Monthly Archives: December 2015

Belgian Monarchs Attend Mass in Mechelen

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On Saturday, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited St. Rumbold’s Cathedral in Mechelen to take part in an installation mass for new Archbishop Jozef De Kesel. For the event, Queen Mathilde repeated a calot hat with domed, pointed crown wrapped with flying ribbon tails around the bottom curve. The textured black fabric covering this hat has small dimples that lend a subtle sparkle and lovely texture to the piece. I have always liked this piece from the front (where it looks like a pillbox hat worn on the back of Mathilde’s head) but the pointed shape combined with it’s odd pairing on this occasion with a burgundy coat and indigo accessories make it a miss for me.

Queen Mathilde, December 12, 2015 | Royal Hats Queen Mathilde, December 12, 2015 | Royal Hats Queen Mathilde, December 12, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unconfirmed
Previously Worn: December 13, 2014; November 11, 2011; November 15, 2008

Photos from Stephanie Lecocq and Stephanie Lecocq via EPA; and EPA via HLN

Belated Birthday of Princess Masako

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Royal Hats Crown Princess Masako celebrated her 52nd birthday last Wednesday. As per tradition, she visited the Emperor and Empress at the Imperial Palace on this day, arriving in a new, pale blue silk brimless hat. While the shape is very simple (one cannot tell if it is a pillbox or a bumper), the colour is lovely.

Crown Princess Masako, December 9, 2015 | Royal Hats

As we send Princess Masako belated greetings, I thought it might be fun to pick up with our own birthday tradition here at Royal Hats and suggest what hats we would like to see her repeat in the year ahead. My pick for Masako is this a wonderful 1940s inspired, raspberry velvet and beaded beret cocktail hat that she wore back in December 1999. The shape is so interesting and the colour is just fantastic on her.

What hats would you like to see Princess Masako bring out of her millinery wardrobe for another outing?

Photo from Getty as indicated and Asahi Shimbun via Getty

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

Princess Mako of Akishino in a prim navy hat on her visit to Honduras (Monarchies of Asia and the Pacific)

The Duke of Cambridge visited Keogh Barracks in Aldershot to present the Government Ebola Medal for Service in West Africa to 160 deserving medical officers while his father attended the Sovereign’s Parade at Sandhurst (Getty)

Royal Hats

The Dutch King and Queen released a new photo of their daughters on the occasion of Princess Amalia’s 12th birthday (Vorsten)

Prince William fulfilled a promise to a young journalist and granted her a personal interview (Big Issue)

Big surprise to see the Duchess of Cambridge wearing a very familiar tiara to the annual Diplomatic reception at Buckingham Palace this week (Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor)

Fascinating television interview with Princess Madeleine and Chris O’Neil taped last month (Skavlan)

Great reviews of the royal fashion and glittering jewels worn for the Nobel Ceremonies. You can also see the gowns  and jewels from the King’s dinner last night here. (Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor, The Court Jeweller and Svenskdam)

And finally- Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques of Monaco celebrated their first birthday with a public party.