Monthly Archives: May 2016

British Royals Host Garden Party

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Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh hosted the second Buckingham Palace garden party of the season (see the first one here, hosted by Princess Alexandra). The Queen repeated a vibrant hat I am always happy to see make a return. In bright pink straw, this piece features a squared crown, upturned brim on one side and is trimmed with a trio of silk peonies. Such shades of pink can easily read as childish but the crisp lines and restrained trim of this design make it work. I have always thought it to be a marvellous hat on Her Majesty and I adore that she matched her lipstick to it.

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: May 28, 2014; July 4, 2012; October 25, 2011

The Countess of Wessex repeated a hat we first saw at Ascot last year. Today’s photo gives a better view of the piece, showing a cream straw beret base with striped crin brim folded up into flutes at the back. With grey and cream crin curls and a pair of black feathers for trim, the hat is a lavish piece that remains incredibly sophisticated thanks to a streamlined colour palate. Sophie has become such a force when it comes to royal millinery and this piece illustrates why.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: June 17, 2015

Princess Alexandra repeated the turquoise suit and matching hat she first wore at the Epsom races last summer. With a gently upswept brim on one side, a swath of net tulle resting on the brim, dark blue feather trim and a lower crown than most of her other hats, this remains a fantastic design for Alexandra and she wears it beautifully.

Embed from Getty Images

Designer: Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: June 6, 2015

The Duchess of Gloucester joined in today’s rainy festivities in her much loved navy straw beret. While I would love to see a few new pieces make their way into Brigitte’s closet, the streamlined design of this piece looks great on her and allows her jewellery to take centre stage.

Embed from Getty Images

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 16, 2015; March 26, 2015; June 29, 2013; June 17, 2013; June 4, 2013

Not to be outdone, the Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Gloucester looked most handsome in grey felt top hats while the Duke of York looked to be braving the bad weather in a black silk design.

Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images

The start of Buckingham Palace garden parties not only showcases wonderful hats, but indicates how close we are to the biggest of all royal hat events in mid June. What did you think of these repeated hats in London today?
Photos from Getty as indicated

Swedish Royals Welcome Chilean President

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The King and Queen of Sweden welcomed Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to the Royal Palace in Stockholm today for the start of a three day state visit. While I originally thought her bright coral pinks hat and suit were new, they have indeed been worn before (thanks Lex!)

Queen Silvia, May 10, 2016 | Royal Hats

The rounded calot hat is covered in the same textured fabric as her suit and trimmed simply with a multi-looped bow on the side. While the calot shape is very familiar to her, this shade is a more difficult one that not many can carry and I think Silvia wears it very well.

Queen Silvia, May 10, 2016 | Royal Hats   Queen Silvia, May 10, 2016 | Royal Hats

Queen Silvia, May 10, 2016 | Royal Hats   Queen Silvia, May 10, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: unconfirmed
Previously Worn: April 17, 2012

Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Sophia both suspended their maternity leaves to join in the official welcome. Princess Victoria topped a pink frock with her pale pinky-mauve headpiece of interlooped rings with huge silk bloom on the side (some of you will remember this piece from Princess Leonore’s christening where it made a sweet connection to the past). I adore this dramatic piece on Victoria and it’s pairing today with a simpler dress made showed it off, beautifully.

Crown Princess Victoria, May 10, 2016 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats   Crown Princess Victoria, May 10, 2016 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Victoria, May 10, 2016 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: June 8, 2014

Princess Sofia topped her simple cream dress with a cocktail hat in natural straw. With a flat base, the piece’s focus is entirely on its trim of multiple straw bow loops and a tall feather spine. During this first year of her royal life, we have seen Sofia in small fascinators and today’s cocktail hat is her first experiment with more substantial millinery. It’s a neutral piece but the shape and scale work well for Sofia and she wears it so wonderfully that I caught myself wishing she had worn it for the King’s birthday last weekend. The pop of colour brought to her ensemble by her shoes is a fun touch.

