Monthly Archives: May 2015

Royal Christening in Monaco

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Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco brought their twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, to the Cathédrale de Monaco yesterday to be christened.

Princess Charlene, May 10, 2015 in Dior | Royal Hats

For this special event, Princess Charlene wore a silk crepe dress in palest aqua topped with a textured straw pillbox hat in the same shade.

I think a pillbox shape was a great idea for Charlene today as there was no brim to obscure the view of her animated face or be pulled askew by little hands. A pillbox is also a very natural choice to compliment the streamlined silhouette of her 1950’s inspired dress.

I’m afraid, however, this pillbox is less of a ‘box’ and more of a pancake. The odd proportion of this hat/pancake dictated its vertical placement on the back of Princess Charlene’s head- a placement I just can’t get behind. While her dress, pearl earrings, sleek hairstyle and megawatt smile were all flawless, I think the hat needed another inch or two of height to really work.

Princess Charlene, May 10, 2015 in Dior | Royal Hats

Designer: Stephen Jones Millinery. Dress by Dior Couture. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new
The stars of the event arrived in custom Dior gowns with pin-tucking and Calais lace trim. Each gown was topped with a Calais lace-edged apron embroidered with tiny vegetables and the child’s monogram. Prince Jacques (pictured below) and Princess Gabriella also wore coordinating pin-tucked bonnets, which were removed during the service.

Prince jacques, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: Baby Dior
Princess Caroline of Hanover and Monaco wore a large purple raffia picture hat with square crown and relaxed brim which was folded up in the front. A  handmade and fair trade item, this easygoing hat looked effortlessly chic on the elegant princess.

Designer: The Madagascar Hat Company.
Previously Worn: This believe this hat is new
Beatrice Borromeo, who will join the Monaco royal family this summer when she weds Pierre Casiraghi, wore an exquisite cream picture hat with a short, domed crown and a wide cartwheel brim. The unembellished hat gained all of its ‘wow’ factor from the sweeping shape and different textures of straw on the crown and brim, proving again that a royal hat doesn’t always need huge blooms or plumes to make a grand statement. It was my favourite hat of the day.

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Beatrice Boromeo, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats
Designer: unknown. It is similar to several hats in Philip Treacy’s SS 2015 collection
Previously Worn: This believe this hat is new
Princess Charlene’s mother, Lynnette Wittstock, topped her demure oyster suit with a cream cocktail hat. The straw pillbox base of this piece supported a large waved circle of striped crin which was further trimmed by a large silk rose and cream feathers.

Lynette Wittstock, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

 Princess Charlene’s sister-in-law Chantell Witstock (below left) also wore a cream percher hat with large silk flower trim and feathers while her brother Gareth’s partner Roisin Galvin wore a pale grey feathered headpiece.

Chantell Wittstock and Roisin Galvin, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

The only other royal guests who attended the christening were Prince Albert’s close friends, the Duke and Duchess of Castro, Prince Charles and Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two-Sicilies. Princess Camilla, who can never be considered a wallflower when it comes to fashion, topped her electric blue and white checker board jacket with a coordinating cocktail hat. The blue-based hat was trimmed with a large spray of white silk flowers and three vertical feather spines dyed in the same electric blue as her ensemble. All I can say is that in the sea of pale-hued royal hats at this event, this getup certainly stands out.

You can watch the entire event below- I especially recommend five minutes starting at 1:53 after the service for some adorable interaction between the babies and a good view of Princess Charlene’s hat.

Which hats stood out to you at this very happy event?

Photos from Getty as indicated; Eric Gaillard / Reuters; and Monaco Info

British Royals Continue VE Day Anniversary Celebrations

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VE Day Anniversary Celebrations continued in Great Britain this weekend with the Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attending a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey this morning. The Queen repeated a navy straw hat with slanted crown, wrapped in a wide band of straw that knotted loosely at the front. The last time we saw this hat, it was trimmed with a large pink silk rose– as you can see today, the trim has been switched out with a pair of white silk lilies.

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images

Designer: Angela Kelly. Coat and dress are Karl Ludwig Couture
Previously Worn: October 21, 2014
The Duchess of Cornwall repeated her ice blue picture hat with inverted edging, straw and crin bands around the crown, and a mass of flying straw and crin curled bow loops on the side. This hat is all about celebration, which made it a fitting choice for VE Day Commemoration, and Camilla continues to wear it so very well.

