We’ve searched through six decades so far in our quest to find Queen Elizabeth’s most iconic hats and today, come to one some of you have been waiting for- our current decade! When you think about which of the Queen’s hats are “widely known and acknowledged especially for distinctive excellence,” which designs from the past nine years come to mind? As always, please explain the rationale behind your suggestion and feel welcome to link to articles, youtube videos or photo galleries featuring a particular hat- please avoid pinterest links and any hotlinked photos.
So on to the hats- from 2010 until today, which of Queen Elizabeth’s hats do you think deserve the label of iconic?
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Royal Hats 
I could easily make a case for each and every hat shown here! As much as I love the “swirl” hat, I don’t know if I’d call it iconic because HM has only worn it once. But if I use that as my barometer, then the River Pageant hat can’t be iconic either, even though it calls back to historic shapes. Maybe I’d call this decade the one of the “top hat” shapes, rather than a specific hat. Though the Union Jack hat makes a specific statement on a British monarch and I don’t know that anyone else could have pulled that off other than HM.
I love the pink swirl! It was also worn in Oman.
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It’s too soon to pick iconic hats from this decade- it’s not even over yet! You all picked hats from the 60s, 70s and 80s really fast.
I’m on board with the Union Jack hat, the Dublin green and the pink swirl, because I think they are beautifully made as well as representative of the Queen’s diverse styles. I agree that there are rather too many to easily narrow down the list.
aren’t we coming to the conclusion that there are so many hats, so many wonderful iconic hats that we can hardly choose?
The hat worn for the diamond jubileeThames event stands out in my mind as it, like the PoW investiture hat, suggests historical examples to me, though the modern hat is better looking.
The ‘pink swirl’ is just so lovely! Very memorable and beautifully made.
The blue and gold worn to the informal opening of Parliament is intriguing as it then reappeared in modified form. We will always wonder…..
I have a soft spot for the Cambridges’ wedding hat as I attempted my own very small recreation in an ‘accurate’ version of ‘Knit Your Own Royal Wedding’.
WOW, what great choices for this decade!
This red hat has always brought lively, positive discussion on RoyalHats!
October 29, 2013
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June 24, 2015; Berlin (same dress/coat as the 2012 flotilla ride, new hat)
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June 26, 2015; Berlin (two ensembles, same dress)
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Oh, the rose hat —nice choice, Jimbo! And how did I forget the yellow with the koosh ball?
These are all beautiful hats that we HAVE had lively discussions about!
It makes me sad to say (don’t hate me Jimbo!) but I don’t think any of these ones are iconic. Why? 30 years from now, I don’t think they will stand out in memory. They will be some in a large group of beautiful hats from the 2010s. All the hats we’ve agreed to be iconic stood out not only for the hats themselves but also because of the events they were worn to.
So my votes are for:
1. peach London olympics opening ceremony fascaintor (Bond girl!)
2. white hat from the Diamond Jubilee River Thames parade
3. yellow hat from William and Kate’s wedding
4. blue “EU flag” hat from the opening of parliament
5. pale green hat from the Diamond Jubilee
And #6 the one that breaks the rules but has become an icon all on its own- the pink swirl!
Trish, it’s impossible for me to hate you, primarily because you are a hat lover! For all 7 decades of this fantastic series, I have been struggling with the term “iconic,” and found myself thinking “memorable” sometimes instead. Notice that HQ’s definition of “iconic” doesn’t include beautiful, and that’s where things get sticky. I agree with you that my 4 choices are not necessarily of iconic caliber, but oh, what beauties they are! The entire discussion is very subjective and personal, and that’s mainly what I find so attractive about it; on the same battle ground as “matchy vs. coordinated” in my opinion. In defense of my 1st choice, if HM never wore another red hat again except for the one above, I’d be more than happy. To me, it is the PERFECT hat, closely followed by the wonderful Dublin green hat supplied by Jake. The Union Jack blue hat is way up on the list also. Can you imagine what flood gates would burst open if we were given the opportunity to pick out HM’s least attractive hats in the last 7 decades? Goodness, the discussion would go off the chain!
I find it difficult to separate the “iconic” hats from the “beautiful hats. The hats above in Jimbo’s post are all beautiful but I agree, Trish, that they are not iconic. Thank you for helping me see the difference.
I agree with your six choices and add two more. First, the pale blue “Wedgwood” hat. I think it is iconic because it looks so much like the famous British porcelain. The second one is the light beige hat that Queen Elizabeth wore for her 80th birthday in 2006. I think it is iconic for its beauty first and foremost but also for its connection to this birthday and most of all, because I recently learned it was the first hat Rachel Trevor Morgan made for her. I think a list of the Queen’s most iconic hats would be incomplete without something from Rachel Trevor Morgan.
As JamesB says, it’s difficult to have perspective on the most recent pieces. I agree with the choice of the Bond Girl fascinator. There’s nothing special about it on its own, but the occasion was so memorable. (That video always makes me smile — those corgis!)
I love the Union Jack hat for its crisp trim and vivid colors, but it takes on special significance on the Royal head.
And what about the Wedgewood hat? Beautiful use of lace trim on a lovely blue, with a nod to an iconic British product.
A bit difficult to narrow this down as there have been many iconic moments this decade, but also as this is in our most recent memories, like JamesB said.
Nevertheless, here are a few of my suggestions, starting with 2016 Trooping the Colour:
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The yellow hat from William & Kate’s wedding:
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When HM met Martin McGuinness in Northern Ireland in 2012:
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The beautiful hat she wore when she arrived in Dublin to begin the historic state visit to the Republic of Ireland:
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The infamous 2012 London Olympics fascinator:
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When she addressed the UN in 2010:
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Addressing Parliament in 2017 when she may or may not have expressed a political opinion:
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And what is probably her best red hat:
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I agree with all of these Jake and would add the green RTM hat from the International D Day commemoration in France in June 2014. It was a good hat and The Queen looked outstanding and was seen by millions in a sea of kings and queens and heads of state..
I thought it was a shame the Olympic fascinator got poor reviews as the whole outfit was so witty and bold. Only QEII would jump from a helicopter in apricot satin and lace wearing a huge heirloom diamond brooch. I am sure Margrethe or Sonja or Silvia or even Maxima would have worn something sporty like a tracksuit and cap. The fascinator was a pretty thing too although the colour was not The Queen’s best.
This decade I find quite a hallenge actually. The hats are so recent that it’s hard to have perspective. I’ll try anyway though!
The pink swirl will come up a few times I think, and rightly so, it’s beautiful, and amazing that I think it was only worn twice.
The jubilee service hat, whilst not quite so lovely, is a stunning hat and surely fits the iconic brief because of when it was worn.
And of course the neon hat from the trooping in 2016… that hat got the country talking! To everyone’s tastes? Maybe not, but memorable nonetheless.
This is the decade I’ve been waiting for because of my NUMBER ONE MOST LOVED hat! The pink swirl hat worn at Ascot with the white coat and the Williamson diamond. I adore this hat. It’s pretty. The size, the brim, everything is in perfect proportion to her Majesty’s head. I love the color. The appearance of the swirls is deceiving because I’m sure the construction of this hat was challenging. I wish it would be worn again and again and again!