The Order of the Garter Ceremony, 2019

Max and Wax and Kate

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312589w) Queen Maxima of the Netherlands (C) laughs with Catherine Duchess of Cambridge following the noble order of the Knights garter ceremony where her husband king Willem of the Netherlands (L) was made a member in St George's chapel in Windsor. Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

All the photos from today are VERY CHARMING of Maxima. She seems DELIGHTED, she's chatting everybody's face off, and she's wearing a cape.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312514p) Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander (L) and Netherlands' Queen Maxima leave from St George's Chapel after attending the Most Noble Order of the Garter Ceremony Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapell, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

I love that Maxima's hat involves a giant burst of flowers on one side, but is also basically just a full-on plate stapled to the side of her head. It's perpendicular in some shots. She is glorious.

Letizia, Camilla, and Kate (in Catherine Walker)

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock (10312467ay) Queen Letizia, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

See? Maxima's hat back there behind Kate's head is totally stealing focus in this photo. Camilla is also in Prototypical Camilla Gear -- her beloved choker, a hat you could serve chips and dip in, and a pleated coatdress.

Sophie Wessex (in Suzannah), Letizia, Camilla (in Anna Valentine), Maxima, and Kate (in Catherine Walker)

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Javier Lizon/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (10312524e) Spain's Queen Letizia (3-L) speaks to Duchess of Cornwall Camilla (C), Sophie (2-L), Countess of Wessex, Queen Maxima (2-R) of the Netherlands and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge, (R), during the Order of the Garter service at Windsor Castle, Windsor, Britain, 17 June 2019. Spanish King Felipe Invested into Order of the Garter 2019, Windsor, United Kingdom - 17 Jun 2019

I actually think Sophie takes the fashion prize for the British division: Camilla looks totally Camilla-y and fine, and Kate's Catherine Walker coat-dress is a bit of a snore. (Although I enjoy that she's wearing a hat she's had for YONKS -- like before she and Wills were even married.)

Letizia and Sophie

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock (10312467n) Queen Letizia, Sophie Countess of Wessex Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

Someone on Twitter pointed out -- and I totally agree with this theory! -- that Sophie probably knows both Letizia and Maxima the best of out anyone, because she and Edward (present today but of course I did not bother to get a photo of him) attend all the Euro Weddings. So these two have totally raged next to a chocolate fountain together!

Camilla, Maxima, Kate

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312612d) Camila Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands with Camilla Duchess of Cornwall and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge. Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

Maxima is SO DELIGHTED for Willem-Alexander, it is sincerely a treat. (Meanwhile, Camilla is thinking about Love Island and Kate is worried about her garden at the upcoming Hampton Court Flower Show. Does it need more vines??)

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312570af) King Felipe VI and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

See? She is BESIDE HERSELF! (Oh, hello, there's Edward, right in front. I guess I did pay money for a photo of Edward without even realizing it.)

Letizia and Kate

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock (10312467de) Queen Letizia and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

I appreciate that Letizia went full Tiny Veil for this event.

Wills, Felipe, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312589o) King Felipe VI of Spain stands wearing the ceremonial robes of the order of the Knights garter after the ceremony where he and the King of the Netherlands were made members. Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

The subtext of this photo seems to be, "wait, when are we supposed to put on our hats? Anne never took hers off!"

Order of the Garter service

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312586p) Spain's King Felipe VI, right, and Dutch King Willem-Alexander leave after the Order of The Garter Service at Windsor Castle in Windsor Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

How dashing it must feel to wear a cape!

Princess Anne

As usual, Princess Anne appears to have more pressing matters on her mind. Like, for example, a recent ring of burglaries in the area, or the pressing question of who stole her favorite cardigan.

Charles and the Queen

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312589x) Queen Elizabeth II leaves St George's chapel in Windsor in windsor castle following the order of the Knights garter ceremony. Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

Her Majesty, as ever, seems pleased by a job well done.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312570aj) Windsor Castle Order of the Garter service, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019

Gosh, what a hideous day!! (There was some confusion about this on our Facebook page recently: I do not actually think this looks hideous. I think it looks lovely.)

Felipe and Letizia and the Queen

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312495a) Queen Elizabeth II (centre) with King Felipe VI and his wife, Queen Letizia, in St George's Hall, at Windsor Castle, after the king was invested as a Supernumerary Knight of the Garter, ahead of the Order of the Garter Service at St George's Chapel Order of the Garter service, St George's Hall, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019 The appointment of Knights of the Garter is in the Queen's gift and is made without consulting ministers.

I liked this part of today's Informative Caption: "The appointment of Knights of the Garter is in the Queen's gift and is made without consulting ministers." So if you get it, it means she likes you. SHE REALLY LIKES YOU. Regardless, these posed photos are very sweet and amusing to me -- they're like graduation pics, and the Queen is the headmistress. Well. In fairness, I guess in many ways, isn't the Queen the emotional headmistress of us all?

W-A and Maxima and the Queen

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (10312495b) Queen Elizabeth II (centre) with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his wife, Queen Maxima, in St George's Hall, at Windsor Castle, after the king was invested as a Supernumerary Knight of the Garter, ahead of the Order of the Garter Service at St George's Chapel Order of the Garter service, St George's Hall, Windsor Castle, UK - 17 Jun 2019 The appointment of Knights of the Garter is in the Queen's gift and is made without consulting ministers.

In which Maxima removed her hat so as not to steal the show.