Last weekend, members of the British Royal Family attended the Festival of British Eventing (held at Princess Anne’s estate, Gatecombe Park) to cheer on Zara Phillips who competed in the event. It looked like a gloriously fun weekend that saw the Tindall family, Phillips family and Wessex children don a wide array of casual summer hats.
Photos from Getty as indicated
On Monday, following the World War I commemoration service at Crathie Kirk, Queen Elizabeth visited the 150th Anniversary Turriff Agricultural Show in Turriff, Aberdeenshire. She repeated a hat we haven’t seen for a while- this pale blue, fabric covered, square crowned cloche trimmed with buttons. I have always thought the button detail was a cheeky and unique trim for a hat and adore the beautiful way the fabric drapes over the short brim. I feared this hat had gone into retirement and it’s nice to see it again.
Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: April 27, 2012; December 2, 2009; April 12, 2009; March 9, 2009
Photos from Press Association
Queen Sofia of Spain posed with six of her eight grandchildren this past weekend at the Calanova Sailing School in Palma de Mallorca. The group included Infanta Elena, who looked casually chic in a straw Panama fedora hat with chocolate band around the base of the crown. I think she wears this style of hat so effortlessly well.
Members of the family are on their annual summer vacation in Mallorca and were joined by the current King, Queen and their family who arrived today.
Photo from Carlos Alvarez via Getty
Queen Elizabeth attended a service at Crathie Kirk Church today in Crathie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the start off WW I. She repeated a white straw stovepipe hat trimmed with a spray of feathers on the side and a white satin braid around the base of the crown. It’s not my favourite hat as the crown feels disproportionately high for Her Majesty’s petite frame but this white ensemble felt fitting for today’s commemoration.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Reader Baxter identified this hat as the work of French milliner Marie O’Regan
Previously Worn: March 31, 2014; October 14, 2005; October 15, 2004; April 5, 2004
For those of you curious about Prince Philip’s whereabouts today, he attended a separate service at Sandringham church. Unlike his son and grandson, he was not dressed in uniform.
Photos from Getty as indicated
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to a ceremony at the Saint-Laurent Abbey in Liege, Belgium which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. Also in attendance were French President Francois Hollande, German President Joachim Gauck, King Felipe of Spain and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg. 
Queen Mathilde looked beautiful in a pale blue silk wrap dress topped with a simple dove grey saucer hat. The grey hat coordinated with Mathilde’s purse, gloves and shoes and while some may find it a tad austere, I thought it hit just the right note for today’s event.
Designer: unknown. Queen Mathilde’s hats are usually designed by Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: this is a new hat
The Duchess of Cambridge topped her cream Alexander McQueen coat with Jane Taylor’s ‘Fleur’ beret. Described by the designer as a “classic straw beret with intricate tonal hand dyed ruffle detail”, this hat gave a little colour to Kate’s monochrome ensemble. While we have seen her in numerous beret style hats (and she wears them very well), this particular hat is a stand out for me because of the exquisite ruffle trim. It is a very pretty hat that I thought also worked very well for the more serious nature of today’s ceremonies.
Designer: Jane Taylor. It is the ‘Fleur’ beret.
Previously Worn: this is a new hat
I thought both of these new royal hats suited both the occasion and their wearers very well. What do you think?
Photos from Nicolas Lambert/Stringer, Fred Dufour, Chris Jackson, Chris Jackson, Pool, Chris Jackson, Samir Hussein, Pool, and Chris Jackson via Getty
Royal Hats 