The Monegasque Royal Family celebrated Monaco’s national holiday today with a traditional mass in the Cathedral of Monaco and balcony appearance at the palace.
Princess Charlene wore a new navy wool picture hat with wide brim. It was nice… but I thought it fell a little flat. I think some sort of large feather sweeping across the hat would have added the “little something” her outfit needed and lifted the austerity of the overall look.
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Princess Caroline wore a large black Garbo-style picture hat with slightly floppy brim. While this hat was also quite simple in design, the height of the crown, the shape of the brim and the ribbon around the crown created more visual interest than Charlene’s hat did. Granted, an impeccably tailored Chanel suit will make any hat look amazing!
Princess Stephanie didn’t wear a hat… again. It seems her allergy to head wear is a chronic condition. She did, however, slick her hair back in a severe ponytail which was anchored by a scrunchie. To her credit, the scrunchie matched her coat… but it was a SCRUNCHIE and such things should simply not be seen in public on royal heads.
Charlotte Casiraghi did not attend this event (rumours are that her baby is due soon) and Princess Alexandra does not appear to have quite reached hat wearing age. Hopefully, we will see these two younger members of the family in fantastic hats at this event next year.UPDATE: video of this event caught a glimpse of Tatiana Santo Domingo. She looks to be wearing a simple black cloche hat trimmed with a wide ribbon.
Yesterday, this family unveiled a statue of their father, Prince Rainier, in the palace gardens. For this more somber event, Princess Caroline wore a small black cloche hat.
Photos from Getty as indicated and AFP
Royal Hats 
I had no idea Tatiana was there! Her hat looks really cute.
the winner is …. caroline’s hat despite its slightly informal touch. the coat is nice but somewhat boring in its predictability.
the loser is …. charlene’s hat which flattens her look from the neck up. she’s tall, she needs a counterbalance. someone placed it on top of her head and then puuuuuuulled it down firmly. her coat in it’s forced artificiality looks simply ridiculous (avoiding worse vocabulary here that comes to mind) – pierre cardin’s first sketch of his personal vision of the space age, when he was a boy of 5 or 6 and new nothing about patterns.
stephanie’ coat wins for me – beautiful colour and cut. a pity that she keeps to disappoint with her scrunchie.
‘dear steph, please note: a scrunchie is NOT a teeny-weeny hat! yours sincerley, e.’
I LOVE your comment. I can’t believe there is a royal scrunchie.
ooooohhh yes, in the case of stephanie (of monaco) unfortunately there is.
many times.
too many times.
way too many times.
😦
Something is off about Charlene’s hat. The top part is too flat. I also don’t like Caroline’s hat with her suit. That suit is so beautiful and would look much better with a pillbox or a more elegant hat.
The coat’s idea of the two fabrics is really nice and different but the cut and style doesn’t work, it too boxy IMO. I think the hat is too plain and VERY boring.
I disagree. I love Princess Charlene’s hat and love the coat….perfect!
Princess Caroline looked gorgeous too. She has worn that suit on several occasions and I love it with her hat and hair styled that way.
I think Charlene’s hat looks perfect with the coat (which I like), but I think Caroline’s hat is inappropriate for a Channel suit. I agree that a pillbox would be better, something more formal and also perhaps lighter in color.
Charlene’s hat and coat are perfectly styled. Anything more than a single oversize feather on the hat would ruin the look.
I also love Caroline’s Chanel suit and Garbo hat. So unexpected and so chic.
I like the hat on Princess Charlene but I’m not sure about her coat.
The hat is lovely and the two fabric coat would look great if it was structured but it’s awful.
Simple, elegant, beautiful. I love all of these hats, but actually I prefer Princess Charlene’s hat. Caroline and Charlene are every bit as graceful as the late Princess Grace, and Charlene even resembles her mother-in-law. I love simple and classic, and I think most people could learn from the example of these ladies as they are simply breathtaking. Did anyone else notice Princess Caroline’s gloves while attending the mass? Beautiful. Next time, I hope HSH Princess Stephanie wears a hat…a cream colored hat to match her beautiful coat would have been perfection.
I like the coat and the hat she looks good.
Everybody looks wonderful, though it looks cold. Agree with you on the hats, a little something for Charlene’s would make it slightly better, though really it’s a very minor quibble.
Actually, I prefer Charlene’s hat, although I agree that a little something, ribbon or feather or whatever, would have enhanced it. But to my eyes, the shape of Caroline’s hat with the brim flopping at the front just says “beach hat”, and the fact that it is felt and has a ribbon doesn’t redeem it. I’m sure this is just me!
Charlene’s tall, she can pull off a big hat. The coat looks very stiff on her, but it is interesting.
I like the hat – she is tall enough to wear it without it overshadowing her. I am not a huge fan of the coat – I would have preferred something in a lighter colour.
Charlene looks smashing…AGAIN. She has really stepped it up lately.
She looks lovely, and the hat looks great. Albert always seems to look proud as punch when he is with her!
I don’t like Charlene’s coat at all but she can really carry off the hat, and she looks glowing.