First Lady Melania Trump, along with her husband, President Donald Trump, welcomed King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands to the White House, donning a lovely black and white cocktail dress. The first lady greeted the Dutch royals in a floral brocade dress made by London-based brand Erdem.
The dress is a ready-to-wear version, no longer available for purchase, of a runway look that was modeled during Erdem’s Autumn/Winter 2025 fashion show. The dress carries a retail tag of $5,145. Mrs. Trump sported a pair of Christian Louboutin slingback shoes, a break from her classic pointed-toe pumps that have become a staple of her look as the first lady.
After the visit with the royals concluded, Melania revealed that she would be overseeing a historic art loan from the White House of James McNeill Whistler’s Nocturne. The piece will now be included in an upcoming Whistler exhibit being organized by the Tate Britain and the Van Gogh Museum. The move is significant as paintings contained within the walls of the White House are usually only loaned to the National Gallery of Art.
According to GB News, the Royal House of the Netherlands said the relationship between the Netherlands and the United States is “important for security and prosperity,” explaining that the purpose of the trip is to strengthen cooperation across several areas at both the federal and state levels. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten also attended the dinner and shared a few details of what was discussed on social media.
“Of course we also discussed the recent developments in and around Iran. It is important that we now work towards a sustainable solution and prevent the situation from escalating further. Russia’s continuing aggression in Ukraine was also a key topic of discussion,” Jetten wrote. He then described the event as being “open and constructive, where no one had to beat around the bush.”
Jetten stated that there were some differences of opinion that came to the surface during the discussion and those remain unresolved, noting that the time the two leaders had together was “too brief to convince each other.” The royal couple spent the night in the Lincoln Bedroom, one of the most historically significant rooms in the White House, located close to the presidential quarters.
During President Trump’s trip to attend the NATO summit held at The Hague in 2025, he stayed at the Dutch royals’ Huis ten Bosch Palace. The Dutch people were torn over the visit, with 44% of citizens saying they were opposed to the trip, with almost as many individuals saying they supported it. Jetten confessed that “many Dutch people feel uncomfortable” with the visit.
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However, he maintained that “it is positive to maintain a dialogue in these times of tension.” Queen Maxima chose a burnt-orange gown produced by Claes Iversen, a color choice that nods to the Dutch national flag. President Trump described the royals as “highly respected” during the welcome ceremony, while King Willem-Alexander commented on the tulips featured in the lovely White House garden.
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video