The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge brought their new daughter, Princess Charlotte, to be christened this afternoon. The event, held at the the Church of Mary Magdalene which is on the royal estate at Sandringham, was an intimate family affair with numerous special touches. Princess Charlotte arrived in the same pram as was used more than fifty years by the Queen for her younger sons Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.
The Duchess of Cambridge wore a cream straw beret-base percher hat trimmed with a spray of silk blooms and straw ribbon twists. This hat, paired with a streamlined cream Alexander McQueen dress, followed the same monochrome approach that Kate established for Prince George’s christening, two years ago. There’s much to like about this hat- the proportion is great, the silk flowers are beautiful and Kate’s chignon works beautifully with it. While the hat on its own is beautiful, I thought the combination of colourless hat, dress and shoes was very elegant but disappointingly bland. Imagine this hat with a floral dress? It would have been perfect.
Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Queen Elizabeth hit just the right note in her pink picture hat with flat crown and brim, trimmed simply with a wide band around the base of the crown. This is a more austere millinery look for Her Majesty than we usually see on her but it works so beautifully with her collarless coat, buttoned high to reveal her printed pink silk dress. I thought it was the perfect choice for her great-granddaughter’s christening and absolutely adored the time she took after the ceremony to chat with Prince George.
Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: June 21, 2014
The Duchess of Cornwall wore a new hat and dress in a beautiful soft blue. Her straw hat was trimmed with a huge silk bloom on the side and a wide inverted stripe of edging around the brim. The brim, made slightly smaller than Camilla’s other hats, was upfolded high on one side to create a ‘slice’ diagonal brim across the front. With her silk pleated and dotted dress, the ensemble was soft, feminine and so very pretty on her.
Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Carole Milddleton, Kate’s mother, topped her dove grey coat with a saucer-shaped percher hat in the same shade. The hat, which featured a saucer-within-a-saucer in two types of grey straw, was trimmed in the same appliqué lace as on the lapel of Carole’s coat.
Designer: Jane Corbett. Dress and coat by Catherine Walker
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Philippa Milddleton followed here sister’s lead in a hat and dress in monochrome cream. The hat, a straw indented circular dish, was trimmed with feathers and organdie curled ribbon.
Designer: Jane Taylor. It is a bespoke piece, similar to the Nitra design. Dress by Emilia Wickstead.
Previously Worn: This hat is new
While he did not wear a hat, Prince George wore a replica of the outfit his father wore in September 1984 to visit his brand new baby brother, Prince Harry, at St. Mary’s Hospital. This royal wardrobe recycling is such a charming, personal touch, isn’t it?
While today’s event was not on a grand scale, there were a number of lovely hats. Which one stood out most to you?
Photos from Splash News, Splash News, Splash News, and Splash News via Corbis; and Getty as indicated
For the recent bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, Queen Máxima repeated a Fabienne Delvigne headpiece made of luminescent silver silk. The open topped headpiece, made of two padded and tapered U-shaped forms that create a ring around Máxima’s head, was met with lukewarm reception when she wore it first in October 2007 at Princess Arianne’s christening. Since then Queen Máxima has paired it with two other outfits, both in blue lace.
Over at the poll for 
Royal Hats 
