Queen Elizabeth was in Porstmouth yesterday for the Commissioning Ceremony of the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at HM Naval Base. For this event, she repeated her royal purple felt hat with upfolded kettle brim and dark purple velvet hatband, trimmed with silk irises and velvet leaves.
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In a move we seldom see at public engagements, Queen Elizabeth removed her coat, giving us a peek at the hat in combination with this ensemble’s dress.
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Princess Anne accompanied her mother to this milestone event, dressed suitably in naval uniform completely with cap..
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Royal Hats 
I’m still not completely onboard with the rather harsh straight lines of this hat, and I also agree the trim should be moved a little to the side. Otherwise, the trim is excellent and this shade of purple is magnificent for HM! I too, was a bit surprised to see her coat come off, especially this time of year, and at a public engagement, but it was nice to see a small change in the ensemble.
On it’s third outing I’ve grown to rather like this. The purple is fabulous, and the shame and texture are also great. Yes the orchids are a bit of a contrast and could do with a squish to the side, but it’s not a bad look at all…
I love how happy HM looks in all these photos! (I guess I would be that happy too if an aircraft carrier were being named after me!)
Whether they’re actually pockets or just decoration, those vertical velvet pieces on the dress are a nice counterpoint to the horizontal ones on the coat. And here’s something I’ve always wondered about — on the rare occasions where the coat is removed, the brooch is always transferred to the identical position on the dress. Is there an attendant who does that (lady in waiting, etc)? I’m sure it must be done in private, it’s hard to imagine all the people of the location being visited standing around watching someone fuss with the Queen’s jewelry!
Also, I must respectfully disagree with Sue, I don’t think the flower trim is too summery at all — when we’re in the depths of winter, it’s pleasant to see flowers that remind us of the summer yet to come, and also people often buy real flowers from flower shops imported from warmer climes to liven up their homes in winter! To me, these flowers are a wonderful counterpoint to an otherwise very wintry-looking outfit.
I really like the purple color. HM looks lovely. I see the point about the placement of the flower trim, however I have a slightly different problem with it. As I sit in the southern US with snow, sleet and freezing rain all coming down at once, the flower seems a bit too summery for the season!
I can’t decide if HM looks lovelier today, or yesterday! NO, WAIT! She looked better LAST SUNDAY, and at 91!
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This is what Mr. and Mrs. Jimbo might look like at 91!
Princess Ann looks amazing i her uniform as well and I see such a resemblance between Prince William and his Grandfather
Are you referring to the man in the photos with the Queen and Princess Anne? That’s not the Duke of Edinburgh- I believe it’s the Commodore of the naval base.
oh dear, my eyesight is not what it use to be, the side view looks like Prince William. Bah. So sorry!
I love it actually, she knows the style she looks good in. If I make it to her age I’ll be lucky to be able to get out of bed. She always looks likes she’s ready for anything! She’s beautiful!