On Tuesday, Princess Sofia paired a red silk rose bandeau from Eivy Flodin with a floral printed gown for the Polar Music Prize. With her gold chandelier earrings, it’s a lot but still a great look for her.
Also on Tuesday, the former emperor and empress of Japan were spotted en route to Kyoto to complete the last of the abdication rituals. Empress Emerita Michiko repeated a slate grey-blue rimmed saucer with stylised bow. On Wednesday’s visit to the mausoleum of Emperor Meiji, she repeated a grey disc with black dotted veil and on Thursday to return to Tokyo, she repeated a denim blue disc with gold backed, folded bow.
Smart hat on Princess Astrid for the arrival of the South Korean state visit on Wednesday. The jaunty upturned brim (a brim with polka dots!) suits her well
On Wednesday, Princess Hisako and Princess Tsuguko opened a renovated hotel (the same one that housed Emperor Emeritus Akihito for a time during WWII) in Mashiko. Princess Hisako’s acid green hat has an uniquely striped crown while Princess Tsuguko’s black straw sidesweep is trimmed with a white silk flower. See more photos here and here.
Queen Silvia, who repeated a pistacchio green open-crowned pillbox trimmed with ruffled flowers on the side. Crown Princess Victoria repeated a headpiece of pale blue silk flowers and blue straw twists (trimming that I suspect originally appeared on this Philip Treacy cocktail hat). Watch a great video summary of the event here.
Princess Beatrix in a black straw bumper hat today to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Royal Society of Sciences in Zeeland
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Natural straw glorious wide brimmed hat with silver crown, brim binding and stitching by British milliner Sarah Cant
Magenta sidesweeping saucer in banana fibre with feathers by Dutch milliner Amélie D’Hooghvorst
Baby blue straw teardrop beret with leather flowers and feathers by British milliner Justine Bradley-Hill
Incredible white straw pyramid cnydaria sea creature with crin tentacles by Spanish-born milliner Rafa
Cheeky raspberry pink brimmed cap with bow by British brand Mind Your Bonce
Black leather hat blocked on a vintage 1950s block with beaded fringe by Australian milliner Rachel Henry
Pale pink percher with lavish cascade of silk flowers and orbiting rings by Irish milliner Carol Kennelly
Green feather bandeau with maribou poufs by British milliner Dorothy Morant
Impeccable black straw boater hat with wide monochrome stripe hatband by Dutch milliner Myra van de Korput
Raspberry pink straw percher with orchids and green burnt feathers by Irish brand Hat Couture
And for our gentlemen, this dapper black beauty from iconic British brand Lock and Co.
Magenta sidesweeping saucer in banana fibre with feathers by Dutch milliner Amélie D’Hooghvorst
Baby blue straw teardrop beret with leather flowers and feathers by British milliner Justine Bradley-Hill
Incredible white straw pyramid cnydaria sea creature with crin tentacles by Spanish-born milliner Rafa
Cheeky raspberry pink brimmed cap with bow by British brand Mind Your Bonce
Black leather hat blocked on a vintage 1950s block with beaded fringe by Australian milliner Rachel Henry
Pale pink percher with lavish cascade of silk flowers and orbiting rings by Irish milliner Carol Kennelly
Green feather bandeau with maribou poufs by British milliner Dorothy Morant
Impeccable black straw boater hat with wide monochrome stripe hatband by Dutch milliner Myra van de Korput
Raspberry pink straw percher with orchids and green burnt feathers by Irish brand Hat Couture
And for our gentlemen, this dapper black beauty from iconic British brand Lock and Co.
On Thursday, the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall hosted a reception for the Elephant Family )an NGO protecting Asian elephants from extinction started by the Duchess’ late brother Mark) masquerade Animal Ball. Aren’t their beaded wild cat masks fantastic?!
Beautiful photo of Prince Nicolas of Sweden, shared by his mum on the occasion of his 4th birthday today.
And… our countdown to Royal Ascot is now at just 3 days…
Photos from social media as indicated
Royal Hats 
More Princess Hisako and Princess Tsuguko on June 12.
Princess Beatrix more
Yes, so happy to see the blue and gold ensemble out again on the Empress Emerita! Only someone like Astrid could pull off a hat like this; how is she so fab? And Tsuguko looks wonderful in this wider-brimmed hat; brava! Hisako’s olive green hat is a nice experiment, but I’m not certain it was successful. Looking forward to Hat Christmas!
It’s always good to see the elegant longer-serving royals still making the rounds, with Michiko and Beatrix in their signature styles. Astrid’s new hat looks sharp, but the Norwegian RF needs a better photographer.
Sofia’s bandeau is pretty, but makes for floral overload with the highly patterned dress.
I’m not sure the striping on Hisako’s hat quite works, but I applaud her for trying something different. Tsuguko looks gorgeous in the white-trimmed black.
Can’t wait for the big week!
I really love the blue and gold hat on Empress Michico – it seems she doesn’t often do two toned hats and her pearls are quirkier than usual too. Seems she’s branching out now she’s fully retired!
Princess Alexandra attended the Royal Cornwall Show on June 6:
https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/royal-visit-royal-cornwall-show-2948586
On June 11th, Princess Hisako attended the Marine Rescue Japan commendation ceremony
also
Great hats by the Japanese Royals!
I love those masks the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall are wearing. Absolutely gorgeous!
The Sarah Cant hats are gorgeous. I am completely drawn to the 2 wide brimmed hats and hope someone will wear them at Ascot. I think the Countess of Wessex would look divine in them!
The magenta sidesweeping saucer by Dutch milliner Amélie D’Hooghvorst would look lovely on Princess Haya at Ascot or Queen Maxima (please be at Ascot!)
Baby blue straw teardrop beret by Justine Bradley-Hill would look lovely on Autumn Phillips, Zara Tindall, Duchess of Sussex or Duchess of Cambridge.
The white straw pyramid cnydaria sea creature hat by Rafa would look amazing on Princess Haya! Just an incredible design!
The raspberry pink brimmed cap with bow by Mind Your Bonce is pure fun! I think Zara Tindall could pull this off, as well as the Duchess of Sussex.
Love the raspberry pink straw percher with orchids and green burnt feathers by Hat Couture. Autumn Phillips.
Such a stunning hat from Lock and Co. Jack Brooksbank would look awesome in this!
And good job by Princess Astrid on her shoes as well.