To squeeze in one more retrospective of British royal Easter hats before this weekend, let’s look back at the Easter bonnets worn Princess Eugenie:
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Dark navy straw stovepipe in 2003 and 2004; Simple cream wool beret in 2010
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Pale grey percher with bow in 2011; Black felt Jane Taylor design with feathers in 2012;
Pale pink silk covered button percher with abstract leaves by Sarah Cant in 2013
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Dark Green straw Robyn Coles design with calla lily in 2014; Pink felt percher with bow and flower trim from Juliette Botterill in 2016; Cream leather percher with pink straw ombre flower from Goldust Millinery in 2017
UPDATE- Since this post was first published, the following hats have been worn by Princess Eugenie on Easter Sunday
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Bright fuchsia felt brimless hat with side knot trim for 2018 ; Blue straw braided pillbox on Maundy Thursday in 2019, both by Juliette Botterill
The York princesses have long been associated with statement millinery… and association that just doesn’t seem to ring completely true with this lineup of hats. There are some interesting trims (the silk leaves in 2013 and that giant calla lily in 2014) but the colour palate is very muted and the shapes rather restrained. I appreciate that Princess Eugenie has not chosen the same types of statement hats for Easter that she does for Ascot (appropriately so!) but I’d love to see her in a bit more colour and pizzaz at this time of year.
What do you think about this history of Easter hats? And if you were Princess Eugenie’s stylist, what kind of hat would you suggest for her this Easter?
Photos from AFP via Getty; Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
Wow, doesn’t Eugenie look like her grandmother HM The Queen in that photo from 2004? While I mean that in a good way, I’m certain no teenager would want to hear something like that!
Anyhow, my favorites are 2017, 2012, and 2016. While I love the green color from 2014, the execution of the calla lily trim wasn’t as well done as it could’ve been in my opinion.
It’s interesting how in the U.S. Easter hats/bonnets are seen as something to be colorful and more frivolous with, while with the British royal family, the Easter hats are usually much more subdued (minus HM, of course).
Actually, Jake, Eugenie bears an astonishing resemblance to the Queen Mother as a young woman. See this article for a comparison photo, as well as other pairs of photos of other royal resemblances:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1222921/The-throne-clones-How-Royal-Family-inherited-just-titles.html
I guess what I meant to say was that the resemblance is less in the face, and more so the styling of the outfit and how she is standing: the hat shape, the pale pink outfit paired with black gloves, the way she is holding her hands in this particular photo, etc.
Jake, regarding the outfit as a whole including gloves, I do see your point.
Maja, if you are still reading this thread, I agree that the three new hats you shared would all look great on Eugenie, especially the pink one (#2)!
And these new hats would be fabulous on Eugenie:
Yes! Great choices.
I love these hats! Jewel tones look great on Eugenie!
I would love to see these hats again:
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I’d love to see 2012’s hat again, or the one with the calla lily. I love Eugenie in a big brimmed hat but she tends to save those for Ascot.
My favorite is the Sara Cant in 2013. Lovely color and silk leaves. I’d recommend a new Easter bonnet in a vibrant blue or green that complements her outfit. Take a chance PE and don’t fall back on a neutral shade of blergh (beige)! She looks lovely in blues and greens, heck she can even rock navy (remember Ascot 2017?) I’m hoping that since her engagement she’s growing more confident in her sartorial choices which should include her millinery and accessories.
You’re right- several of Princess Eugenie’s recent Ascot hats could be great Easter hats.
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The 2013 Sarah Cant is my favorite, too, and I agree that some of the Ascot hats would be lovely for Easter. Is this a case of a minor royal not wanting to upstage HM and others? Maybe she feels freer at Ascot, where statement hats are expected.
Or are they really borrowed for the day as some have speculated here on this blog in the past and they are not in her closet waiting to be used again? I think she definitely feels freer at Ascot than when attending with the queen, but if those hats are still available I know HM is all for being thrifty and reusing a great hat!