If we were able to turn back the clock twenty-five years, one of the designers we would be talking about most on this blog would be Frederick Fox. Australian born Freddie, as he was known, moved to London after completing his training and was called upon to make several hats for the Queen in the late 1960s. By the 1980s, he was not only making hats for Queen Elizabeth, but also the Queen Mother, Princess Alice, Princess Alexandra, Princess Anne, Princess Michael of Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester and the Princess of Wales. He held a royal warrant as “Milliner to the Queen” from 1974 until his retirement in 2002.
Frederick Fox passed away last week in his eighty second year. Here are a few of his hundreds of royal hats and some final words from the millinery genius himself.
Queen Elizabeth, May 1999; Princess Diana in the USA, 1985; Queen Elizabeth in 1983
Queen Elizabeth in Fox hats in April 1989 and October 2000
Queen Elizabeth in Jamaica, February 2002; in 1981; and at the King’s Cup in 2005
Queen Elizabeth in the ‘marble run hat worn in Italy, Oct 17, 2000; at the June 19, 1999
wedding of the Earl and Countess of Wessex; at the June 1988 Epsom Derby
Princess Diana in Italy, 1985; Princess Michael at Ascot, 1996; Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee June 2002
Photos from Tim Graham via Getty; Vogue; Walters/Rex USA via Vanity Fair; Vogue; Vogue; Tim Graham via Getty; Woman’s Day; Chris Jackson, Tim Graham, Ian Waldie, Tim Graham, via Getty; Tim Graham/AP via People; Tim Graham and Tim Graham via Getty
The Queen’s royal blue velvet beret with black feathers? PERFECTION.
I probably should know, but what do you call the type Lilibet wears in the top row? Freddie says he loved the pink Silver Jubilee hat and it has that shape. I personally don’t like the shape and there are many the Queen wore like it. They’re probably all Freddie”s.
I do love the brimmed and rounded crowns of many of the others. All the other pinks she is wearing are wonderful.
Do you mean the black & white photo? It looks like a half pillbox half turban with a large feather- that would make it a classic toque. It’s the same hat Queen Elizabeth wore for Prince William’s christening in August 1982
What a lovely man with such talent! Please please please can I have the poppy hat shown in the video?
That was so interesting. I love looking at the hats on this blog and can’t believe how much I’ve learned about how hats are made and who makes them. I love the pink hat with the black bow.
Oh, to own one of his hats would be heaven on earth, I love the pink hat with the black bow, and the royal blue hat with the side flowers, both worn by the queen. What a really talented man he was, surely those that have some of his hats will treasure them.
I absolutely love the Queen’s black hat from October 2000 and the blue hat from her Golden Jubilee in June 2002!
I watched the video after I made my first comment…this man was a creative genius. I love his hat designs.
The pink hat with the black bow is so pretty. It was very interesting to watch the video. Thank you.
His designs cover such a wide spectrum and show such creative genius. He was not a one-note designer by any means.
What a beautiful tribute to the maker of some beautiful hats.
lovely hats and not the same old thing all the time on the Queen. I wish he were still around . Horray for creativity!
Oops forgot to post the link… http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/10516984/Frederick-Fox-obituary.html
Thanks, Barbara. I have included it in this post.
The Telegraph obituary of Frederick Fox has an interesting video.
Oohh! I always loved those flying saucer hats of Princess Diana’s. That black and white one is my favorite.