Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh attended Sunday Service this morning at the church of St. Peter and St. Paul West Newton in Norfolk. Following the service, the Queen embarked on a walk-about to accept congratulations on the eve of her Sapphire Jubilee (at the time of publishing, Her Majesty has made history as the first British monarch to reach 65 years on the throne). For this event, she repeated her familiar pale aqua hat with punchy black velvet trim and black feather dahlia flowers on the side.
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: October 13, 2016; January 12, 2014; May 11, 2013; January 20, 2013; November 28, 2012; April 9, 2009
Previously Worn: October 13, 2016; January 12, 2014; May 11, 2013; January 20, 2013; November 28, 2012; April 9, 2009
The sharp colour scheme of this hat and coat makes it a winner in my book and I loved that for this anniversary, our favourite royal symbol of continuity chose a very familiar hat. Your thoughts?
Photos from Getty as indicated
It’s a beautiful, flattering hat. I love that she didn’t feel the need to come up with something new for the occasion.
I particularly like the black detailing of the coat collar, looks very nice and is a little different for HM. I rewatched ‘The Queen at 90’ last night and thoroughly enjoyed it, all over again … I picked up that HM’s posture has changed and that her neck is now often extended forward a little, which is why I would like to see this hat taken out of the rota. The brim seems to be pushing her down somehow.
I think this is a very successful hat in terms of impact and colour combination. It looks a little sloppily executed to me, though, in that the three bands around the crown are not the same width (and appear to taper under the trim), but they aren’t different enough to look intentional! They just look like three bands that were intended to be the same but aren’t quite.
I wonder if that could be from handling. The hat has been around for several years and may have been brushed or tweaked a little?
Very appropriate to wear the blue to signal her Sapphire Jubilee. Her Majesty looks lovely!
HQ:
You’re correct, as always . . . Optical illusion!
However, her pin pops out better on the black collar, from 2009.
I failed to mention earlier this morning what a great color she had on yesterday – the day before sapphire!
Not as always! I had to do the side-by-side comparison below because the photo you shared really stumped me!
I did this comparison the last time the hat was worn, but never got around to posting it. I’m convinced the brim was slightly reduced.
http://s258.photobucket.com/user/baxterb514/media/Untitled-1fg_zpswt1dsepc.jpg.html
I think you’re right, Baxter- it looks just barely smaller. It’s such a slight change, hardly worth all the effort it would have taken!
It’s a quick repeat from last October, but I think this outfit remains one of my favorites. Limited to two colors (one of which, black, goes with her ever-present black accessories), this outfit allows for numerous uses of trim without going into the over-trimmed look, I think.

And here is the Queen with US President Richard Nixon in 1970. Recognize the purse?
Good eye, and great memory to have found it!
Either it’s an optical illusion, or HM’s hat brim was reduced after its first outing, on April 9, 2009!
The jury is still out as to its improvement!
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/85872140-queen-elizabeth-ii-leaves-the-royal-maundy-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=GkZZ8bf5zL1ZiijUmxa7QVA6ayb3QAyMGRMNVtJsACvLbVoIxEkhAjN9DBS9Kg5EENXXq2mEs%2bBI6FVrMxGVFg%3d%3d
I see what you mean. The angles in the photos are so different, though, that it’s hard to tell. Several RTM hats have had their rims reduced, of course. This brim was small enough to begin with.
I think I preferred its previous appearance, but I there may be other reasons for which HM had the brim reduced.
Hmmm… I wonder if this is an optical illusion and not a brim reduction. Here’s a side-by-side of this hat at its first outing April 9, 2009 and again yesterday. It sits at exactly the same spot on her eyebrows in both.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
The Queen looks great! This is a really nice outfit. The black accents are in a good balance on both the hat and coat. And I love when the coat is open at the neck to allow the Queen’s pearls to be fully shown.
Yes, this total look is just perfection! Love the shape of this hat and the gorgeous turquoise and black. Also, loving the Cullinan V brooch. Hard to believe it’s 65 years since she came to the throne – many congratulations, Your Majesty.
Perfect. One of HM’s best “black-and” outfits, in my opinion. The elements work beautifully to frame this neat hat; and I like how the black flower, placed on her right, offsets the brooch (hellOOO Cullinan V) and black handbag worn on her left.