Best New Royal Hat of 2015: Monaco, Greece, Dubai and Qatar

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While many of you are eagerly awaiting this year’s new millinery from the British royal family, we must first peek at hats from Monaco, Greece, Dubai and Qatar. Some of this year’s most luxurious hats were worn by princesses and sheikhas from these countries- click on any of the photos to jump back to original posts to see additional description and detail of the hats.

The hats with the most votes across this semifinal will move forward to a final poll. If you don’t think any of these hats are worthy of the title of Best of 2015, save your vote (or jump back to vote again for hats from Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands or Luxembourg and Norway). You can vote for multiple hats up to four times per day so please, get voting!

Princess Charlene of Monaco and Princess Caroline of Hanover and Monaco

1.Princess Charlene, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats  2.Princess Charlene, November 19, 2015 in Akris | Royal Hats  3.Princess Caroline, May 10, 2015 in The Madagascar Hat Company | Royal Hats  4.Princess Caroline, August 1, 2015 | Royal Hats

Beatrice Borromeo and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece

5.Beatrice Boromeo, May 10, 2015 | Royal Hats  6.Beatrice Borromeo, November 19, 2015 | Royal Hats  7.Princess Marie-Chantal, June 18, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan, Sheikha of Dubai and Sheikha Mozah of Qatar

8.Princess Haya in Philip Treacy, June 16, 2015 | Royal Hats  9.Princess Haya, June 16, 2015 in Philip Treacy. Suit by Chanel | Royal Hats  10.Sheikha Mozah, August 8, 2015 | Royal Hats

Do you think any of these hats deserve to be named best royal hat of the year? Cast your vote below. Voting will remain open until January 1, 2016.

Best New Royal Hat of 2015: Netherlands

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We are half way through narrowing down contenders for the Best New Royal Hat of 2015!  Turning our focus to The Netherlands today, we have thirteen more millinery finalists that cover a rainbow of colours and styles. To streamline the poll, I have omitted a number of less memorable hats (links are provided below). Click on any of the photos to jump back to original posts to see additional description and detail of the hats.

The hats with the most votes across this semifinal will move forward to a final poll. If you don’t think any of these hats are worthy of the title of Best of 2015, save your vote (or jump back to vote again for hats from Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, or Luxembourg and Norway).

Queen Máxima (not including this and this brown calot, pleated red turban, grey calot, and brown slice hat)

1.Queen Máxima, February 5, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats  2.Queen Máxima, March 18, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne| Royal Hats  3.Queen Máxima, April 27 in Fabienne Delvgine | Royal Hats  4.Queen Máxima, May 19, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

5.Queen Máxima, May 20, 2015 | Royal Hats  6.Queen Máxima, August 26, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats  7.Queen Máxima, September 15, 2015 in Jan Taminiau | Royal Hats  8.Queen Máxima, November 8, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Princess Beatrix (not including this charcoal grey hat) and Princess Laurentien 

9.Princess Beatrix, September 8, 2015 | Royal Hats 10.Princess Beatrix, September 23, 2015 in Suzanne Moulijn | Royal Hats 11.Princess Beatrix, October 2, 2015 | Royal Hats 12.Princess Beatrix, November 27, 2015 | Royal Hats 13.Princess Laurentien, September 15, 2015 in Eudia | Royal Hats

Do you think any of these hats deserve to be named best royal hat of the year? Cast your vote below. Voting will remain open until January 1, 2016- you can vote for multiple hats once per day.

Imperial Royals Celebrate Emperor’s Birthday

Members of Imperial Family gathered at the Imperial Palace today to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday. For their annual appearance on the balcony, the princesses of the family all sported brimless hats.

Imperial Royal Family, December 23, 2015 | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Masako wowed in a cranberry velvet beaded cocktail hat that she has not worn since 1999! After hoping she would bring it out again, I am thrilled to see the vibrant 1940s styled piece again. It’s a beautiful colour on her and it’s great fun to see an Imperial royal hat with a bit of sparkle.

Crown Princess Masako, December 23, 2015 | Royal Hats

Princess Kiko wore a citrus green silk covered hat with bumper brim and rounded crown. Unlike the similarly hued hat she wore earlier this year this one is entirely covered in the same patterned silk jacquard as her gown.

