Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh opened the garden of Buckingham Palace today to host the final London garden party of the season. For this event, the Queen repeated her sky blue straw hat with stepped crown, raised brim and beautiful feather flower trim. I remain a great fan of this piece although I am rather curious about why the Queen repeated it so soon after last week’s appearance. Perhaps she loves it as much as we do?
Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: May 17, 2016; July 16, 2015; June 19, 2014
The Duke of Edinburgh looked smart in a grey wool top hat with sharply curved brim.
The Duke of Cambridge made his first ever garden party appearance in a traditional black silk top hat that I thought, looked very handsome on him. The Duchess repeated the ensemble she wore three years ago for Prince George’s christening. Her natural straw beret-based percher hat is trimmed with a widely woven ivory net veil and silk blooms. The large base of the piece makes it more substantial than many other perchers and the neutral palate works well with her beautiful ruffled suit.
Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: October 23, 2013
The York Princesses both used this occasion to début new percher hats. Princess Beatrice’s hat features a black beret base with twisting black crin brim that looked to end in a pleated fan at the back. The design is completed with a white silk rose which tied the piece nicely with Beatrice’s black and white dress. Princess Eugenie’s red straw hat follows a bumper shape with an indented centre and is trimmed with a stylised flower trim in white wire. We seldom see this kind of trim on royal hats and I thought it added a modern and creative touch that set off Eugenie’s printed dress very well. Both princesses chose rather bold, fashion-forward looks that I thought they each carried off with great style.
Designer of Princess Beatrice’s hat: Nerida Fraiman
Designer of Princess Eugenie’s hat: Sarah Cant. It is the ‘Sierra’ design from SS 2016
Previously Worn: both hats are new
The Duke of Gloucester wore a black silk top hat while the Duchess topped her pale blue coat dress with a matching bumper hat. Until now, Brigitte paired a different straw hat with this coat (see it here) and I prefer the smaller scale of this bumper design. It is a very simple hat but one that suits her well.
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new
The Duke of Kent, repeated his top hat in grey wool.
Today’s hats at Buckingham Palace made a rather colourful parade- what did you think of these designs?
Looking back 45 years ago today to a glorious green and blue feathered hat worn by the Queen Mum to the 1971 Chelsea Flower Show.
Royal Hats 