While a number of European royal houses no longer reign (or even exist) in their home countries, there are still very close ties between the European Royal Families. And most importantly, they still wear hats!
Queen Anne-Marie of Greece leads this group with a beautiful ecru straw pillbox hat designed by Philip Treacy. The weave of the straw is studded with gold fibres that give a sparkling golden hue to the hat.I loved how this hat fit with her short hair, how it made her stunning emeralds shine, and how the bow added a touch of whimsy and lightness. This is such a great example of how to remain totally elegant while still having fun.
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Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece is internationally recognized for her style- this woman has closets and closets and closets full of couture. It really puzzles me, in light of her fashionista status, as to why she wore an origami bird on her head. Her hat was also designed by Philip Treacy
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Queen Margarita of Bulgaria wore a dark mauve net fascinator to match her beautifully detailed suit.. While I want to give props to any woman over 40 with enough chutzpah to even attempt a net poof in her hair, this one seems a little awkward. What’s not awkward, however, is her incredible diamond pendant. If this suit looks familiar to you, it’s because it is the same suit she wore to the wedding of Infanta Cristina of Spain back in 1997. The fascinator, however seems to be new.
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I was so pleased to see the Princess of Turnovo at this event. She and her husband Prince Kardam (son of Princess Margarita and King Simeon of Bulgaria, pictured directly above) were in a horrible car crash in 2008. Kardam suffered a major brain injury and while the details of his condition have not been released, he was in a coma for most of 2008-9 and 2010. With that amazing amount of stress, it’s nice to see Princess Miriam at an event (pictured here with her brother-in-law Prince Kyril). Besides- her hat is fabulous.
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Princess Margareta, heir to the defunct Romanian throne, attended this wedding with husband Radu Duda (say that fast five times!) While I’m not a fan of her jacket at all, I love her navy bell-shaped hat with white and navy ribbon trim designed by Kristina Dragomir. The great shape and colour are oh-so flattering on her.
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Crown Princess Katherina of Serbia (wife of Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia) looked fantastic in a white Philip Treacy hat with upturned lattice brim. It’s the perfect compliment to her ice blue suit and I think it looks so becoming on her.
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The Duchess of Braganza is the top lady in the defunct Portuguese Royal Family. Isabel’s ensemble at this wedding looked very wintry to me (fur collar and a heavy felt winter hat) – a little too wintry for an October wedding. I suppose the hat was alright… although so forgettable that I can only classify it as boring.
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Princess Clotilde of Savoy, the Princess of Venice & Piedmont, was a famous French Actress before marrying her handsome Italian Prince and wore a great deal of amazing french couture. As such, I was a little disappointed by the black fascinator she wore to the wedding. I’m not sure if it reminded me of a pirate eye patch or a hockey puck stuck to her forehead, but I did not like it one bit. It didn’t compliment her grey Elie Sab couture dress, either.
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Princess Annemarie of Bourbon Parma looked lovely in a large black hat with electric blue ribbon trim. I just couldn’t figure out how that electric blue ribbon trim (and her weird electric blue belt) went with her cerise dress.
And finally, Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (whose title indicates she is a German princess but her mother is Queen Margrethe’s younger sister Princess Bendikte of Denmark) wore a pale pink fasinator with the big 3: pointy fathers, large bow and net veil. I wasn’t a fan of this fascinator when paired with her coral dress (and it made even less sense when she threw a caramel fur stole into the mix) nor the shape on her tall frame. This girl is TALL people- she doesn’t need arrows further pointing that out.
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Royal Hats 
Marie Chantal for the overall win!!! The Princess of Turnovo’s hat was the best hat of this bunch, though for hat alone.