Monthly Archives: August 2014

Spanish Royal Wedding Ten Years On: Two Queens and the Grand Duchess

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The May 22, 2004 wedding of the Prince of Asturias and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano was also attended by the Queen of Denmark, Queens of Jordan and the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.

Queen Margrethe was her characteristically vibrant self in a red and watermelon pink straw picture hat. Coordinated perfectly to her dress, this hat featured a red straw crown and brim topped with a second brim in light pink dotted with the same red polka dots as were on the Queen Margrethe’s dress. The hat was finished with a pink sash around the crown and large bow on the side. I love the colour (pulling off a pink and red hat is no easy feat), the pretty effect of the double brim and the creative use of those cheeky polka dots on the hat. The whole ensemble was light and lovely for a spring wedding.

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Queen Noor of Jordan topped her pale pink and dove grey coat with a simple white headscarf. Queen Rania and Princess Muna, who also attended this wedding, did not wear hats or headpieces.

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Grand Duchess Maria Teresa wore a large turquoise straw ‘slice’ hat with high, upturned brim on one side. On its own, this is a lovely hat but it seemed completely unconnected to her teal dress and embroidered jacket. The two shades of blue read so differently that I’m left wondering how this hat could have possibly been created to go with this particular ensemble.

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My favourite hat in this lot was clearly the one worn by Queen Margrethe (a hat I wish she would wear again!). What are your thoughts on these hats?

This afternoon, we’ll look at the hats worn by representatives from the remaining reigning royal families in attendance at this wedding. 

Photos from Getty as indicated

Spanish Royal Wedding Ten Years On: Dutch Royals

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Royal Hats For the May 22, 2004 wedding of the Prince of Asturias and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, the Dutch royal family were represented by Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, Princess Máxima (as were their titles at the time), Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien. Princess Laurentien wore a very pretty straw hat with a wide, curved brim in sea foam green. The hat was unique as the crown extended under the brim, forming a sort of headband around Laurentien’s head. It is a hat I thought suited her very well but unfortunately, was completely lost against the horrible burgundy net wrap and multiple strand necklace she wore. Had those two items been replaced with a tailored pale green or cream coat, the full elegance and beauty of this hat would have shone.

Princess Laurentien, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats  Princess Laurentien, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

Princess Máxima was undeniably included among the best dressed guests at this wedding in an exquisite blush embroidered dress, pink coat and pink hat. The hat, designed by Fabienne Delvigne, featured a huge, upturned two-layer brim with rough, frayed edges. The unfinished edges of the hat created a most beautifully delicate effect (an oximoron to be sure) and provided both contrast and compliment to Máxima’s dress and coat. The hat is a very haute couture look but one that I think Máxima carried off magnificently and stunningly well.

Princess Máxima, May 22, 2004 in Fabienne Delvigne |Royal Hats  Princess Máxima, May 22, 2004 in Fabienne Delvigne |Royal Hats

Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Parma, pictured here with her brother Prince Jaime, wore a large cream straw hat with downward curving mushroom brim. The hat was trimmed with a large spray of straw flowers and leaves on the side and provided a neutral accent to her vibrant coral and orange ensemble.

Princess Maria Carolina, May 22, 2004 |Royal Hats

Stay tuned tomorrow as we look at the hats worn by remaining royal guests at this grand wedding. 

Photos from  A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, and Lalo Yasky via Getty

Spanish Royal Wedding Ten Years On: Norwegian Royals

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The Royal Hats Blog The wedding of Prince of Asturias and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano back on May 22, 2004 was attended by every European royal house. The Norwegian royal family were led by the King Harald and Queen Sonja who topped her pink dress and printed jacket with a pink hat. This hat included an interesting dent/pleat at the top of the crown, a jauntily waved brim and folded ribbon trim on the side. While it was a rather simple and standard hat, it worked well with her ensemble to balance the busy print of her jacket. The modern shape also suited Sonja well.

  Queen Sonja, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats  Queen Sonja, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

Like the Crown Princess of Sweden, Crown Princess Mette-Marit eschewed a hat in favour of a feathered headpiece. With her pinky-beige dress and jacket, however, this headpiece just wasn’t enough. The tall, wispy feathers sticking out from the back of her head appeared randomly placed and I thought the headpiece did nothing to compliment the beautiful lines of Mette-Marit’s streamlined outfit. It just didn’t work.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats  Crown Princess Mette-Marit, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

Princess Martha Louise’s fashion choice was characteristically bright and whimsical as she topped her bright yellow dress with a cheeky red straw cocktail hat. The hat, with a tall, upright folded bow, was trimmed with red feathers and looked quite fetching on her.  Looking back now, I think the hat was more successful than the dress although I suppose we do need to give her bonus points to Martha Louise for building her ensemble around the two colours of the Spanish flag.

