thirty-one years to this day in 1987 and a royal visit to Hamburg that saw this faux fur tam o’ shanter by Arabella Pollen (who also designed the coat). We can thank the 1980s for such slouchy-chic shapes as these!
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Photo from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
I remember loving this then and I think it still holds up. How I miss Diana and her interesting fashion choices.
I remember this from the time very well! At the time I thought it was a very glamorous Dynasty inspired outfit. It hasn’t quite stood the test of time, but that’s the point of fashion I suppose. She did make it fun didn’t she!
I’m a child of the 80’s. I miss over-sized, comfy coats. I unabashedly love the whole look – the hat looks comfy and cozy and no more sillier than all the newsboy caps current fashion is foisting upon us.
Diana looks like she just stepped out of a Dr Zhivago movie – wrapped up all warm and cozy and the qUeen looks like she’s in someplace warm like Spain or Italy or somewhere ! God Bless Diana she wou!d NEVER look silly … just a little out of place maybe !😉 NB I had two tam o shantas myself at one time my sister too and we thought we looked very stylish … I bet Diana did too !!
Much more interesting than Diana’s hat is the vintage fire engine, being crawled all over by some impish kids, firemen’s helmets and all – how much fun was that!?!
January 3, 1988; Sandringham
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Thanks for photos of this additional appearance of the coat & hat, Jimbo – I can see another problem with the coat in these, which is the too-long sleeves – looks like she’s wearing a borrowed coat that doesn’t quite fit. Was that a style then?
Regarding the fire engine, yes, fun to see the kids on it, and interesting to see the E-R plaque on it also. Makes me wonder – does the Sandringham estate have a dedicated fire service, as opposed to just using the town’s?
Yes, I’m moving right along to the vintage fire engine, too, How fun for the royal kiddos!
Jumbo, I prefer The Queen’s ensemble and her hat is lovely. I had a blue hat just like that in the early 90’s. Diana’s outfit is of the time but not one I’d wear today. But, to be fair, her hat is fine; I can’t abide the coat.
Jimbo….my apologies for typing your name incorrectly. The auto type did it!!!!!
Peggy, you, along with another blogger have done the same thing – I’m totally used to it by now. It seems that the very day I turned 50, I looked in the mirror and said: “Good Gawd, what has happened to me?”
In keeping with the preferred moniker, I’ve adopted a new mantra – “call me whatever you want, but not late for dinner!”
As for HM’s ensemble: I like it better also. She wore it in Dundee, Scotland, in 1987, but I can’t find a good photo of it right now.
Frankly, I always thought this was one of Diana’s sillier looking outfits, it has just always reminded me of a bathrobe with a fur collar. I would have liked the hat much better with a more fitted coat, and I would have liked the whole ensemble better if she had been photographed against several feet of snow, especially since she finished it off with boots rather than shoes. I’m not familiar enough with European climate to know how much it snows in Hamburg – maybe snow had been predicted? I think the hat might have had potential worn with something else, but I’ve never seen photos of any other appearances. She wore the coat again in 1996 without the hat, which looked even sillier. (Photo in my “Diana 1996” Pinterest board for anyone interested.) Apologies if we’re not supposed to say that a royal looks silly!