Yearly Archives: 2015

Queen Máxima Opens International Museum Conference

Posted on by

Queen Máxima was at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam this morning to officially open the tenth Hands On! Conference hosted by the International Association of Children in Museums. For this event, she repeated her popular purple felt slice hat with upturned brim and ribbon trim around the crown. Máxima paired this reader’s favourite hat today with a matching purple coat (a new addition, I believe) and a bright pink leopard print sheath dress. While the hat and coat combination is sublime, there’s a disconnect between the spicy, summery dress and the more subdued, wintry hat that makes the pairing not work for me.

Belgian Monarchs Begin State Visit To Poland

Posted on by

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium arrived in Poland today for the start of a state visit. Their first engagement was an official welcome at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw by Polish President Andrzej Duda and First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda. As she often does on such high profile events, Queen Mathilde wore a new hat. In claret felt, the open crowned piece featured a wide brim that folded up on one side and was balanced by a pleat on the lower side. Looking closely at this piece, the shape very closely matches Queen Maxima’s purple hat (voted reader’s favourite in 2014), minus the crown. While I have become more accepting of open crowned hats in straw for summertime wear, this style in winter felt makes less sense. With a crown, I think this piece would be much improved.

Belgian state visit to Poland, October 13, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. 
Previously Worn: While Queen Mathilde has a similar hat in red, this hat is new
Photos from Getty as indicated and Krystian Dobuszynski/NurPhoto/Corbis

Christening of Prince Nicolas

Posted on by

Princess Madeleine of Sweden and her husband, Christopher O’Neill, brought their son Prince Nicolas to be christened today at the Drottningholm Palace Church. For this happy family occasion, Princess Madeleine wore a large headpiece of magenta silk flowers with a coordinating straw ribbon twist that threaded through the piece.

Princess Madeleine, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Princess Madeleine, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats    Princess Madeleine, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

 

Designer: Philip Treacy. Coat by Valentino
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

Princess Leonore was dressed up for her little brother’s big day in a headband with double side bow which coordinated with her lace trimmed grey linen dress.

Queen Silvia celebrated her first grandson with an all blue ensemble. Her exquisite coat and dress in cornflower blue silk  was topped with a silk-covered calot hat in the same hue. The hat is trimmed in monochrome feathers and a multi looped bow. While Queen Silvia has worn numerous calot hats this year, the colour of this piece is particularly beautiful on her and she looked wonderful in it.

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

Designer: Kerstin Carlefalk
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Princess Victoria topped her royal purple 1960s cut dress with an equally retro pillbox hat. The shape, scale and colour of this piece are so fantastic on the crown princess that I’m left hoping that she adds a few more pillboxes to her millinery closet, soon.

Crown Princess Victoria, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats    Crown Princess Victoria, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Princess Sofia unveiled another new fascinator for this event to top her magenta dress. In pale pink felt, this double bow was wrapped in dotted burgundy net veil. On its own, the headpiece leans toward twee but paired with this dress and her hair in ringlets, it’s an overload in pink sweetness.

Princess Sofia, October 11, 2015 in Malinda Damgaard | Royal Hats    Princess Sofia, October 11, 2015 in Malinda Damgaard | Royal Hats

 

Designer: Malinda Damgaard
Previously Worn: This fascinator is new.

Chris O’Neill’s mother Eva wore a grey felt percher cocktail hat trimmed in a mass of felt and silk curls. The base of the hat has exaggerated pinches that form it into a triangular shape that reminds me of a military cap. I thought the hat was shown off exceptionally well against Eva’s sleek blue coat, grey dress and charcoal accessories.

Eva O'Neill, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats    Eva O'Neill, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats

Chris’ sister, Countess Natascha Abensperg und Traun, who is one of Prince Nicolas’ godmothers, wore a large red floral headpiece that was anchored to her head with a band across her forehead. Natascha has worn dramatic hats to previous royal events (see here) but this one is several steps too far over the top for me. Chris’ other sister, Tatjana D’Abo, attended the event but photos of her have been difficult to find (feel free to post links in the comments, please!)

Countess Natascha Abensperg und Traun, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats Countess Natascha Abensperg und Traun, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats

Countess Marianne Bernadotte wore a natty little cream bowler hat trimmed with a golden brown ribbon around the base of the crown and a tulle veil. While simple, this small piece looked so stylish on the Countes, thanks to the rakish angle placed it on her head.

Countess Marianne Bernadotte, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats

And finally, Princess Christina’s daughter-in-laws Vicky Magnuson and Frida Bergström were both spotted in interesting millinery. Vicky wore a white disk saucer hat trimmed with white flowers and ribbons and navy edging around the piece. Frida wore a sage green flat headpiece of overlapping leaves, trimmed with faux jewels at the side.

Viky Magnuson and Frida Bergström, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats Frida Bergström, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats

Queen Máxima Marks Huurdersdag

Posted on by

Queen Máxima was in Utrecht today to join in Huurdersdag (National Renters Day) celebrations and the 25th anniversary of the National Tenant’s Association. For this event, she repeated a stylized black felt turban.

Queen Máxima, October 10, 2015 | Royal Hats  Queen Máxima, October 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

Photos taken today give us the best view we have seen so far of this piece and detail the moulded swirls that define its shape and create the cuff-like brim that folds around the raised side of the hat. It’s a simple hat that is complex in design and this contradiction makes it such an interesting piece. I’m just not sure that combining it with a haphazard chignon, a 1990s-esque plaid dress, a clunky pair of brooches and blue suede boots was such a good idea.

Queen Máxima, October 10, 2015 | Royal Hats  Queen Máxima, October 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

Queen Máxima, October 10, 2015 | Royal Hats  Queen Máxima, October 10, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: January 14, 2014; May 5, 2014;  May 4, 2012

Photos from Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis, Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis, Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis, Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis, Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis and Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis