacket - above all to be worn in Germany - unsurprisingly had elements of the Twittersphere up in arms.
“Which idiot is responsible for choosing Maxima’s clothes,” one user asked, also suggesting that the garment looked like a military jacket.
welke #debiel is er verantwoordelijk voor #maxima haar kleding?? #hakenkruis #militairemantel #ophef #logisch
— Joep O' Leo (@Joepoleo) April 15, 2016
As the Rheinische Post pointed out, though, for the true sticklers among us, the symbol which the pattern on Maxima’s jacket resembles is actually more like the Buddhist symbol of eternity, not the Nazi swastika, the hooks of which point in the opposite direction.
Photo: DPA
Maxima and husband, King Willem-Alexander, were in Nuremberg after spending Wednesday in Munich.
The German media’s tutting at Maxima’s fashion choices could not be in starker contrast with their fawning last year over the elegance of English Queen Elizabeth on her state visit in 2015.
One tabloid suggested at the time that the Queen had “conquered Berlin in her snow-white dress.”
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