Princess Beatrix was in The Hague yesterday to unveil a memorial statue of Curacao born WWII resistance fighter George Maduro. For this event, she repeated her silver metallic straw boater hat with flat brim and crown trimmed with stacked navy and silver straw hatbands and a looped bow at the back. It’s the second time we’ve seen this piece and while grey is still not my favourite colour on Princess Beatrix, the crisp contrast of this colour scheme and sparkle of the metallic straw really works.
One commenter asked yesterday about the choice of straw hats for winter wear- what do you think of this hat worn at this time of year? Is it all right for straw to be worn year round or do you think royals should stick to more traditional rules (felt in winter, straw in summer) when it comes to millinery?
Photos from Getty as indicated; Koen van Weel via ANP; Philip Van Der Werf and Philip Van Der Werf via PPE
Royal Hats 
This is a fine hat in itself. But for this outfit I’d like a small felt hat with fur trim matching the Princess’s wrap.
Love this hat on Princess Beatrix! It’s a spectacular hat. Proportionate, balanced, good mix of dark neutrals, straight lines and curves. I like it. In summer, I would like it in other colors. She has worn two hats with a flat brim recently, instead of her giant bumpers. I like that too!
Overall, I am not fussed over the straw/felt summer/winter issue. Sometimes a hat will stand out for that reason and just look wrong. Usually, the other design elements override that expectation — like this time. This hat is perfect with her outfit, the fact that it is straw doesn’t bother me one bit.
I like this hat and I think the dark colors and the fairly heavy straw band make it look weighty enough for winter. Princess Beatrix looks fabulous and I love the spark of color on her eyelids. Thanks for sharing these pics!
I am so used to other formats for blogs, that I keep looking for the ‘upvote’ button when people beat me to it and say what I was going to say!
A tad off-topic, but with regards to colors on Princess Beatrix, I was looking at a retrospective recently, of the wedding of Willem-Alexander and Maxima. I took particular note of Beatrix’s hat on that occasion, and both color and design wise, I think hat was my favorite hat ever on her…….well, winter hat, anyway.
The hat has so many contrasts (in color, material, texture, shape with that looped bow) that it looks wonderful all year around, I think, and particularly good with a dark, rather monochrome outfit. I agree with Julie who said that Princess Beatrix’s hairstyle is a hat in itself and that putting a hat on top is something of a challenge. I’m glad that this hat is different from her usual bumper hats but yet still so close to her usual style.
I think it’s a splendid hat – just the right amount of texture and sparkle, hard and soft, straight edges and curl. The Queen’s hairstyle is a hat unto itself, so finding something to perch atop it must be a challenge. I do find the contrast of straw and fur a bit alarming, however, and side with the others who prefer more traditional fabric pairings.
The style definitely suits her more than the chunky hats she normally favours.
Another one for felt in winter and straw in summer. I recently tried a straw in chocolate brown with a coat that went well colourwise, swapped it for a less matching felt, it just felt better. Straw looks as if it shades than keeps the wearer warm.
I miss Beatrix in more color, but this is a good hat for her.
I too, have been perplexed about the straws frequently showing up in colder months over the last year or two. We really don’t see it go the other way (except that one time Beatrice wore a felt cocktail percher hat to Ascot, and many thought it was odd). I guess I’m a bit more of a traditionalist when it comes to weather and hat materials, for both practical and style purposes (although I don’t stick to the very traditional rule of straws only between Easter and Labor Day).
Without trying to be political, perhaps climate change is affecting this aspect of our lives as well? Is it becoming warm enough to wear straws even in traditional winter months? This week alone it will be almost 70 F for three days here in DC, and this is the first half of February, which is usually about the coldest time of year here. I personally would not wear a straw hat even in this scenario, but I wonder if others would, or at least find it acceptable? Or do we think this is purely just some sort of style trend?
You have a good point about climate change, Jake. That may end up overriding a lot of the old rules.
It is a little off looking, but I hadn’t looked at her outfit as a whole until you mentioned it. I think it’s somewhat saved by the dark colors, and I do think Beatrix is a law unto herself when it comes to hats. I really like this much better than her usual bumper hats.
It’s not so much a matter of tradition as the way the straw looks mismatched with the winter clothing, especially the fur. The taupe hat Princess Beatrix wore earlier this week, with only a straw trim on a felt hat, looked more seasonal. And, on a practical level, it seems she’d appreciate the warmth of the felt. But perhaps she was going on to an indoor engagement or it was just not so cold that day?
But I agree that it’s always good to see this princess. And I love the way the raindrops on her cape sparkle along with the hat!
And thanks from me, too, for the blog, HatQueen!
I’m a traditional style person and would prefer that our royal ladies use straw for warmer temperature events and felt for the colder times of the year.
I agree that seeing a post from Hat Queen just makes my day. I love hats. I love this blog. And I love Princess Beatrix. I like her in a brimmed hat better than her usual more compact style, an sarge that colour is good, but I suppose this was a semi-solemn occasion. And, for me, straw is not a winter hat fabric.
There is something simply lovely about Princess Beatrice. I find it cheerful looking. Winters can often be dull, she brings loveliness to it.
HatQueen I try in all my posts to thank you for all your hard work. Just know you are much appreciated.