Banns for their marriage of Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O’Neill were published this morning in the Royal Chapel of the Royal Palace in Stockholm. After the service, guests attended a reception at the Royal Palace. Princess Madeleine wore a green satin dress with matching hair bow designed by Pär Engsheden (who designed Crown Princess Victoria’s spectacular wedding dress three years ago). It’s a bit twee for my liking.
Queen Silvia looked very elegant in a pistachio green pillbox… or so I thought. Belgian hat designer Fabienne Delvigne (who I suspect made this hat) must be trying to start a convertible hat craze because this is the second European monarch this month to wear an open topped hat (see the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg here). I love everything about this hat on Silvia except the open top.
Crown Princess Victoria was very pretty in pale pink with a large fascinator pinned around her chignon. I wish we had a better view of the fascinator because it looks like it is an exquisitely detailed combination of silk flowers and lace trim. Without a good view, it is difficult to make a fair assessment but I do wonder if this headpiece, which is softly romantic, would look better with a less severe hairstyle.
Chris’ mother Eva O’Neill wore an embellished fez-shaped hat. It’s a unique shape that doesn’t rank among my favourites but paired well with her printed dress. Chris’ sister Tatjana D’Abo wore a tall ivory straw Philip Treacy cloche with huge cabbage rose.
This week, it was announced that the groom respectfully declined a royal title as he plans to continue his career as an investment consultant in New York. It appears that the couple will have a non-royal life in New York. I suspect, sadly, there will be very few occasions in future where we will see Princess Madeline wear a hat.
**NOTE** several comments about Sofia Hellqvist’s attendance at this event not been approved. Further comments along this topic will also not be approved (consider yourself warned Olivia R.) There’s plenty of other forums and blogs out there where you can discuss this young woman and her relationship with the Royal Family. For the record- all name calling and debate about who should or should not be included in royal events is not welcome here. Let’s keep it to hat love, people!
Photos from Corbis and Stella Pictures
Royal Hats 
I also liked Christopher’s sister’s hat. It simply looked nice and I loved her whole outfit, summery but not too casual. And she didn’t try to look like a royal!
Here’s a couple of better pictures of the hat: http://kuninkaalliset.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/kuulutuksetsab6.jpg and http://kuninkaalliset.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/kuulutuksetsab2.jpg
Those photos are excellent! Thanks so much for sharing them. I really like Tatjana’s hat, and I also like Princess Victoria’s fascinator much more than I did from just a far-away view. It’s beautiful.
Victoria’s fascinator looks very delicate and the colour is just perfect with her outfit and hair.
Madeline’s whole outfit reminds me of the bridesmaid’s get up I wore to my sister’s wedding in 1985. Eva’s dress is lovely but too is too short and too tight making the whole thing look like she squeezed herself into a dress meant for a shorter smaller and younger woman. The hat is horrific but not as bad as the lavender makeup and the bald look of scraped back hair.
I’m so glad you said that. Madeleine’s dress was terrible and looked cheap. I saw her hair bow and thought “are you serious?” Eva’s was obviously a top designer but that didn’t stop it from looking awful as well. Princess Victoria, as usual, was the best dressed in the family.
Like Madeleine’s dress but don’t think the bow in the hair was a good choice. Victoria looks beautiful in the pink feminine dress. Sylvia, love her suit but don’t like the hat. A large brim hat would have been lovely. And Mrs. O’Neill looks goofy in that getup. The hat is not flattering and the dress….I can’t quite figure out what is right about it. Too floral, too short, ill-fitting not good.
Boring boring boring. Let’s pray Madeleine doesn’t choose another boring satin creased design for her wedding dress.
I thought she looked cute and I loved the neckline on her dress. I just don’t understand what “banns” are. Can someone help me?
Everything is explained here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banns_of_marriage (my English was too bad to explain it myself!)
Her dress is cute except for the wingy side things. The hair bow is too girly.
“pistachio doughnut”. LOL!!!! thats exactly what it looks like
I love Silvia’s hat! Very retro Jackie O style. It looks really good with her hair.
>>> the group photo included an unidentified woman I think is Chris’ sister Natasha.
This is Tatjana D’Abo. http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/chris-oneills-stora-overraskning-systern/
The dresses today are all fabulous but the hats all fell flat. There’s not one that I like. But I would take any one of those fabulous dresses!
I agree. It was nice seeing dresses that were pretty, flattering, and very appropriate for church. The hats were all OK but nothing really special.
Princess Madeleine looks so happy it is hard to fault her style today. I do not like the bow in her hair but it is not offensive.
Princess Victoria looks so fresh and light. I agree her hair is severe and would be nice if it could be softer without the harsh line down the middle of her head.
Queen Silvia also looks fresh and light. I am not offended by the open top of the hat. It is a beautiful contrast with her dark hair.
I hope the O’Neill relations will look more elegant for the wedding.
I think Madeleine’s hair bow is super cute and fresh for a young bride. I love the green against her darker hair.
Yes the green bow is just adorable but not in an immature way. I love the bow with the open neckline of her dress. So pretty! Victoria looks so good as well. I just love her look these days.
That green bow is so pretty for a young bride and she looks just shining and radiant. I don’t much care for that poof of nothing on her sister but at least the sisters not stealing her thunder. Sometimes the older sisters get a bit jealous and wear things to get more attention but I’m glad this sister is nice about that. The Queen’s hat is shore a stunner! I remember all these open top hats we used to wear in the 60s they were so popular and stylish. I guess everything that goes around comes again around in fashion! The Queen is so elegant and makes the groom’s mother look downright buggy. I can’t wait for this here royal wedding the bride is going to be so beautiful!
I agree with whoever writes this awesome blog (who are you BTW???). The green bow has got to go. Is she trying to dress up like a doll? Creepy.
I agree. That bow is trying way too hard. I don’t like any hats today. The hats yesterday in Denmark were all way better. Let’s pray they’re all saving their impressive fashion for the wedding.
Is it just me or does she look like Little Bow Peep in the first picture?!
UGH. Talk about trying too hard to keep up an image. Love the hats but Maddie’s hair bow is so fake.
Princess Madeleine’s dress is the kind that looks best with her great hair. The small hairpiece is the appropriate decoration. A hat does not always have to replace one’s hair – it can also compliment it beautifully, as this ribbon does. Evan O’Neill’s hat doesn’t work for me in this instance not because of the fez shape, but because it totally replaces her hair. Its also a bit of a short dress for the overall look she’s going for.
Eva O’Neill’s best friend is Ivanna Trump. See the resemblance? It’s going to be an entertaining wedding.
She looks and dresses like Ivanna Trump. I hope she doesn’t wear something liket this bloody awful hat for the wedding.
I agree. The hats that make the person look bald never look good.