This Week’s Extras

Posted on October 10, 2015 by Royal Hats

Royal Hats

Empress Michiko repeated two saucer hats during a visit to Oita last weekend (Imperial Family of Japan blog)

Princess Akiko was in Wakayama last Sunday to take in part of the 70th Japanese National Sports Festival (Imperial Family of Japan blog)

During their visit to Dalarna, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia kept warm in knit hats adorned with a Swedish folk motif (Swedish Royal Court)

Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, October 6, 2015 | Royal Hats

View image | gettyimages.com

Royal Hats

The British Monarchy marked national poetry day with a recording of the Prince of Wales reading Fern Hill by Dylan Thomas. You can listen to it here.

New formal portraits of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie were released (The Danish Monarchy)

Wonder what the British Royal Family was up to this week? Here are some quick video highlights (The British Monarchy)

Photo from Albert Nieboer/dpa/Corbis

Hat From the Past

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Royal Hats

Royal Hats The late Duchess of Windsor at a millinery show in Paris on this day in 1952. I suspect many of us would give our eye teeth to attend such an event!

View image | gettyimages.com

Photo from Getty as indicated

Dutch Monarchs Remember Mining Past

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Royal Hats

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were Kerkrade today to commemorate 50 years since the closing of mines in this region. For this visit, Queen Máxima repeated a small fascinator of black silk rosettes, ecru feathers and a small black birdcage net tulle veil. It has been several years since she last wore this piece and I thought its pairing today with her high necked dress, flowing hairstyle and black accessories worked very well. Fascinators get a bad wrap (and do not find much popularity among readership here!) but this interesting piece addeds a wonderful final touch to Máxima’s ensemble. In the end, that’s a millinery job well done.

View image | gettyimages.com

Queen Máxima, October 8, 2015 | Royal Hats

View image | gettyimages.com

Designer: Laura Noetinger.
Previously Worn: April 13, 2011; May 4, 2009

Photos from Getty as indicated and Patrick van Katwijk/dpa/Corbis

Swedish Monarchs Arrive in Lithuania for State Visit

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Royal Hats

King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia arrived in Lithuania this morning to begin a two day state visit at the invitation of President Dalia Grybauskaite. For the official welcoming this morning and visits at the Presidential Palace and the Seimas (Lithuanian Parliament), Queen Silvia wore a red felt calot hat trimmed with three small fabric flowers on the left side. Paired with a red coat, scarf and shoes, the ensemble seemed boringly one note until Queen Silvia removed the coat and it suddenly made sense. Her red and blue silk dress is the star and this small red hat set it off well.

View image | gettyimages.com

Queen Silvia, October 6, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unconfirmed
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new.

Photos from Getty as indicated and Bu Peng/Xinhua Press/Corbis

Danish Opening of Parliament

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Royal Hats

The Danish Royal Family gathered together yesterday in Copenhagen to witness the official opening of Parliament. Queen Margrethe led her family at this annual event with a repeat of her red felt hat trimmed in bands of the same tweed as her suit. While it’s a serviceable enough working ensemble and Margrethe wears such classic millinery shapes well, I was disappointed not to see a new hat for the Queen at this high profile event.

Queen Margrethe, October 6, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: November 18, 2014; May 4, 2014; March 13, 2013; November 14, 2013

Crown Princess Mary set off a beautiful silver lace pencil skit with a black tunic, accessories and her much worn black felt calot hat. In an unexpected move, she added new life to the piece with spray of large felt leaves and feathers added to the side. It’s a brilliant move to rejuvenate an old hat and I thought the piece was elevated by the addition.

Crown Princess Mary, October 6, 2015 in Susanne Juul | Royal Hats

Designer: Susanne Juul
Previously Worn: May 4, 2015; April 8, 2015; May 9, 2014; November 8, 2012; November 7, 2011

Princess Marie repeated the purple felt hat she unveiled back in March for the Dutch state visit. The piece, which has a similar feel to a fedora (but without the distinctive pinches at the the top of the crown that characterize a fedora), is a fantastic shape, scale and colour for Marie and she wears it very well.

Princess Marie, October 6, 2015 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: March 17, 2015

Princess Benedikte was the only member of the family to début a new hat. In sky blue felt, her hat included the pinched crown of a fedora, the indented top of a Pork Pie and the sharply upfolded diagonal brim of a ‘slice’. With so much going on with the shape of this piece, the designer did well to leave the hat unembellished and Princess Benedikte paired it beautifully with a streamlined beige coat, charcoal accessories and blue jewels. It’s an interesting hat that looks wonderful on her.

Princess Benedikte, October 6, 2015 | Royal Hats Princess Mary and Princess Benedikte, October 6, 2015 | Royal Hats