We are less than two weeks away from the Epsom Races, the first stop in a month-long parade of marvellous British royal hats. In preparation, I thought you might enjoy this short interview with Australian milliner Rebecca Share who touches on current trends for spring racing hats.
What style predictions do you have for the royal hats we will see at Epsom and Ascot over the next few weeks?
A pair of war memorials in Tokyo over the past two days have been attended by members of the Imperial Royal Family. Yesterday, Prince Fumihito and HIH Princess Kiko of Akishino attended a service paying tribute to unidentified Japanese victims of war at Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery. For this ceremony, Princess Kiko wore a simple Bowler style hat with short brim and band around the base of the crown.
Today, the Emperor and Empress were on hand to lay a floral tribute at a service commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Great Tokyo Air Raid at Tokyo Memorial Hall (the resting place of the ashes of more than 1000 victims of the bombing). For this memorial event, Empress Michiko topped her white suit with a new rimmed saucer hat trimmed with a flat bow around the front of the hat.
There is something serenely beautiful about the Empress’ choice of white for these types of memorial events, isn’t there?
Photos from The Asahi Shimbun and The Asahi Shimbun via Getty
Last Wednesday, Queen Máxima celebrated her 44th birthday. I want to send our belated best wishes to the Dutch queen today with suggestions of hats we would most like to see her repeat in the coming year. My pick is a hat we have not seen for a long while- this large brimmed picture hat in bright magenta straw wrapped in feathers. I think Queen Máxima is at her millinery best in large hats in bold colours and I would love to see this Fabienne Delvigne design make another outing. What hat would you like to see her repeat this year?
Princess Máxima, April 24, 2009
Photo from Patrick van Katwijk via Monarchy Press
On Friday, Queen Máxima was in Zoetermeer to officially open the new Koninklijke Kentalis care education centre for people with disabilities. For this event, she repeated a headpiece of beige folded straw. The piece, which has a very organic and natural feel to it, has a lovely delicacy and sense of movement to it. I admire that Queen Máxima consistently wears hats for official openings and and while I’m not usually a fan of all beige outfits or hats worn with trousers (and I don’t like choice of blouse with her jacket), I think there is something that works about they way she has dressed down this hat for this informal event.
Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: January 24, 2013; May 22, 2012; May 24, 2008
Photo from Rpe/Albert Philip Van Der Werf/dpa/Corbis
Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands opened the biennial outdoor sculpture exhibition ARTZUID 2015 yesterday in South Amsterdam. For this event, she repeated a large black straw hat with flat crown and gently raised brim on one side. This hat is simply trimmed with a wide band of patent leather wrapped around the crown which gives textural contrast to the piece. It’s not the most striking of royal hats but with her royal blue ensemble, made for a perfectly fine working ensemble.
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: October 2, 2012; June 13, 2012
Photos from Patrick van Katwijk/dpa, Patrick van Katwijk/dpa, Patrick van Katwijk/dpa, Patrick van Katwijk/dpa, and Patrick van Katwijk/dpa all via Corbis
Royal Hats 