Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh formally opened a new fire station in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, yesterday. For this engagement, the Queen repeated her camel felt stovepipe hat with short, downward facing brim and diagonally sloped crown. This hat, trimmed only with a knotted sash around the crown, lacks colour and dramatic embellishment yet does not lack personality- quite a feat for a simple brown hat. I think the success of this ensemble is the beautiful balance reached between the hat and the statement fur cuff’s on Her Majesty’s coat. It’s not my favourite colour on the Queen but it was the perfect ensemble to wear to an event where the background was a row of gleaming red fire engines!
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
The Queen has another hat that matches this coat (discussed in this post). What do you think of her stovepipe hat today?
Designer: Philip Somerville
Previously Worn: December 25, 2005; March 7, 2006; April 12, 2006; February 25, 2009
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
I would like the Queen’s hat better in blue, red, yellow, pink, purple or green. The Queen cannot do beige. The coat and dress are unflattering to her in every way.
I second your post Splendid Jewels. This hat is terrific on the Queen but the beige colour is not and I don’t like the coat, dress, or accessories. I do like the pearls and the Jardine star brooch.
My family and I agree with Alex and TiarasRUs, and the comment by HatQueen about preferring Parvin’s designs to the Kelly ones. We also do not like to see the British Queen wearing fur, because it could encourage others to wear it. Many animals can die suffering. including dogs and cats that are sometimes used in the fake fur industry. Fur looks good on the animals it belongs to. Please consider the animals everyone.
I can understand your feelings Tatsuya Kuniyoshi and I never wear fur myself. The Queen’s fur trimmed coat and her fur hat are old, so I guess she thinks she might as well wear them because it won’t bring the poor animals back. Fur was popular at a time when it wasn’t so widely known about the cruelty in the industry. I used to think that fur was only made from animals that were found dead, and that belief was widespread before the era of the Internet. Some of the horrors involved in the fake fur industry have only just come to light as well.
The fur hat made for this coat is so much better. But even that doesn’t make up for the horrible design of the coat collar.
I think we all agree this is not the Queen’s best color. Back to the vibrant pinks, blues and greens please.
I quite like Queen Elizabeth’s felt stovepipe hat with short, downward facing brim and diagonally sloped crown, but not the camel colour. I like the simple trim of a knotted sash around the crown. The coat looks old-fashioned to me and is not a flattering shape for her. I agree with HatQueen’s statement that this is not my favourite colour on the Queen. Against the background of gleaming red fire engines, I would have preferred maybe blue or purple clothes on the Queen.
I agree with you Alex. The hat is lovely, but the color is too drab on her, and collarless coats are one of my pet peeves. I hate them with a passion, and they do not suit the Queen’s petite proportions.
Unfortunately, the collarless coat is a staple Kelly design. That’s one of several reasons I usually prefer Stewart Parvin’s designs for the Queen.
One of my favorite hat shapes on HM, but I think the coat looks more chic with the fur hat.
Do I see the Olympic torch hat pin again?
I was wondering the same thing. It’s tough to tell but if you zoom into this larger version of the above photo, it appears to be the same pin
It does look like the Olympic torch hat and I am surprised that she has worn it again so soon.
While I prefer the fur-trimmed hat presumably made to honor the Queen Mother because it reminds one of so many of her hats of the 1940s, I like this hat as well.
In both photos above one can see a little rumple or something on the dress. I suspect that the dress for this coat is the following, a favorite of Queen Elizabeth’s for investitures and receptions. If so, the bows on this hat probably were created to complement the decorative trim on the front of the dress.
Thanks for pointing out that dress; I hadn’t remembered seeing it. Unfortunately it doesn’t really work with the coat’s neckline. I prefer the fur hat as well. Although it was worn to the unveiling of the Queen Mother’s memorial, it wasn’t made for that purpose. It was actually the coat’s ‘original’ hat. They were first worn back in 2005 while visiting Saskatchewan:
http://s258.photobucket.com/user/baxterb514/media/789_00C3_zpssbcliy7n.jpg.html
I really like the bow hat, but I also like the fur hat she wore with the coat previously. I know that a lot of people don’t like the color on HM, but for me, it reminds me of a camel’s hair coat that my mother had — and she loved that coat! So, this outfit gets a thumbs up from me. 🙂
I like the fact it is not over embellished. The colour is OK. I prefer the other hat that goes with the coat trusting it is not real fur. I dislike the neckline of the coat beyond words.
I love the hat. It is really cute and very flattering.
The hate shape is really nice and the color looks fine – considering it can be a hard shade for some to pull off, it seems to work OK for her. I am however not a fan of the cut on the coat – it looks dated.
I love this outfit on Her Maj. It’s very glamorous and snow Queenish. She looks oh so regal. I still can’t decide if I prefer this hat or the fur one – both are fab and unlike othera she currently wears. Glad to see this back on rota after so long.