Princess Beatrice of York celebrates her 26th birthday today. We have seen her make a remarkable transition in millinery style over the past three years, thanks to the work of young designers such as Sarah Cant, Rosie Olivia and Nerida Fraiman. These days, Beatrice’s hats are more streamlined, clean and elegant and this new style approach suits her very well. In choosing a hat for Beatrice to wear this year, I could have chosen any number of hats from her current go-to designers but decided instead to take a more romantic approach. Beatrice’s long-time beau Dave Clark hails from America and as a nod to him, I have chosen the “Andie” hat made by California based designer Jill Courtemanche. I think this cream and gold straw fedora with gold leather bow would be marvelously chic on today’s birthday girl. What hat would you like to see Princess Beatrice wear in the coming year?
Photo from Jill Courtemanche Millinery
Royal Hats 
I’m signing in late for the party but wanted to say that the gold and cream Courtemanche fedora is FABULOUS.
I also think she’s done well with Sarah Cant. These two designs from this season would be great on Bea.
Such beautiful suggestions! I chose a vintage inspired hat because Princess Beatrice is such a classic beauty (she fit right into the movie “Victoria” carrying the train for Queen Victoria’s coronation). This hat is called the “Molly Taupe” and was made by Carol Kennelly
http://carolkennellymillinery.com/Hats3/Pages/Molly_Taupe.html
I LOVE this hat! I’d love to see a vintage hat on Bea.
I LOVE the gold straw fedora! Princess Beatrice wore a burgundy cloche to some races a year or two ago and that hat was made by Karen Henricksen. I’d love to see her in more of her designs because they are STUNNING.
http://static.squarespace.com/static/5346d6afe4b06ad466588720/53651457e4b0b3f114a6b7ad/5365159ee4b0f0c8a1bc4c53/1399134881928/_DSC0694%20copy%208cm.jpg?format=500w
http://static.squarespace.com/static/5346d6afe4b06ad466588720/53651457e4b0b3f114a6b7ad/536931f5e4b001c88f2d0538/1399403562427/bloom.jpg?format=750w
I LOVED that burgundy cloche when Bea wore it. I would love to see her in more cloche hats and this one with color blocking is super fab. From Yestadt Millinery FW 2012 http://yestadtmillinery.com/gallery/fw12/
I think this green saucer with peacock feathers would be brilliant for Bea for the winter. It’s a Maggie Mowbray and I want it for myself too!
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/170793518/saucer-hat-in-wool-felt-curled-statement?ref=listing-8
I like the straw fedora you picked but I would LOVE to see Beatrice in a picture hat. Nothing too traditional but something like the Victoria or the Beeston which were both made by Gina Foster.
http://www.ginafoster.co.uk/collections/the-goring-collection/products/victoria-1
http://www.ginafoster.co.uk/collections/the-goring-collection/products/beeston-1
These two hats are so pretty. The one with green flowers would be gorgeous on Princess Beatrice (with the right dress of course).
It seems that I always choose a hat made by Rachel Trevor Morgan for these birthday posts (which I love, seeing everyone’s suggestions!) but these hats are so beautiful that I can’t resist. It seems like a lot of people have been suggesting 2 hats and since I can’t choose between 2, I’ll do the same. A stunning gold hat with gold feathers that is more dramatic and a beautiful cream hat with flowers that is more feminine. I think Beatrice could wear both.
who made the straw with the black feathers?
I liked it when Bea’s hats were big with feathers and DRAMA. They are so boring now. This Guibert would be so great on her.
I totally agree. Why be boring when you can be FABULOUS?!!!!! She’d look so awesome in this with her red hair.
Rucie- Please, please PLEASE credit designers when you make a hat suggestion. I believe this piece is made by “Hats by Cressida”.
oh yes let’s hope she’ll wear more exciting hats just loved the hat she wore to will & kate’s wedding so fun maybe this one would be nice for the next races by Louise Macdonald from here in Oz!
http://www.millinery.com.au/melbourne-fashion-hat191.html
I love dramatic hats! Redheads never wear red and it’s such a shame because they often look so good in red. My pic for Beatrice is this red and white hat made by Martha Lynne here in Ireland.
