Four of the British Royal Ladies showed their support for the Cheltenham Festival today with their attendance at the Ladies’ Day Races- I believe all wore new hats. The Duchess of Cornwall, who attended the races with her son Tom, wore another one of her faux fur brimmed wool slouchy hats. This one, in a warm caramel colour, suits her well. While I’m still not a fan of this slouchy, informal hat, I must concede it is fitting for a day in the country at the races.
Designer: Lock & Co. “Natalia” design in camel
Previous Wearings: I believe this hat is new
Princess Anne wore a similar style hat in brown velvet and green tweed plaid. I feel the same way about this hat as I do about Camilla’s furry hat cousin although I have to give Princess Anne props for her cheeky addition of the horse pin to this hat. Brilliant.
Designer: unknown
Previous Wearings: I believe this hat is new
Zara Phillips wore a new statement hat in deep eggplant purple. The swirled shape of the hat, trimmed with curling black feather spines and brass beads, was reminiscent of a dollop of grape ice cream but worked well. Deliciously well.
Designer: Amy Money Millinery
Previous Wearings: I believe this hat is new
Autumn Phillips looked marvelously chic in what the designer describes as a “navy asymmetric fur felt trilby with a downturned brim, trimmed with an ‘old gold’ grosgrain ribbon and gold buckle with hot pink silk lining”. Autumn wears fedoras and trilby hats so well and I loved the colour contrast of this one, especially worn as she did with her navy coat and caramel faux fur scarf.
Designer: Gina Foster “Astor” style
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new
All in all, this was a lovely day of new royal hats today at the Cheltenham races, don’t you think?
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
Anne wore the brooch on her hat to Sandown earlier in the month, as a brooch (see the entry for that event and there it is). Perhaps it was still lying on her dressing table and she thought, why not? 🙂
It’s a brooch we often see on her at the races! Here is an article about it.
There is nothing flattering about Anne and Camilla’s hat’s.
Zara and Autumn couldn’t be more different in their hattery choices, yet both look wonderful!
MrFitzroy wants to just say KUDOS to the in-laws of the younger generation and just leave it at that.
….wants to leave it at that…….but, but, but…..
The Princess Royal evokes a bag lady. Anne is just SO structured as a person — and in her clothing, that most slouchy hats just do not work for her….this is a perfect example. Given that she springs for a new hat so rarely, it’s unfortunate that it isn’t more suited to her.
The elements/colors of Camilla’s hat just don’t seem to work with her overall ensemble, and the impression left by the hat is that there is come creature (Cheshire Cat anyone?) curled up on her head with it’s tail wrapped round her fringe….So close, and yet so far!
Autumn Phillips looks great in her hat, but it certainly looks as if her vision is partially blocked — I don’t know if it is, but from the photos it certainly looks that way to me. If I were her, I’d have quite a neckache by the end of the day, I fear!
I’m also not a big fan of the slouchy hats, but there’s not much point in arguing about hat styles with the Princess Royal, is there? And the DoC’s hat is a vast improvement over the other slouchy hats we’ve seen her wear. Plus they both look considerably warmer, albeit lest stylish, than Zara’s grape ice cream hat. Zara can pull off the most dramatic hats in the royal family, that’s for sure!
I will be in the minority here, but I really like The Duchess of Cornwall’s hat. The other three…meh.
No quibble here with the more casual styles. It is Cheltenham, not Royal Ascot, but Autumn is leaving everyone else in the dust on how to put it together right!
Autumn Phillips’ hat actually coordinates with her outfit — and looks nice to boot. Camilla’s hat might do as a lampshade, but I can’t get too excited about it as a hat, although it does look comfortable. I like Zara Phillips’ hat, but while the color might be vaguely related to some shade in the coat, I think the hat looks out of place with the coat’s collar.
As for Princess Anne’s hat, I think you found its best feature in that horse pin.
I wonder what Princess Anne’s hat would look like with Camilla’s coat?
Autum Phillips looks great in her hat and coat and boots.
Duchess of Cornwell’s hat? It looks too much like a donut around the brim. I will pass on the hat, but love her coat.