The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall took in the Prince’s Countryside Fund Raceday at Ascot Racecourse today.
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Camilla repeated a familiar hat, described by the designer as “a ruched crown showerproof tweed hat with faux-fur cuff”. I know some of you will comment about how the tan hat doesn’t match her green tweed coat and while I can’t disagree, I can’t think of a more British aristocratic country look than this. Eccentric, mismatched, and well worn and of the highest quality and craftsmanship. I have to appreciate it for what it is.
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Designer: Lock & Co. It is the Natalia/Frost design
Previously Worn: Nov 26, 2016; March 29, 2015; February 12, 2015; November 30, 2014; March 12, 2014
Previously Worn: Nov 26, 2016; March 29, 2015; February 12, 2015; November 30, 2014; March 12, 2014
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
I rather like brown with purple ribbon trimmed Fedora? Homburg ? of the lady standing with the DoC – it brought out the lovely purple tones of her checked coat.
This will never be my favorite hat for Camilla, but she always wears this style well and it works well for a more casual day at Ascot. I like the pairing of the camel hat with this greenish coat; what I’m not so keen on are the black gloves and boots; brown/tan would’ve made more sense with this hat IMO (ok, it’s not terrible at all, but I’m just not big on mixing brown and black accessories in general).
I rather like this hat, though I admit that my first reaction when I saw it was to think of the amount of static electricity she would have in her hair when she removes it! Wearing it with a non-matching coat? Very much like a “real” person might do when going to a racetrack in that kind of weather, but I agree with mcncln that that is NOT a summer coat — hard to imagine that anyone would don scarf, gloves, and high boots just to fake us out about the weight of the coat!
To George re: “Well-worn” too is the shabby overcoat of the POW — Princess of Wales, do you mean Diana? If you’re referring to the red coat she wore when she was first engaged to Charles, that coat was from her previous life before she had a chance to purchase a royally appropriate wardrobe, I can’t think of any other coat she ever wore during her royal or divorced years that would qualify as shabby. (Photos appreciated.)
My goodness, no! Heaven forbid that I criticise Diana!
POW = Prince of Wales. This old-fasioned fogey-style double-breasted ‘thing’ has been on show since time immemorial. I’ve seen far better overcoats in the charity shop!
George, Prince of Wales, of course! Don’t know what made me think you were talking about Diana except that we had only been discussing the women’s clothes. I agree that Charles does keep his jackets and coats an unbelievable amount of time — maybe he figures everyone is looking at Camilla (and previously at Diana) and it doesn’t matter what he wears.
I love this hat! It suits the D of Cornwall well. She can’t be faulted on overspending on fashion! (Aren’t we all funny in our different perceptions and tastes?)
“Well-worn” too is the shabby overcoat of the POW.
I can’t remember where or when I saw it, but I have seen photos of the POW wearing a mended (grey?) blazer or jacket. I seem to remember a three cornered tear very obviously sewn together. It’s like the threadbare oriental carpets and shabby drapery that my mother’s friend had in her home during my youth. Very Miss Havisham. “Good stuff” never wears out it just disintegrates. This same friend would have dressed like Camilla, by the way. Random and expensive, but elderly clothes.
Hello Glitter Girl. Well noticed! Yes it was a grey suit (I wonder if it wasn’t Prince of Wales check) and I think the pocket had been very badly patched up. Maybe he did it himself, for the sake of economy! In general, his suits look shabby. Did you notice some of the stuff rolled out on the recent tour of India? Not quite what we would expect.
At least the patch is the same color and material, probably stolen from the inside of his coat.
You would think his wife would call him out on it, if not his valet!
It is also too tight and hasn’t fit properly for several years. There is major pulling at the buttons. I noticed the bad fit when he wore it at Christmas a couple of years ago. I like Camilla’s hat. It seems to be just the thing when you have to wear a hat and keep your head warm at the same time.
Thank you, Sue. He’s been wearing this “thing” for donkey’s years. Perhaps we ought to have a whip-round to replace it!
I like this hat a lot on Camilla – but its impact is lost by pairing it with an outfit from a different season. This hat is ready to brave 12 feet of snow in Moscow, while the lightweight tweed coat and silk scarf are ready for summer in Balmoral. The result feels unbalanced. This hat needs to be worn with a MUCH heavier coat or parka.
BTW, I LOVE the hat and outfit won by Camilla’s companion in the 3rd row of pics – the one with the purple hatband on the fedora. Have we ever seen Camilla in a fedora? I know she’s worn a trilby (which didn’t suit her, in my view)..
I think the weight of the hat and coat go well together as the hat is a RAIN hat and the coat is an Autumn coat (that’s no summer coat!) but it’s the color clash that really bugs me.
Camilla in a trilby? HatQueen- can you show us this? I’d love to see it!
Hi Upper East Side, I feel the “season” of the coat, or any garment, isn’t fixed – it depends on the location Where I live in Sydney, it’s temperate –we never get snow, so over here, Camilla’s coat would be described as a full-on heavy winter coat – not an autumn coat. Women here often don’t even own a full-length woollen coat. That’s why I said “summer in Balmoral” – that weight of coat looks exactly like what I’ve seen generations of royals wear during their annual summer holiday, in a location where “a nice day” would be 14 degrees Celcius (brrr!) :).
March 31, 2008, at a potato chip factory (my 5th favorite food group!)
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The hat was worn as a Health & Safety requirement in this food production facility so I’m not sure it counts! Let’s let Philip Treacy have a go at a real trilby before writing it off for the Duchess.
She has worn this health code required trilbies in white too. I do agree with HatQueen that would should not let this particular one let us write off fedoras for Camilla; this particular trilby is too high and narrow for Camilla; a little lower and wider crown, along with a larger brim, would suit her much better in my opinion.
I really dislike this hat. It may be my least favorite of all royal hats. I groan every time she pulls it out again. It’s just so exceedingly frumpy and sad.