Another one of the hats included in the Holyrood House section of this year’s three-part exhibition on Queen Elizabeth’s fashion is a green silk chiffon turban with ostrich feather trim, designed by Frederick Fox.
While I have not been able to find photos of this hat in action, it follows a similar formula of millinery design that Fox and the Queen’s other milliners followed in the late 1960s and 1970s using a turban shape and trailing embellishment down the back. It’s a time-rooted style that doesn’t translate well to present day but became a signature millinery look for Her Majesty during this era. If forced to choose a favourite here, my vote is with the Fox design displayed above. I think the combination of gossamer light feathers and smooth silk chiffon makes a more elegant and much less clunky design than the fussier ones below.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
What do you think of this hat design, now that we’ve had a closer look?
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
It’s lovely, but I REALLY love the dark green one! In contrast, the yellow beehive one is quite hideous!
My money is on this hat, from February 18, 1979 in Saudi Arabia. The fringe is not seen, but it would match HM’s fringe in the outfit.
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/the-queen-diplomatically-dressed-in-a-long-dress-and-turban-style-hat-picture-id52105170?s=594×594
Hmmm…. I think these two are certainly from the same hat block but the colour looks different to me. The Saudi Arabian hat also doesn’t have any sign of the feather plume. My guess is that these two are hat twins.
Another view of the velvet hat (my fave too) showing the outfit in its entirety. Note the platform heels.
Could the hat below be the featured chiffon-and-feather hat, with its tassel shortened and repositioned for more conventional re-use? the hat HM wore in Saudi Arabia in 1979 is very similar – note that HM’s ostrich-trimmed chiffon scarf appears to be attached to the back of her hat! The sheer no-holds-barred inventiveness of HM’s hats in this era never ceases to amaze me.
I am aware of the apparent colour difference of the Saudi hat, but I think that the press flashlights of the time may be the cause.
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/queen-elizabeth-ll-wearing-a-turban-style-hat-arrives-to-meet-king-picture-id530137470
http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/queen-elizabeth-ll-wearing-a-turban-style-hat-meets-king-khalid-a-picture-id530137382?s=594×594
indeed different times, having said that, she looks good in all hats.
Some designs stand the test of time better than others, and I don’t really find these particularly flattering. But 45 years from one people may look at some of the comments now made online and roll their eyes at us. I agree with Mr. Fitzroy, however, that the concentric-circle beehive is interesting.
The various pictures of the green tam o’shanter show clearly what happens when a (supposedly) matching hat is made out of different material from the rest of the outfit: in some lights colors go, in others they clash.
Thank you again for all these discussions of hats displayed this summer.
Nope – I never thought this look ‘translated’ well even back in the 60s and 70s when she was into her turban phase.
I love the green tam o’shanter hat; thank you for adding the extra photos.
Agree with MrFitzroy about the papal tiara/ancient Egyptian piece! Unique! And I also agree with the writer who loved the last, the forest green velvet (?) hat–just a lovely hat, very flattering in color and shape to HM. From this angle, almost an elaborate tam. I’d love to see the rest of it!
Here are some additional views of the green tam o’shanter hat:
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Thank you HatQueen, for a little chuckle this morning. So many of these look like motorcycle helmets wrapped with scarves….it creates a little mental image of Her Majesty climbing onto a vintage Triumph and zooming away, trim trailing behind her,.. that is most amusing.
The ‘beehive’ with concentric rings, however, is not a hat that MrFitzroy was familiar with. It really seems evocative of a Pope’s triple tiara, or something worn by ancient Egyptian royalty. From the balance of the outfit, it appears this one was worn a bit further into the 70’s. It certainly must qualify as one of her most unique hats (among so many unique hats!).
For the period in which it was worn, I think it is quite lovely. I’m not fond of the other ones except for the last one, the green velvet. There is something very “royal” about it.