Princess Sofia, May 10, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: unconfirmed
Previously Worn: This hat is new

2016-05-10 Chilean state visit 3

In recent months, we’ve seen the Swedish Princesses favour fascinators and I was happy to see more substantial pieces of millinery top their elegant ensembles today. What do you think of this trio of Swedish royal hats?

Photos by Getty as indicated; Stella Pictures; IBL, IBL, and IBL

Princess Alexandra Opens Care Home

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Last Thursday, Princess Alexandra was in Salisbury to open the Avonbourne Care Centre. For this event, she topped a colourful woven jacket with a tall-crowned hat in heathered lilac straw. The gently sloping brim on this piece is wrapped in a swath of widely woven net tulle, also in lilac, which gives softness to the piece. On its own, I would prefer the hat in a slightly more saturated colour but its grey undertone does well to balance (and, dare I say tone down) the bright jacket.

Princess Alexandra, May 5, 2016 | Royal Hats

Princess Alexandra, May 5, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: unconfirmed but very likely Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new. While very close to this blue hat, the two are different. 

This is a bolder ensemble than we’re used to seeing Princess Alexandra wear. I’m curious, dearest readers – what do you think of this new hat?

Photos from The British Monarchy

Seeing Double: Queen Máxima

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Royal HatsWhen I first saw Queen Máxima’s mushroom brimmed hat at Koningsdag this year, I thought it was the same hat that she wore to open Papageno House in Laren last summer. At first glance, the two hats look the same, except for the sash around the crown (something simple to alter) and the slight difference in hue between the pastel shades (something easily impacted by lighting conditions).

If you take a close look at these two pieces, you’ll see subtle differences in shade, shape and scale. Notice how the Koningsdag hat is a pale lilac (as opposed to a pale dusty pink) and the brim is a touch wider with a less rounded curve on the mushroom shape of the brim?

Queen Máxima, August 26, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats    Queen Máxima, August 26, 2015 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Queen Máxima opening Papageno House, August 26, 2015

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously worn: Both hats were new at these events
With so many similarities between these two hats, you might wonder why Máxima commissioned a new one. From a video released from the designer, we know that the Koningsdag hat was custom matched to the background colour of her skirt (Máxima’s only other purple hat would have clashed terribly) and I can only imagine this retro shape was chosen again to compliment the 1950s lines of Máxima’s skirt and twin set. When we see other royals in twin hats, I’m often left scratching my head as to why they purchased two but this pair, thanks to Fabienne Delvigne’s video release, seems to make sense.
I am always fascinated to see such similar hats within one hat closet and – what do you think of this pair?
Photos from Getty as indicated; Patrick van Katwijk, and Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

Zara Phillips Tindall is looking great competing at the Badminton Horse Trials this week (Daily Mail)

Royal Ascot has collaborated with eight milliners on an collection of one off headpieces. Read more about it here.

Herta Graves, former hatmaker to British royals, passed away this week (Telegraph). Speaking of royal milliners- those of you lucky enough to be in London might want to catch milliner Stephen Jones speaking at the London School of Fashion on May 16. Tickets are free and you can register here.

Princess Alexandra, who is Royal Honorary Colonel of The Royal Yeomanry, presented the group with a Guidon at Buckingham Palace yesterday. Her repeated blue staw hat (you’ll see a better view of it at a previous outing here) is by Rachel Trevor Morgan

Infanta Elena donned a straw fedora hat to join King Juan Carlos and Princess Victoria for the Mutua Madrid Open Tennis Tournament on May 3

Royal Hats

The Court Jeweller has great coverage of the Met Gala this week, which was attended by Queen Rania of Jordan and Charlotte Casiraghi.

Prince Henrik showed his youthful spirit, enjoying amusement park rides at Tivoli Park in Copenhagen (Paris Match)

Sweet photo of the new Prince of Bhutan (Yellow Bhutan)