to February 26, 2002 and a visit to New Zealand that saw this voluminous pink and apple green straw hat worn for a garden party at Government House. Interesting how much more streamlined Queen Elizabeth’s hats have become in the intervening 17 years, isn’t it?!
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Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
MrFitzroy is a bit late to this particular tea party, but here is another view of the pink confection that mcncln shared…..Her Majesty’s reaction is quite priceless, as such expressions from her are so rarely caught on film!
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/30-portraits-of-queen-elizabeth-ii-332442
What could have triggered that expression, I wonder? So glad you shared this link, mrfitzroyobe. I’ve never seen this collection of portraits.
Hmm. A tricky hat for HM to wear — the lime green although not her worst colour, is far from her best either (it looks greyish when reflected onto her face) and there is too much tulle altogether, making the hat look somehow too big and too “heavy”. Lastly, the coat dress, with or without the jacket, to my eye is too complicated in style and competes with the delicacy of the hat.
Here’s an example of a froofy hat of the era that i think works a treat for HM. it looks like it has very similar dimensions, but in this case, just the right volume of sheerness on top. I love the beautifully simple coat with no collar that doesn’t compete with the hat. I much prefer this pink hat to the popular Somerville “pink swirl”.
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Mcncln, have you just opened Pandora’s Box, on this last day of February? Your pink example is truly a beautiful, huge, hat trimmed very nicely.
How about the balance of the following two from the same era? The 1st one below has been discussed here on RoyalHats before, but I don’t remember the 2nd one being analyzed. I could have missed it, though.
July 17, 2002
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July 25, 2002
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The following example, dated May 5, 1999 in the Inventory above, actually dates back a little further.
September 23, 1998: Malaysia
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I forgot to add this fuzzy video of some great movement of today’s featured hat – the walk-about in NZ gives a different connotation to the “green apple two-step.”
Also, at :40, we see a blue/white hat which I actually prefer. Enjoy.
Nice work Jimbo! once one starts looking, there is a considerable number of froofy hats in HM’s hat closet from this era.
For my taste, the lovely colours and texture of the purple feather hat make it well worth a repeat viewing — but it’s too tall; the pale mint green one is too plain and bland; and the “Malaysian” green is too top heavy with trim.
The video with Sir Edmund Hillary was interesting. Hillary scaled Mt Everest 3 days before HM’s coronation, and the Commonwealth celebrated the news. I am sure HM feels the historical connection.
BTW, I had to look up “green-apple two-step” – honestly, I had no idea. America has such a wealth of creative expressions!
You’re right, this pink one is gorgeous. I don’t remember seeing it before.
Agreed that this one is lovely, well proportioned and nicely trimmed with just the right amount of froof.
I would like to see this hat without the pink tulle. I like the color combo, but as some have mentioned it’s a little over the top in the poufy department. The apple green is a delicious color!
Interesting choice, particularly considering that Kiwis as a rule don’t much value floofiness and furbelows. We’re an informal nation, which is probably why Dame Silvia Cartwright, the Governor General (standing next to HM) is not only completely hatless but wearing a sheer top.
Alas, in NZ hats are often a race-day only phenomenon, and I don’t think this was the hat to change the national attitude to hat-wearing.
Oh I don’t know I really like the exuberance of this hat! It reminds me of the pink swirled cupcake hat that most of us like. I wish she would repeat it this summer at a garden party or at Ascot but somehow I feel like she’s moved on which is a shame. I love the tulle and the apple green color is fabulous.
I agree on the apple green – really looks lovely on HM.
This one reminds me of the the “Somerville swirl” hats. It’s not exactly a twin, but sort of a sister? The problem with this much volume is that it tends to overwhelm a petite person. Her granny, on the other hand, could wear this style with aplomb.
Wow! That IS a lot of hat! HM actually wore this hat at least twice before! (I would have worn a new hat for the New Zealand trip.)
Ascot 2000: (without the outer coat)
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July 20, 2000: (distant back-side)
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Jimbo does it again! Interesting to see the number of similar hats in the second photo.
Oh I don’t know about the hat being “too much”! I really like the exuberance and flair of this hat and overall ensemble. It reminds me of the swirled pink cupcake hat that most of us like. The Queen always looks very smart and this outfit is no exception. I would love to see this hat repeated at a garden party or at Ascot this year but she seems to have moved on in her hat styles. Thank you HatQueen for this look back.
Much better than her current style. Hopefully we will see a return, odds on this possibly being repeated this summer?
I agree that the tulle is tutu much (sorry!) but I somehow love it anyway. #teamtulle
I agree with everything JamesB says. As we say in Eastren Canada, “that’s some hat you have there!”
That’s a lot of hat. The thing is, it was about this time that her hats got more interesting. The brims got larger (they’ve since shrunk, which I think is a shame), the trim more intricate and the designs more assured. Problem is that sometimes that tipped over into ‘too much’ which is what happened here. With just a bit less volume this could have been a fabulous hat. As it is, it looks like the milliner just fell headfirst into a pile of tulle.