This weekend is the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby. While I don’t believe any royals are expected at Churchill Downs this year, there have been a number who have enjoyed this famous event in the past.
Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor in 2013
Embed from Getty ImagesSheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein in 2009
Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in 2007
Embed from Getty ImagesLord Snowdon and Princess Margaret at the 100th Kentucky Derby 40 years ago, May 4, 1974
My research shows that Prince Albert of Monaco attended the Derby in 2002 and his father, Prince Rainier, attended in 1963 although I was not able to find photographs of them at the event. My favourite hat in this bunch is the straw hat Sophie wore last year (I am such a sucker for a classic straw picture hat). Queen Elizabeth’s lime and fuchsia combination hat also looks adorable and very festive.
I am not planning to cover celebrities at this year’s races- if you want to share crazy hats from this event with each other, feel free to post them in the comments here.
Photos from Getty as indicated; Neil Leifer and Lexington Herald-Leader via Getty
Royal Hats 
I think this couple captured the spirit of the derby. They get points for bravery too! I could never convince my hubby to wear something like this!
http://nesncom.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/kentucky-derby-2.png?w=600&h=430
Cute for the winner’s circle!
http://nesncom.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/kentucky-derby-1.png?w=600&h=400
Here is another gallery.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/03/6375825/derby-hats-and-other-garb.html
These 3 hats are beautiful. I rlove the pink one.
I love this 1920s vintage look
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/gallery?section=null&id=9090552&photo=3
This cheeky hat was my favorite today!
http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/photos/kentucky-derby-2014-craziest-hats-best-dressed-athletes-23576998/image-23578075
That was cute! I like this one. It’s plainer and very elegant. I like the rings on the brim. A lot of the other hats At the Kentucky Derby are just too over the top for me.
http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/photos/kentucky-derby-2014-craziest-hats-best-dressed-athletes-23576998/image-23576999
Here is a gallery from the races today! http://www.jrn.com/kgun9/galleries/now-trending/Big-hats-of-the-Kentucky-Derby-257806191.html
These are my favorites
Sorry I forgot my #1 favorite. So pretty!
Lovely hat!
nice gallery theres good hats for racing need lotsa feathers and flowers so bigger is better! LOL!
I prefer the plainer ones and softer pink instead of the hot pink.
http://daylifeimages.newscred.com/imageserve/c98088c2a9d8c6ee6218b5a022f98ddf/660×495.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000
Pretty sure that hat’s from 2013
Even if it was from last year it’s so pretty!
Here are some of my favorites from the official Kentucky Derby site
More favorites
More favorites
Final favorites
LOVE the orange and pink. Fabulous!
I love the pink one with the red rose. So unusual but so pretty!
I also LOVE the white one with the black ribbon and the red roses on the side. It’s gorgeous!
So fun!
This one takes the cake.
And then there’s Johnny Wier. Yikes.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2014/05/02/saddle-up-johnny-weir-does-the-kentucky-derby-photos.html#f30f293f-29ac-4922-8e75-787de0a5b27b
He also wore THIS. It is seriously a unicorn. Give me a break.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/05/03/johnny-weirs-kentucky-derby-hat-is-the-best-kentucky-derby-hat/
Tara Lipinski’s pink rose hat is cute.
Ugh. This group looks better even in their cheap suits
http://daylifeimages.newscred.com/imageserve/9fcff89b3f5559968c8346217d6cfb86/660×495.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000
No thank you. The event from start to finish looks like a tacky and tasteless parade of celebrity upstarts vying for attention. Ascot or Cheltenham, this is certainly not. I don’t know why we must include these rubbish hats among the substantially more elegant royal ones.
Perhaps this affirms why this is the Royal Hats blog and not the Kentucky Derby blog?!
My favourite hat of the derby so far. SO Exquisite!
Great photos! Miranda Lambert also looked cute in red. Love her and love her hat!
http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/kentucky-derby-2014-pics/#!1/miranda-lambert-140th-kentucky-derby-red-carpet-ftr-10/
Also like the black & white. Always looks good.
http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/kentucky-derby-2014-pics/#!3/140th-kentucky-derby-red-carpet-ftr-6/
Love the white hat!
And lovin the green and pink for Star!
http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/kentucky-derby-2014-pics/#!6/140th-kentucky-derby-red-carpet-ftr-1/
Elegant black and pink. Love the feathers!
http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/kentucky-derby-2014-pics/#!9/140th-kentucky-derby-red-carpet-ftr-7/
And cute as a button Tara! love her hat.
http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/kentucky-derby-2014-pics/#!15/the-barnstable-brown-kentucky-derby-eve-gala-ftr-7/
Always love a red hat society type!
http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/kentucky-derby-2014-pics/#!8/140th-kentucky-derby-red-carpet-ftr-8/
Another beautiful red hat!
http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/kentucky-derby-2014-pics/#!11/140th-kentucky-derby-red-carpet-ftr-2/
Cute hat and dress combo!
http://hollywoodlife.com/pics/kentucky-derby-2014-pics/#!10/140th-kentucky-derby-red-carpet-ftr-3/
Fabulous!
That is such a beautiful hat! It looks so good with her hair styled that way.
The comments are out of order. The hat I was referring to is the purple one 9 hats above!
An iconic photograph
The quintessential derby hat
Another lovely
you can’t go wrong with feathers
I love this one!
Pink!
I don’t get the Windsors. He’s dressed for a business meeting, she’s ready for a Summer picnic – and perhaps a spot of crafting.
I’m pretty sure she was 6 months pregnant in the photo so she was probably just trying to be discreet about her physical state.
Sophie was expecting Maud at the Derby last year. I suspect royal maternity wear is made all the more difficult balancing proportions with a hat.
Oh. Well I get it now then. 🙂