Princess Martha Louise, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats  Princess Martha Louise, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

The three hats worn by the ladies of the Norwegian royal family certainly reflected each of their fashion personalities but could not have been more different! Are there any that stand out to you? Stay tuned later today for the hats worn by the Dutch royals. One is going to knock your socks off.

Photos from Mark Cuthbert, Lalo Yasky,  A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, Tim Graham,  A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert,and A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert via Getty

Spanish Royal Wedding Ten Years On: Swedish Royals

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The Royal Hats Blog The Swedish Royal family were also all in attendance for the May 22, 2004 wedding of the Prince of Asturias and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano. Queen Silvia wore a pale aqua blue ensemble with a matching hat. This hat, with a rounded crown hat and slightly curled brim, was an exquisite colour on the Swedish queen but the simplicity of its shape makes the hat seem ordinary… perhaps too ordinary for a queen.

Queen Silvia, May 22, 2004Queen Silvia and Crown Princes Victoria, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Victoria caused a fashion stir by not wearing a hat. Her orange embroidered, Asian-inspired silk dress made a phenomenal statement all by itself – instead of a hat, Victoria wisely chose to top it with a small orange feather fascinator worn at the back of her head. I have always thought Princess Victoria looked stunning in this dress although I wonder if was better suited to a evening or cocktail event instead of a daytime royal wedding. The dress seems too sparkly and shiny and that little bunch of orange feathers does not, a royal headpiece make.

Crown Princes Victoria, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats Crown Princes Victoria, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

While Princess Victoria’s outfit pushed the daytime dress code, Princess Madeleine’s cream suit and rose-beige hat fell quietly within it. The hat, with a short crown and downward curved brim is rather neither offensive nor memorable. While I understand that not all royal hats can be dramatic statements, this one felt like a rather bland millinery choice for this fashionable young princess.

Princess Madeleine, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats  Princess Madeleine, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

Looking back, I am certainly not as impressed by the hats worn by the Swedish royal family at this wedding as I was by the Belgian, Greek or Spanish royal families. Do you agree?  Is there a hat in this trio that strikes your fancy?

Later today, we’ll look at the hats worn by the Norwegian royal family.

Photos from  A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, Lalo Yasky, A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, and Getty Images/Stringer via Getty;

Spanish Royal Wedding Ten Years On: Belgian Royals

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A weddingAnother royal family with close ties to the Spanish royals are those from the Kingdom of Belgium (due in part to Spanish born Queen Fabiola). These close ties were evident on May 22, 2004 when the entire Belgian royal family attended the wedding of The Prince of Asturias and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano.

Queen Paola looked very elegant in a burgundy printed floral dress, cream coat and burgundy accessories. The star of her burgundy straw hat was a wide, upturned brim with shredded edge (a signature Fabienne Delvigne design element at the time). On its own, this hat does not seem remarkable but in combination with the other elements of Queen Paola’s ensemble, looked stylish, polished and wonderfully vibrant on her.

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Queen Fabiola topped her dove grey dress and purple and grey floral coat with a lilac purple hat. With a squared crown and brim that gently turned upward around the sides and back of the hat, the shape of this hat worked very well with Fabiola’s hairstyle. Trimmed with silk blooms and ribbon around the crown, I thought this hat was a very pretty choice for her.

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The Duchess of Brabant wowed in a pale grey straw picture hat trimmed in a wrap of sea foam green and grey burnt feathers around the crown. I particularly love the fluid shape of this hat’s brim which was highlighted so beautifully against the open neck of Mathilde’s coat. Royal outfits in pale hues can easily look bland or washed out but I think the combination of Mathilde’s light green dress, pale grey coat and hat was absolute perfection.

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Princess Astrid was downright plucky in her choice of ensemble for this wedding, topping her bright pink jacket and polka dot skirt with a black cocktail hat trimmed with large white and bright pink pompom discs. It was certainly a bold and adventurous look that displayed Astrid’s daring fashion sense (something I always admire). I just can’t shake the thought, however, that this hat looks like a black plate topped with scoops of vanilla and strawberry ice cream.

Princess Astrid, May 22, 2004| Royal Hats

Princess Astrid, May 22, 2004| Royal Hats

Another hat I adored at this wedding was worn by Princess Claire. Her raspberry straw picture hat with square crown and cartwheel brim was embellished with just a simple band around the crown. The lack of embellishment was perfect for this hat’s pairing with Claire’s boldly patterned coat. The overall look was bright, fun, feminine and very chic.

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I thought the Belgian royals were a particularly well dressed bunch at this wedding- several of these hats are among my favourites from this event and seem to be as stylish today as they were a decade ago. Do any stand out to you?

 First thing tomorrow morning, we will look at the hats worn by the Swedish and Norwegian royal families.

Photos from Corbis; El Mundo Graphic Team