I love this cornflower blue hat by Jane Taylor named “Poppy” http://www.janetaylormillinery.com/onlinestore/poppy-311 and/or if she feels a little daring, she may wear this leopard print hat also by Jane Taylor named “Fay”.
Please note: Both hats have a wintry look:)
This one could work I agree. Good choice.
I love Jane Taylor hats and your wintery suggestions would look so good on Princess Beatrice! I picked two summer ones that I thought would also look really good on her. Either “Maude” to go with her hair or “Chrysantha” because it’s so bright, young and fun and I love the pink and orange combo
http://www.janetaylormillinery.com/onlinestore/chrysantha-disc-feather
The Alyssa hat made by Jane Taylor with purple orchids would be stunning on Princess Beatrice as well
http://www.janetaylormillinery.com/onlinestore/alyssa-medium-cocktail-floral-veiling
I love the turban and think she could pull it off! And the fedoras (although the black one on the right may have too large a brim). I am so ready for those little non-hats and the smashed-on-the-side-on-the-head hats to disappear.
For Ascot, Princess Beatrice is wearing gold hats two years in a row and she looks wonderful. Rachel Black makes gold hats that would look very good for Princess Beatrice.
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http://static.squarespace.com/static/5193832ce4b04a0cf7de3297/51b77f2ee4b0b8b55c758dd7/530919c6e4b04fc9b236f798/1393107529090/florence%20beret.jpg?format=500w
http://static.squarespace.com/static/5193832ce4b04a0cf7de3297/51b77f2ee4b0b8b55c758dd7/53091a3de4b0695e5141a33f/1393106995569/midas%20(2).jpg?format=500w
http://static.squarespace.com/static/5193832ce4b04a0cf7de3297/51b77f2ee4b0b8b55c758dd7/530919f8e4b0a1097b336d43/1393107458363/golden%20overtone.jpg?format=500w
I agree Hat Queen, Princess Beatrice would look great in the “Andie” hat by Jill Courtemanche. I think the cream and gold straw fedora would look great atop her red hair, and she does suit a brim, but not a huge one. I like the gold leather bow, as I think she looks best with simpler trims. While I do personally like the hats NellyO has suggested, I feel that as a redhead, and as the most senior blood Princess in the British Royal Family after Princess Anne, I think she needs to aim for more classic, conservative hat styles, that are uncluttered by too much trim, and she isn’t tall enough and doesn’t have the strong facial bone structure to carry off very big hats and whimsical hats.
classic shape in black and white for Beatrice with velvet flowers
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/152409748/pale-peach-wide-brim-hat-vintage-style?ref=related-6
This hat was designed by Marcia Lacher of “The Millinery Shop”. The velvet flowers are unique!
Let’s please remember to credit milliners whenever possible for their work.
Black and white always looks elegant. I love this cloche (I don’t know the designer but it was for sale at Nordstrom’s)
I love the Philip Treacy fedoras below. So chic. I think the ‘Talia’ Straw Picture Hat by Tricia Rousche of House of Nine Designs would be stunning for Princess Beatrice.https://img1.etsystatic.com/011/0/5527304/il_340x270.465777845_mx6o.jpg
Love a fedora for Bea but make it a Philip Treacy please
The Treacy fedoras are fabulous but too predictable. Princess Beatrice + a Philip Treacy gold turban = absolute perfection
Hmmm…. While the colour would be great on Princess Beatrice and her face shape might well suit a turban, I think this is a little too “outside the box” for me!
Wouldn’t Bea look great in teal? This is another Philip Treacy hat from this summer season
Such beautiful winter hats! The jewel tones would be stunning on Princess Beatrice.
I also like the gold and cream straw one you suggested from America but it feels too informal for a royal engagement.