The Norwegian Royal Family received Estonian president Toomas Hendrik Ilves at Palace Square this morning in Oslo. For this welcome, Queen Sonja topped her red coat with an ecru straw hat with a straight-sided, domed crown and small brim that curled up at the back of the hat. I liked the modern shape on Sonja and thought the simple hat was a good pairing for her embellished coat.
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: May 12, 2011
Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore a simple navy straw pillbox hat with her navy lace Valentino coat. I liked the choice of a very simple hat with this coat although I would have preferred Mette-Marit wear it a little higher over the crown of her head.
The Crown Princess gave us a little insight yesterday into the origins of this hat, saying “Sent this old hat to my lovely old neighbor Mona Strand. And got 4 back!” We do not usually get such a good view of royal millinery recycling in action and it is fascinating to see the origin of the pillbox Mette-Marit wore today. The only sad note here for me is the demise of the original hat, a beautiful design that I can not find evidence of Crown Princess Mette-Marit wearing in public. Do any of you recall seeing the original hat? The four pieces resulting from this renovation seem to confirm Mette-Marit’s ‘phase’ of small hats and headpieces will continue for a while, something that disappoints me a little.
https://www.instagram.com/p/sbvx9xi0RfxiBpSdKDeJ32obP4aVSdREb1HAY0/
Designer: Mona Strand
Previously Worn: I believe today is the first public wearing of this hat.
I am curious to hear what you think about these two lovely straw hats, dear readers, and of the hat recycling that created Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s classic pillbox.
Photos Getty and Crown Princess Mette-Marit as indicated
Royal Hats 
MM’s pillbox makes me think it is acting more as a snood to contain her hair than as a hat. It makes me wonder if they Crazy Glued it to her head to hold it on. (And yes, I do realize that hats like this and the frisby stuck to the left forehead had internal means of support, but still…)
I do like the simplicity of the pillbox combined with the lace coat.
HatQueen, I think the hat of Queen Sonja might not be a new one though. After seeing it at first, I believe Her Majesty has worn it before and after thorough searches,I have found it here, from Getty Images, worn on 11th May 2011 on a State Visit to Croatia but I could not track yet how many times has it been worn.
http://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/queen-sonja-of-norway-attends-an-official-welcome-at-the-news-photo/158067315
http://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/queen-sonja-of-norway-attends-an-official-welcome-at-the-news-photo/158067311
Great observation, Lex!
MM looks great in a pillbox but at this angle it begins to take on a distinctly Amish feel….Somehow I don’t think she’s going for that look!
http://dw.de/p/2r28
Could it be this red straw hat dyed blue?
No. The shape of the crown is very different and on the original hat, the brim was white.
The Queen looks fabulous. MM has great hat hair but as others have said, I don’t like the hat hanging off the back of her head. On a non-hat related note, she needs to lose the dark hose. It makes her look matronly.
I wonder if she sees photos of herself and makes the appropriate corrections. This is not the first time she has worn a pillbox hat too far back on her head.
As for the matronly dark hose, she is too young to be making these fashion mistakes. The very pointy shoes don’t help the look. Nice dress and coat, but she ruined the look with her accessories. I realize this is a hat blog, but when we see a head to toe photo, it is difficult not to comment on the entire royal fashion look.
I have noticed young girls here wearing dark hose with their summer dresses. It looks horrid to me, but it seems to be a trend.
recycling by “an old neighbor” and a valentino dress combo is NOT a way to promote the Norwegian fashion industry!!!! yak!!!
Ordinarily I would say that Queen Sonja’s hat was much too plain for a formal occasion like a state visit, but you’re quite right, it offsets perfectly the frenetic activity on the coat. I very much like Mette-Marit’s ensemble, and think the pillbox goes well, but would be better a bit further forward. I’m sad that a picture hat has been turned into a pillbox and three bows! But interesting to see the transformation.
I think Queen Sonja looks very well.
CPMM needs to have the hat a little more forward. Pillbox hats that are dangling off the back of the head always put me in mind of a hiker hanging on to a cliff for dear life.
And I’m sorry, but when three of the “hats” she got in return are bows…eh. I’d prefer the original.
I like both outfits. Had Queen Sonja not worn a simple, monochrome hat (and plain beige accessories) with such a wild coat, the ensemble could have been too much. As is, it’s striking.
I’m intrigued by the odd position of CP MM’s hat. From a side view, she looks particularly regal and stately, although in the first picture above I didn’t even realize she was wearing a hat.
Oh I think MM looks stunning. She’s done this pillbox pushed right back many times before and I think it’s fab on her. Agree some variation might be good though – and love the insight she gives into the hat makeover.
And Sonia’s coat is amazing – she looks fabulous!
Princess Mette-Marit does look great, despite the placement of the hat. I like this hat with this coat MUCH better than what she has paired with it in the past.
Although summer is wonderful, it is a comfort that when days shorten we have more hats shown to us by you, Hat Queen!
Queen Sonja: like the coat, like the hat, but together I think there is too much going on.
Princess Mette-Marit: she looks beautiful but the position of her hat makes me sort of nervous: I feel I have to help her to prevent the hat from falling.
I am all for recycling clothes but I think Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s classic pillbox is a tad too small for her head and is placed oddly right at the back of her head. I don’t think it was a great choice to go with her lace outfit. I do like the Queen’s hat and outfit.
I like both hats.