to ninety-three years ago this month and a hatted trio on annual vacation at Balmoral Castle. The Duke of York’s Scottish tam ‘o shanter is particularly wonderful.
Embed from Getty Images
Photo from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats
The Bold, Beautiful and Bizarre World of Royal Millinery
Royal Hats 
Found the QM pic, https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishmonarchy/4856312029, and checked the temps in Scotland for Aug-Sep. Their summer is like a cold winter here in Sydney Australia (which it is now)— Balmoral’s max is 16 degrees centigrade. Like QM, I’d wear a fur collar at Balmoral in September too. I’m so envious of you sunning yourself in hot Florida!
“A thousand canned clowns”? LMAO Jimbo, I only wish I had thought of that myself. Mercifully, my Roman numerals have not deserted me. Henceforth this meaning is what I will tell anyone who asks. It’s a lot more interesting than the real meaning, which is a combination of the initials of the names of my two sons.
Sorry folks :(, this comment was meant to be a reply to Jimbo, below at 9:02a.m.
The hats are all great, esp the tam o’shanter but for me Queen Mary’s wonderful posture is what draws my attention.
LesleyC, I remember seeing one of those “Making of Downton Abbey” programs on PBS, and the actress who played Lady Mary was talking about the training the cast received during filming from the historical consultant who advised the production and writers on appropriate mannerisms, ways of addressing each other, etc, and one thing she particularly mentioned was the ramrod posture that was drummed into everybody back then!
Funny you should mention DA, Matthew. I couldn’t get Maggie Smith off the brain all day! Remember her in 1982’s “Evil Under the Sun?” (Or is it Sun”?) she is such a treasure – ACTING as it’s best!
Mcncln, there is a very good picture of Queen Mary alone in the rock garden, at Flickr.com, dated September 18, 1924, but I don’t know how to embed it with my POS iPad. IMO, they still look so heavily dressed, even for September in Scotland, but this comment is coming from someone who should be arrested for his lack of attire, even on the beach in HOT Florida at this current time!
BTW, from the post yesterday, I had to look up ROFL – very good! Upon looking up “Mcncln,” all that I came up with was something like “a thousand canned clowns.” Am I close?
What a wonderful “hats from the past”. The Duke of York looks so handsome in his Scottish Highland dress.
Love these Hats From the Past, and this one is especially vivid. I wonder about the heavy clothing, though. I know Scotland is cool, but furs in August?
LOVE!
That tam o’shanter is a star! The Duke of York’s whole look is impeccably sharp.
Queen Mary has given her trademark toque a middle-eastern twist by adding oriental-style robes.
The Duchess’s hat appears to have an interesting fall of feathers (or tassells) on the right, which drape over her fur stole. Here’s another tantalising view: http://h7.alamy.com/comp/HH4FPH/mary-of-teck-queen-consort-1867-1953-with-her-son-albert-frederick-HH4FPH.jpg
If only we could see it close up…