While Queen Elizabeth informally began her summer retreat in Scotland several weeks ago (staying in a cottage on the Balmoral Estate while Balmoral Castle was open to the public), she officially arrived at her summer residence today. For the arrival, where she inspected the Pipes and Drums of 4 SCOTS Royal Regiment of Scotland at the Balmoral Castle gates, she wore a new hat.
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In sky blue felt, the hat features a flat crown with slight hourglass shape and subtle sidesweep on the brim. The hat is wonderfully trimmed with cut green feathers, gold sprigs, large amber glass beads and small blue heather flowers.
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The hourglass crown shape is a but clunky for my liking but easily ignored with the trim. Is there too much embellishment? Maybe, but the mix of colours and materials in the trim add interest, delicacy and colour contrast to the design that makes the hat work really well against the rest of the all-blue ensemble that I think I can overlook its overabundance as well.
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Previously Worn: This hat is new
Royal Hats 
The cornflower blue is a lovely color and pairs nicely with the colors in the trim for something different, but I’ll never be a fan of these asymmetrical brims, and the crown on this one is less refined unfortunately. Also, this trim needs a hatband to anchor it to the hat better IMO.
And I agree with others that the coat could be tailored better, but the overall design is good. Finally, I’m a little surprised HM’s umbrella is trimmed in black instead of blue, but it does match the rest of her accessories, so . . .
Three different light blue coats and hats in the space of a year — there may be something to the idea that she is taking a stroll through the wardrobe memory lane. I agree that these three hats are all different from each other, but could any of them be even older hats remodeled or re-embellished?
By the way, did anyone else notice that HM’s brooch matches the insignia on the horse’s blanket? Therefore, the regimental symbol, I’m assuming.
The hat embellishment is perfect for Scotland – greens and soft browns – and makes me think of sprays of heather a young man might pick for his darling or even wear himself pinned to his cloak. I dislike the coat’s pocket flaps, what are they for? The Queen barely uses her handbag so is hardly likely to have, say, a fiver in her pocket for emergencies, so why are they there?
I think the embellishment was for Balmoral and the hat is not new.
I’m quite certain the entire hat is new. It’s a different hat than this one.
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The hat is a typical “Her Majesty” hat, but the coat is a mystery, so ill-fitting. I find these double-breasted, wide-collared coats somewhat overwhelming on her, she is such a tiny person.
The embellishment is certainly striking, but as it’s the only visually arresting part of the ensemble, I don’t think it’s too much. It reminded me at first glance of a fern arrangement, but perhaps that is because my mind is dwelling on spring (only 25 more days of winter…).
I concur with other commenters in thinking HM has been let down over the coat. It’s not a bad coat, but it’s not as good a fit as one would expect, considering who’s wearing it. If even HM can’t get a well-fitted coat, what hope do the rest of us have?
i can’t stop looking at the pony with his coat, medals
but I like QE’s hat
I like the elements of the trim, but the placement looks haphazard. Splendid color for HM.
It seems to me that the coat is so askew because Her Maj has lost weight? As if it has been made at a time where she was fuller.
I wasn’t expecting to see a new hat today either, this is normally a repeat day. I like the hat a lot, that blue and green colour scheme is lovely and I like the feathers. I’d like the coat if the tailoring was a bit tighter…
I like the hat but agree that the coat seems untidy–not nearly as well fitted as usual. As to time of year, in many parts of Scotland we have already been two weeks without sunshine and with temperatures in the mid teens–and the schools go back next week. Summer is gone! ;-(
Really I had no idea it was that chilly in Scotland during the summer. It’s 96 degrees and we are sweltering here in Boston USA But I prefer that to mid teens!
Mary, I’ll bet AnnieM means 15 Celsius, which is closer to +/- 57 F. Annie, your name just brought back to me the beautiful song “Annie Laurie,” written only as a Scotsman could – tender, sad, touching! As for HM’s ensemble, I agree with everyone about the coat. My question is why another sky blue heavier weight hat when she just debuted a very similar one in November, and we’ve only seen it once so far?
I forgot to insert a picture of it.
November 16, 2017
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Jimbo, I had forgotten about this one, thanks for the photos. As similar as they are, they are different enough that I can say that I do like the current one better, I find the embellishment much more interesting.
Your reference to Annie Laurie made me laugh Jimbo – my sister had a boyfriend named Max Weldon and we used to sing it to him all the time 😊 but I digress … I just wonder if HM is just trying to use ALL the coats in her rotation at least one more time ! I believe she still has more new hats to wear and she’s trying to fit them all in !
Darn auto correct … should be Max Welton 😑
Nonie, if the world didn’t have wonderful music – folk, classical, pop, whatever, then I would lay me doon and dee! Interesting theory on getting all the hats worn one more time; she’d HAVE to live as long as her mother!!!!
Thanks Jimbo! It’s safe to plan a trip then in August!
Well, I like the hat better than I like the coat. The trim on the hat looks nice, appears to go well with the dress. I like the color and combination of blue and greens. Is this a replacement for the long-worn blue coat with blue and green Prince William christening outfit?
The coat, on the other hand, looks askew. The buttons appear not to line up horizontally, and nothing fits. The sleeves pucker, the pocket flaps are distracting, and the coat appears way too big.
I believe the Queen wore a new (to the public) hat yesterday at Balmoral too, but it’s pictured only in the newspapers. (Similar color combination, actually)
I simply love the trim on that hat as well as the cornflower blue shade. Her Majesty looks happy and relaxed. I hope she has a relaxing time in Scotland.
I keep expecting that naughty pony to reach up and take a nibble of the embellishment!
I think it could be lovely for fall, perhaps on a darker green hat? But it seems off for the time of year and in contrast with the blue.
naughty pony decided to relieve himself as Her Majesty walked by.
I’m sure Her Majesty just kept on walking in her jaunty blue hat.
That was just his opinion of her new hat! But what he wanted was a horsehair fedora.
gransgirl, I’m not sure where you’re located, but in the past few months in the U.S. there’s been a TV commercial (for either a credit card or a bank, I’ve forgotten which) where a race-winning horse eats the flowers off of the hat of the woman presenting the trophy, and the jockey whips out his phone and uses an app (which is the thing being advertised) to reimburse the woman for the cost of her hat!
Pony aside, I do like the hat. The embellishment may be a little over-enthusiastic, but it draws the eye up from all that blue. I imagine that when we see the dress by itself, it will turn out to have enough green or amber in it to justify the colors in the hat. Regarding the coat, it’s not so much that there’s anything wrong with it, but rather that the fit resembles the coats of any of us who buy the best-fitting coat we can find off the rack and don’t have a staff of people back at home tending to our clothes! It’s a lovely shade of blue, though, that always looks great on HM.