Designer: Philip Treacy. 
Previously Worn: September 21, 2014; June 18, 2014

The Countess of Wessex was in the Channel Islands on Saturday, attending a military parade and outdoor service in Guernsey and a Liberation ceremony in Jersey. For these events, she topped a vibrant green silk gazar dress with a black straw pillbox hat. According to the designer, the bespoke hat was trimmed with “vintage straw braid detail” which you can see in greater detail here. The hat and dress had a distinctly retro 1950s vibe which felt so appropriate for this anniversary and looked fabulous on Sophie.

Designer: Jane Taylor. Dress by Suzannah
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Photos from Getty and Twitter as indicated

Dutch and Norwegian Royals Open Joint Exhibition

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Princess Beatrix joined and Queen Sonja in Oslo yesterday morning to open the exhibition “VanGogh + Munch” at the Munch Museum. For this joint engagement, she wore a charcoal grey metallic hat with flat brim and wide, upright band around the crown. The band gave the hat a slight hourglass shape and neatly concealed a pyramid-shaped crown. Princess Beatrix carries oddly shaped hats better than most but when it comes to these pyramid shaped crowns, I think concealment is best.

 Princess Beatrix, May 8, 2015 | Royal Hats    Princess Beatrix, May 8, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown. My guess is Emy Hill
Previously Worn: unconfirmed

Queen Sonja used this occasion to début a new turquoise suit and matching hat. The wool hat, a rounded version of a pillbox, was simply trimmed with a wide monochrome stripe and back bow, presumably in the same fabric as Sonja’s peplum jacket and skirt. I would prefer the lines on this pillbox to be sharper (it’s headed far too close to helmet territory) but the colour is wonderful and I’m happy to see Queen Sonja veer away from her go-to bowlers and cloche hats. 

   Queen Sonja, May 8, 2015 | Royal Hats    Queen Sonja, May 8, 2015 | Royal Hats

Queen Sonja, May 8, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I suspect this is a new hat

It’s always fun to see joint royal engagements where those involved are clearly enjoying their time together. What did you think of this pair of hats yesterday in Oslo?

Photos from ANP, Dagbladet and NTB Scanpix via The Royal House of Norway

Norwegian Royals Take Part in VE Day Commemorations

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Yesterday’s 70th anniversary of VE Day saw numerous commemoration events across Europe. In Norway, Princess Astrid attended a memorial for seamen lost during WWII at the monument to their honour in Oslo. For this event, she wore a jaunty white straw pillbox hat trimmed with feathers and a net veil.

Princess Astrid, May 8, 2015 | Royal Hats

King Harald attended a commemoration ceremony at Akershus Fortress and opened an exhibition on the War Cross, the highest Norwegian military decoration.

King Harald, May 8, 2015 | Royal Hats

The Norwegian court also shared a 70 year old photograph of the royal family’s return to their homeland after the war. The photo, taken June 7, 1945, shows King Haakon, Princess Märtha, young Princess Astrid, future King Harald, future King Olav V and Princess Ragnhild (behind Prince Olav). It’s a poignant moment in Norwegian royal history.

King Haakon and the Norwegian Royal Family, June 7, 1945 | Royal HatsPhotos from Terje Pedersen / NTB scanpix and Scanpix Archives via The Royal House of Norway

Queen Elizabeth Lights First VE Day Anniversary Beacon

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Queen Elizabeth was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of York and Princess Beatrice last night at Windsor Castle  to light a beacon marking the 70th anniversary of VE Day (three beacons were lit at the castle followed by 200 more across the UK). For this important anniversary, the Queen repeated a pale blue triangular hat with tall white feather trim. The ski slope shaped crown on the hat is an unusual shape for the Queen and it makes for an interesting millinery change. Less interesting is the colour- pale grey isn’t the best shade for Her Majesty and that makes this hat and coat ensemble fall flat for me.

Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: January 27, 2013; November 27, 2012

What did you think of the Queen’s interesting grey hat last night?

Photos from Getty as indicated and Mark Kerrison via Corbis