Overseas visits, an engagement announcement, a christening, a major anniversary, a national day celebration, a wedding, and two Scottish residencies brought us more than the usual number of new royal hats over the summer. During July and August, twelve new royal hats stood out, based on your comments, as particularly successful at their debut. It’s now time to take another look at this beautiful millinery dozen and choose your favourite.
This group also contains diversity of colour, scale and shape with perchers, sidesweeping pictures, kettle brims, a ringed disc, a bandeau and an unresolved millinery mystery (I still don’t know if #11 is a renovated hat but since this was its first outing in this form, I’m including it as new!) in the group. As always, the winner of this poll will be put forward as the first semi-finalist for Readers’ Favourite New Royal Hat of 2018.
Princess Ayako’s pink button percher with pearl trimmed silk bow worn at her engagement announcement July 2
Duchess of Cambridge’s cream straw bandeau with pearls, flowers & tulle by Jane Taylor worn July 9
Duchess of Cambridge’s pale blue straw percher with net veil and silk flowers by Sean Barrett worn July 10
Princess Claire’s white straw disc with with red straw rings and red lace applique worn July 21
Duchess of Sussex’s black straw Philip Treacy teardrop percher with quills and twists worn August 4
Queen Elizabeth’s pale blue felt Angela Kelly design with delicate green feather and gold sprig trim worn Aug 6