Princess Michael of Kent celebrates her 69th birthday today. Marie-Christine’s hat style, as we all know, tends toward the dramatic. While she occasionally wears an oversize pillbox, she is most often seen in a large picture hat trimmed with showstopping flowers, feathers or bows. I thought about recommending a different hat style for her but can’t imagine her truly suiting a tailored trilby or minimalist calot. I think Princess Michael simply suits a picture hat- the bigger and more dramatic, the better. The hat I have chosen for her is made by New York milliner Suzanne Newman, a hat designer who makes marvelous high-society hats. I think this pairing of designer and muse would be a match made in millinery heaven.
What kind of hat would you like to see Princess Michael of Kent wear this year? Please post a link to the hat you would like to see (original photo source please) and a brief explanation of why you choose that hat for Princess Michael.
Photo from Suzanne Couture Millinery
Royal Hats 
Impeccable choices all! Princess Michael can never go wrong in one of two looks: black and white, or pastels, and the bigger the better! Either one of these would do nicely, I love the shape: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/243194448598300627/
She never whys away from big, but doesn’t do frivolous.
Fabulous hats ladies and gents! Love the black hats and LOVE the magenta. I see Marie-Christine in Feathers as well. Struzzo hat from Vivienne Sheriff.
http://www.viviensheriff.co.uk/SS13_Collection.html
I love all the black hats but I think she needs a hit of pink.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/125971969/black-and-hot-pink-kentucky-derby-hat?ref=sr_gallery_4&sref=sr_39b3a8705c95271c57b7b611a61deee68dccfe6dadabb011421b3a69a7d7537e_1365732015_14497837_kentucky_derby&ga_search_query=kentucky+derby+hat&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=2&ga_search_type=all
Softer pink
http://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/126850540/pink-kentucky-derby-hat-garden-party-hat?ref=related-0
http://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/129720047/pink-kentucky-derby-hat-weddng-hat-polo?ref=shop_home_active_1
Lots of feathers for MC
http://en-ca.lovehats.com/p/vivien-sheriff-tempest
I love the black one you chose. An alternative is this elegant black Jane Taylor picture hat with blue flowers.
http://en-ca.lovehats.com/p/jane-taylor-millinery-lotus-navy
This woman she speaks very much to the press. Her hat must be the lips.
OUCH!! But too true.
So cheeky! The pale pink hats above are super cute.
The black ruffled hat you suggest is fabulous. I think black and white is an excellent choice for Princess Michael. She often wears large flowers and I thought something more graphic but equally dramatic would be good for her.
Yes! Perfect for her.
I think most of these hats are too much except for the peacock feathers headpiece which looks nice. Why not a soft, traditional hat like this? It would look good on Princess Michael with her curly blonde hair.
That is such a pretty hat. Here is the one I chose.
http://www.1001churchhats.com/church-hats-collection/feathered-church-hats-P19114.html
The hat below and above are very nice.
Correction. I was talking about the two hats above. The dark pink and the ivory with pink flower.
Dear HatQueen — What a fabulous new feature — with your suggestions, and the fabulous and marvelous creations your readers find and share. Enjoying this vastly.
You hit Princess M right on the head (so to speak) with this one! It would look fabulous on her, either with a voluminous ‘new look’ dress, or a more attenuated sheath. So long as MrFitzroy wasn’t sitting behind her in church!
Because MC does retro so well, would love to see her in a modernized “Upside Down Flower Bucket” a’la what the Queen Mum used to wear! She has the stature and gravitas to pull it off! (Though perhaps this vintage -Halston?- example is a bit on the extreme side.)
What about my Sherry Cobbler Teal Fascinator hat.
http://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/129750812/sherry-cobler-teal-fascinator-hat-for?ref=shop_home_active_8
I love her style. Olivia Roat’s iconic Chanel-inspired red hat from her SS 2013 collection could be amazing on Marie-Christine. She’s actually got the fashion chops and the attitude to carry it off and not look like a cliché.
http://www.oliviaroat.com/collections/spring-summer-2013/image?view=image&format=raw&type=img&id=163
That is a very classy hat.
Striking and so elegant!
She does look good in big hats but what about something softer for a change? This headpiece is from Fino Fino, a beautiful hat shop here in San Francisco.
According to Fino Fino, this hat was designed by Tracy Holcomb. She is another American hat designer I was not familiar with. This headpiece is certainly dramatic but very beautiful. I think it would be fantastic on Princess Michael.
I don’t usually go for these feathery headpieces but this one is gorgeous. I like how it frames the face.
This shop Fino Fino has some lovely hats. I think something smaller and elegant would be nice for Princess Michael
Yes, but this hat would also look good on Zara Philips
I love this! What a beautiful fascinator.
My comment came up under the black hat. Nice as it is, it’s the peacock feather fascinator on top that I really love.
I would love to see a royal wear this hat. I was going to suggest it for Queen Maxima but I think Princess Michael would look great in it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2267679/Victoria-Pendleton-I-wish-I-fashiony-girl-The-Strictly-star-chats-manly-style-new-pal-Sir-Paul-Smith-plans-start-clothes-line.html
LOVE it!
I think large dramatic hats are more elegant in softer colors. Here’s my pic for Marie-Christine
http://www.samuelshats.com/ecommerce/kentucky-derby-hats/herald-s14.html
She’s one of the few who can really carry an over the top hat. Love that.
The first two are great but the last one reminds me of Cruella DeVille. Love a big dramatic hat on M-C.
Anything so long as she doesn’t go for the turban again! LOL I think she should wear more of the oversized pillboxes, they look really great on her.
I love her giant pillboxes but I’ve only seen her in summer ones. She needs one for winter, maybe in jade?
http://www.janetaylormillinery.com/lavinia
Good choice Hat Queen! Love this and it totally suits Princess Michael.
love the black hat n ruffles M-C is from here in Oz would luv to see this orange hat on her an hope she comes down here for the races
It looks like this hat was from Australian milliner Belinda Haase’s 2012 summer collection. I was not familiar with her before- thanks for making the introduction! She has some whimsical and fantastical racing hats.