Princess Alexandra visited Telford today to celebrate the Shropshire Star’s 50th anniversary and visit a local farm. For this day out, she repeated a cream straw hat with square crown and nearly flat brim. The simple shape of this hat was contrasted by its embellishment- silk flower and leaf trim, a wrap of open weave net and a band around the crown. I like this hat well enough (especially considering it is at least 15 years old) although the placement of that silk rose seems off balance. The colour is a little bland (the lighting in the photograph below is unflattering to say the least) but I suppose every royal female needs a go-to cream picture hat in her millinery wardrobe. This one does the job quite nicely. What do you think of this hat?
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: July 6, 2009; July 9, 1999; this unknown date and this unknown date
Photo from The Shropshire Star
Royal Hats 
I’d be happier with the rose moved off center.
It looks like a staple of the millinery cupboard. It would look better with a smaller, or differently shaped flower. I like the crown very much.
Ah, very Agatha Christie-ish! Imagine her living in a country house full with cupboards and suitcases filled with hats and dresses and gloves. Wonderful lady.
Any opportunity to see Princess Alexandra out and about, I’ll take. I agree that the rose on the front is disproportionate, though.
That rose looks like a headlamp on a miner’s hat!
My thought exactly!
I like it. Certainly a lady of the highest level.
Hard to see it overall. The Rose on the front seems too large.
It’s just OK in my book – it needs an update of some sort – it’s looking dated before I even read your info that indicates it’s 15 yrs old. Old works sometimes – sometimes not – this might be a last outing for this one unless it goes in for re-working.