Disappointed to hear that the Order of The Garter service has been cancelled this year. The state opening of parliament is scheduled that day (postponed to accommodate the UK election) and for the first time since 1974, we’ll see Queen Elizabeth in a day dress and hat for this event instead of the Robes of State and the Imperial State Crown, which will be carried in on a pillow. (Windsor Observer & Telegraph)
Royal Ascot and legendary department store Fenwick teamed up with eight London-based milliners to create an eight piece collection of hats. Click on the photo to jump to their Facebook page then click again to open a slideshow of the eight designs.
Rachel Trevor Morgan shared this look at two of her beautiful saucer designs in one of the Fenwick display windows.
Following up the beautiful hat worn in last week’s roundup by the Duchess of Vendome- Princess Philomena has formally become an ambassador for French milliner Marie d’Argent. You can see her wearing several designs from this brand here (La Couronne blog)
I’d love to see this floral trimmed fedora from London milliner Bundle MacLaren on a royal head at Epsom or Ascot – slightly unexpected but SO pretty and right on trend.
Note- several of you have written to say how much you enjoy the “Hats From The Past” posts. As a treat, we’re going to start every day in May with an early morning hat post featuring a royal hat from the past. Stay tuned!
All smiles last Saturday for the baptism of prince Liam of Nassau at the Vatican. If you enlarge the photo collage below, you’ll see Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume accompanying a song on the guitar.
Lovely new portraits of King Willem Alexander taken for his 50th birthday this week- click the arrow at right to scroll through.
Royal Hats 
Love, love, love the hats for Royal Ascot. I’ll take one of each!
They’re all delicious!
Jess Collett’s “La Dolce Vita picture hat” is sensational. If I can’t have it, I think one of the York Princesses would look lovely in it for Ascot. The Stephen Jones is all Princess Haya, but in a bolder color.
Love the floral trilby!
The Ibbotson was fantastic, and the Stephen Jones as well, from the Fenwick collection. I could absolutely see Zara in the flower embellished fedora! I love those two RTM designs, the black and white is spectacular.
Hat Queen, I think you gave us the link for RTM twice, instead of Willem Alexander.
I was thinking of the embellished fedora for Eugenie, but I think you are right about Zara. That black and white RTM caught my eye, too.
Anyone who has a Lab (or two) is okay in my book. I’m on my third Lab and I love them! As for the hats, I’m all about that Edwina Ibbotson example in the Royal Ascot sampling.
The Edwina Ibbotson hat is a classic beauty (such a perfect scale for the races) although I also love the Harvey Santos! It’s got just the right amount of crazy for Ascot.