Inventory: Duchess of Cornwall’s Blue Hats

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Royal Hats

We might not immediately think of the Duchess of Cornwall as a hat wearer of diverse styles but looking through the numerous hats she has worn in all shades of blue, you may be surprised. Here they are, in the order in which they were introduced:

1. 2005-07-10 2.Embed from Getty Images 3.Embed from Getty Images
Designer: all are Philip Treacy
Introduced: July 10, 2005; October 23, 2005; December 25, 2005;

4.Embed from Getty Images 5.Embed from Getty Images 6.Embed from Getty Images
Designer: all are Philip Treacy
Introduced: March 13, 2006, June 17, 2007; October 12, 2007

7.Embed from Getty Images 8.Embed from Getty Images 9. 2008-05-17 Peter Phillips wedding
Designer: all are Philip Treacy
Introduced: December 10, 2007; April 28, 2008; May 17, 2008

10.Embed from Getty Images 11.Embed from Getty Images 12.Embed from Getty Images
Designer: all are Philip Treacy
Introduced: June 18, 2008; December 25, 2008; December 1, 2009

13.Embed from Getty Images 14.Embed from Getty Images 15.Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Lock & Co; Philip Treacy; Philip Treacy
Introduced: May 10, 2011; March 20, 2012; May 21, 2012

16.Embed from Getty Images 17.Embed from Getty Images 18.Embed from Getty Images
Designer: all are Philip Treacy
Introduced: June 4, 2013; May 19, 2014; June 18, 2014

19. 2015-05-12 BP Garden Party 20.
Designer: both are Philip Treacy
Introduced: May 12, 2015; July 5, 2015

UPDATE: Camilla has added the following blue hats since this post was published:

21. 22. 23.
Designer: all are Philip Treacy
Introduced: October 23, 2018; June 19, 2019; Jun 15, 2021

That is an astounding twenty blue hats worn in nearly eleven years of royal life! I suppose with her blonde hair and blue eyes, it’s no surprise that Camilla has turned to blue as a go-to colour. I suspect the first six hats have all been retired (possibly along with #7, #9 and #12) but that leaves eleven hats still in use. I adore the colour of #14 (with updated non-sausage trim it would be a knockout) and the exquisite trim on #18; while I would like to see #3 again, I’m happy to that #2, with its Star Trek vibe, is no longer in service.

There are numerous hats for us to talk about here, dearest readers, and I can’t wait for you to weigh in.

Photos from Daniel Berehulak, Anwar Hussein, John Stillwell, Mark Cuthbert, Chris Jackson, Max Mumby/Indigo, Max Mumby/Indigo and Max Mumby/Indigo via Getty

Day Two of Japanese Imperial Visit to Philippines

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Royal Hats

The Imperial royal couple continued their visit to Philippines today, visiting the Tomb of the Fallen Soldiers, laying a wreath at the monument to Philippine national hero Jose Rizal and receiving a ymbolic key of Manila from Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada. For these events, Empress Michiko looked characteristically serene in a large white saucer hat with domed crown and wide rim, decorated with exquisite gray-green silk flowers and leaves. It’s a beautifully delicate piece (even while being one of the Empress’ larger hats) that Michiko wears so very well.

Embed from Getty Images

Designer: Likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Photos from Getty as indicated

German Princess Launches Book

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Royal Hats

Princess Gloria Von Thurn Und Taxis was in Paris today for a signing of her recently released book. True to her characteristically edgy style, she wore an exaggerated brown variation on a Newsboy cap designed by Pierre Cardin. While I could call the inflated round body of the hat ridiculous and cartoonish, I think the photos speak for themselves.

Embed from Getty Images

Gloria’s over the top fashion made her a style icon of the 1980s (see here, here, here and here) so it’s really no surprise to see her pushing style boundaries now. Thanks to reader Hovikirjeenvaihtaja for passing along these most amusing photos to share!

Photos from Getty as indicated

Inventory: Queen Máxima’s Blue Hats

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Royal Hats

Before January disappears, I want to try and fit in several more blue hat wardrobe inventories. Today, we’re venturing into the depths of Queen Máxima’s closet. As one of the most frequent hat wearing royals around today, you might expect there to be a number of blue hats in Máxima’s history but amazingly, there are just four:

1. 2.Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Designers: both are Fabienne Delvigne
Introduced: February 27, 2007; October 31, 2011

3. 4.

Designers: both are unknown
Introduced: June 25; 2013; November 8, 2013

UPDATE: The Dutch Queen must have heard our call for more blue hats (!), adding several more since this post was originally published.

5.Embed from Getty Images 6.Embed from Getty Images 7.Embed from Getty Images
Designers: Fabienne Delvigne; Fabienne Delvigne; unconfirmed (likely Jan Taminau)
Introduced: May 20, 2016; Oct 3, 2016; April 27, 2017;

8.Embed from Getty Images 9.Embed from Getty Images 10.
Designers: J. Crew; Fabienne Delvigne; unknown
Introduced: Nov 30, 2017; July 2, 2018; Dec 12, 2018

Even with recent additions, I am surprised to find so few pieces on the blue shelf of Máxima’s millinery closet. These designs are varied, certainly, but are less than half of the blue hats worn by both Queen Mathilde and the Countess of Wessex (even the Duchess of Cambridge has considerably more!). I suppose we can only surmise that when it comes to blue, this orange queen is not such a fan.

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

Princess Beatrix Celebrates Interfaith Initiative

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Royal Hats

On Monday, Princess Beatrix was in Utrecht to take part in the 10th anniversary celebration of the interfaith network, Freedom Connected. For this event, she repeated a navy straw bumper hat adorned with shiny braided trim wrapped around the crown and extended down in three stripes on the back of the brim. It’s a fairly standard hat shape and size for Princess Beatrix, given a little variation on this outing by a hat pin that was pushed in a little too far, leaving a rounded indent on the side of the hat.

Princess Beatrix, January 25, 2016 in Suzanne Moulijn | Royal Hats