Members of the British Royal Family attended Easter Sunday Service this morning at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Queen Elizabeth led her family with the debut of a new hat in palest blue-grey straw; this hat featured an asymmetrical upturned brim, a domed crown with straight sides, and a mass of silk blooms on the side. This is a shape and style of hat we have seen a number of times of Her Majesty but it works so very well for her that I’m quite pleased to see it again.
Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: This is a new hat
Princes Anne repeated a hat I have affectionately named “Old Faithful” (what else can you call a hat that has been in royal service since 1969?!). We last saw this black homberg with studded band around the crown at the Cheltenham races, an event which suited the retro and informal vibe of this hat very well. Today, for Easter Sunday, I thought it looked awkward and out of place.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty ImagesDesigner: unknown
Previously Worn: March 15, 2014; 1990s; September 1969
The Countess of Wessex debuted an interesting beret-style percher hat entirely covered in feathers. Aside from the large black claw-like plumes which topped this hat, I liked it. This hat is a great shape on Sophie and the mottled colour created by the overlapping feathers leaves a rather painterly impression. It was also a beautiful compliment to Sophie’s impeccable coat. I also loved that it’s a departure from anything we have seen on Sophie before.
Embed from Getty Images
Designer: unknown.
Previously Worn: This is a new hat
Princess Eugenie repeated one of her lily hats. While difficult to tell in this photo, this is the same green straw beret trimmed with oversize white calla lily that she wore to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party last year. Green is always beautiful on Eugenie although the giant lily still doesn’t work for me. Scale it back by half, and we’d have a winner.
Embed from Getty ImagesDesigner: Robyn Coles
Previously Worn: May 30, 2013
Lady Sarah Chatto repeated the cream saucer hat we have seen on her a number of times before. Sarah usually chooses monochrome hat and dress combinations and it was a refreshing change to see her pair this hat with nautical navy and white. While Viscount Linley has some of the most memorable hats in the British royal family, today she chose a rather sedate beige beret. Until we see it from a better angle (or with a more interesting ensemble), I’m pained to have to declare this hat a yawner.
Designer of Lady Sarah’s hat: Stephen Jones
Previously Worn: June 5, 2012; June 10, 2011
Designer of Lady Linley’s hat: unconfirmed. My guess is Stephen Jones
Previously Worn: June 18, 2011
With the absences of the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Beatrice and the Duchess of Cambridge, I’m afraid today’s lineup of British royal hats fell a little flat. Where there any that stood out as your favourites?
Photos from Getty as indicated and: Oli Scarff via Getty; David Hartley/Rex via The Daily Mail
Royal Hats 
I love the queen’s hat today. It’s in contention for all-time best for the birthday post.
The Queen looks wonderful and her whole ensemble including the hat is a winner! Perfect for Easter day and suitably regal but at the same time becoming to the wearer- well proportioned.
The Queen looks radiant – fabulous hat …. And coat !!! Great colour on her!
A tweet from Jane Taylor who was asked the question regarding Sophie’s hat follows:
JaneTaylor Millinery (@JTmillinery)
20/04/2014 8:28 pm
@AnnieElizabethN this isn’t my piece but an existing piece that HRH has already worn. HRH looks lovely as always.
There was another question regarding whether the piece had been worn before. However, no response.
Thanks, Angela.
I love the Queen’s entire outfit. Looks like the best new outfit all year. Hat is marvelous, although, as you said, it’s (almost, at least) exactly the same hat as the purple she hat she wore for the pope and a pink she debuted in Australia. The blue color is perfect, not so fluorescent as the recent magenta or last winter’s new turquoise/bright blue number. The flowers on today’s hat obviously were inspired by the dress fabric.
I don’t particularly care for the other hats today. I would have liked Princess Anne’s cape had it been either the same or a contrasting color to the dress; instead the two greens just clash. Fortunately one really can’t discern Old Faithful under the umbrella.
Love Anne’s rug-wrap, looks like it’s going to be terrific for what is undoubtedly a cold church.
I like the Queen’s hat, but not so taken with *any* of the others, none of them seemed particularly appropriate to the season, event or even the weather on the day … and where’s Camilla?
Good question. Perhaps she and Prince Charles were at their Scottish home? It’s rather unusual they were not present today.