Princess Masako, and others celebrating Emperor Akihitos 82nd birthday at the Imperial Palace

Princess Mako and Princess Kako followed their mother’s lead in a pair of pale gold and pink bumper hats. Both hats are covered in the same patterned silk as the princess’ gowns and decorated with demure bow and floral trims. While conservative in style, the colour makes for a lovely contrast with the young princess’ dark hair.

Princess Mako and Princess Kako, December 23, 2015 | Royal HatsPrincess Kako, December 23, 2015 | Royal Hats

It is always lovely to see the Imperial family together. I was thrilled to see Crown Princess Masako in a vibrant hat- which one stood out as your favourite?

Photos from Asahi and Aflo/Splash News via Corbis

Best New Royal Hat of 2015: Sweden

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After looking at the royal hats that premiered this year in Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and Norway,  we turn our focus to Sweden today.  If any of the hats you see here are, in your opinion, among the best new royal hats of 2015, case your vote below! To streamline the poll, I have omitted a number of less memorable hats and fascinators (links are provided below). Click on any of the photos to jump back to original posts to see additional description and detail of the hats.

A note about voting- the hats with the most votes across this semifinal will move forward to the final face off. If you don’t think any of these hats are worthy of the title of Best of 2015, save your vote or take another look at hats from Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and Norway. The next poll will be up on tomorrow.

Queen Silvia (not including calot hats in white, turquoise, red and dark teal)

1.Queen Silvia, April 16, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats   2.Queen Silvia, May 17, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats   3.Queen Silvia, May 31, 2015 | Royal Hats   4.Queen Silvia, October 11, 2015 in Kerstin Carlefalk | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Victoria (not including fascinators here and here)

5.Crown Princess Victoria, May 17, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats   6.Crown Princess Victoria, May 27, 2015 in Borsalino | Royal Hats   7.Crown Princess Victoria, May 31, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats   8.Crown Princess Victoria, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Princess Madeleine

9.Princess Madeleine, May 17, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats  10.Princess Madeleine, September 15, 2015 | Royal Hats   11.Princess Madeleine, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Princess Sofia and Countess Marianne Bernadotte  (this and this fascinator have been omitted)

12.2015-05-17 royal wedding bans 2  13.Princess Sofia, October 11, 2015 in Malinda Damgaard | Royal Hats  14.2015-10-11 Prince Nicolas Christening 10

Looking at this array of hats makes me conclude it has been a good year for royal millinery in Sweden! Are any of these pieces worthy of your vote for best new royal hat of the year? Cast your vote below. Voting will remain open until January 1, 2016- you can vote for multiple hats once per day.

Best New Royal Hat of 2015: Luxembourg and Norway

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After looking at the royal hats worn by Belgian and Danish royals in our quest to find the Best New Royal Hat of 2015, we turn our attention today to entries from Luxembourg and Norway. While even the monarchs in these two nations are not frequent hat wearers, there were a number of new pieces that the Grand Duchess, Queen and other princesses débuted this year. I have continued my editorial hand here, omitting a number of hats (the Grand Duchess’ two pillboxes here and here; Princess Claire’s spiky cocktail hat and Princess Alexandra’s headband; Princess Mette-Marit’s fascinator and these funeral hats) from the pollfor streamlining purposes. Click on any of the photos to jump back to original posts to see additional description and detail of the hats.

A reminder that the hats with the most votes across this semifinal will move forward to the final face off. If you don’t think any of these hats are worthy of the title of Best of 2015, save your vote (or take another look at the Belgian or Danish polls).  The next poll will be up tomorrow.

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Princess Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

  1.Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, June 23, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats   2.Princess Stèphanie, June 17, 2015 | Royal Hats   3.Princess Stèphanie, June 23, 2015 | Royal Hats

Princess Claire and Princess Tessy of Luxembourg

4. Princess Claire, June 23, 2015 | Royal Hats  5.Princess Tessy, June 23, 2015 | Royal Hats

Queen Sonja of Norway

 6.Queen Sonja, March 18, 2015 | Royal Hats   7.Queen Sonja, April 10, 2015 | Royal Hats   8.Queen Sonja, May 17, 2015 | Royal Hats

9.Queen Sonja, May 27, 2015 | Royal Hats  10.Queen Sonja, September 23, 2015 | Royal Hats   11.Queen Sonja, December 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

Are any of these hats deserving of the title of Best New Royal Hat of 2015? Voting will remain open until January 1, 2016- you can vote for multiple hats once per day.