With nine British royal hats appearing at semi-public events this week, I thought we’d take a dedicated look at these designs to kick off this holiday weekend (our regular weekend “Extra’s” post will follow tomorrow). Last Sunday, Queen Elizabeth was spotted en route to Sunday service at Crathie Kirk in Scotland in a new hat. UPDATE- thanks to you super sleuths, we know know this hat is a repeat and more than a decade old!
In bright pink straw, the design’s sidesweeping brim is edged in a wide binding stripe in robin’s egg blue, which is repeated on the straw twist and burnt feathers of its trim. While the colour makes a fun statement (especially with such an unexpected colour pairing!), I’m not keen on the hat’s flared crown, which gives it a slightly cartoonish vibe from front view.
Previously Worn: November 24, 2007
Previously Worn: Sep 30, 2018; Sep 23, 2018; Sep 16, 2018; Sep 24, 2017; Aug 20, 2017; April 16, 2017; Sep 11, 2016; Sep 26, 2015; Sep 5, 2012; Sep 1, 2012; May 9, 2012; Sep 18, 2011; Apr 9, 2006; Apr 10, 2005
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this is new
Autumn Phillips rounded last Sunday’s royal attendees at church in a dark caramel felt button percher trimmed with a chocolate organza ruffle around a silk bloom and two striped pheasant feathers. As far as brown hats go, it’s a good one
Designer: Unknown. It looks like Juliette Botterill to me
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Today, the York Princesses and their mum attended Ellie Goulding’s wedding in Yorkshire. Princess Beatrice topped an irredescent emerald frock with a new black bandeau headpiece in leather, trimmed with handmade flowers and textured leaves. Black leather could be a tricky material to pull off for a royal headpiece but this one’s floral trim beautifully balances its edgy material, creating a smoothly elegant piece in a shape that looks great on Bea.
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Designer: Athena by Justine Bradley-Hill. by Dress by The Vampire’s Wife
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new
Princess Eugenie repeated her navy straw pillbox with braided perimeter. It remains a great design for her, paired again with a floral frock (I think the open neckline of this dress makes for a better pairing).
Designer: Juliette Botterill (bespoke version of the “Pleated Pillbox” from SS 2018). Dress by Peter Pilotto
Previously Worn: Apr 18, 2019
The Duchess of York topped a lace coat with a straw bumper hat with outside edge wrapped on two layers of Lady Amherst feathers. The hat’s shape, which looks like a bandeau from front view, suits Sarah well and the classic black and white scheme is a tad more wearable than this similar design!
Designer: Jess Collett
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Thoughts about these British royal hats?
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
It’s interesting to see this one on HM again with the feathers trimmed back; gives me hope we may yet see a few others that have been hiding for years!
Nice repeats on Kate and Sophie, good for church on the last Sunday of August. Anne’s fedora is a great shape for her, but as mcncln said, these camel/sand/brown colors are not the most flattering for her, especially when she wears whole ensembles in these color schemes. Unfortunate we can’t see Autumn’s hat better.
At first I thought this might be a Sally Ann Provan hat because she’s had similar leather flowers on some of her designs. A great look overall for Beatrice, and I love the dark emerald jade dress paired with a black headpiece; dark enough to be a bit edgy without going overboard.
I agree with others that this dress neckline is more flattering with this hat, but if looks like the pillbox is about to fall off her head!
Lovely to see Sarah out again; another great look in dark colors that doesn’t read funereal at a wedding. The hat is also a bit more subtle than this fabulous piece from Mr. Song Millinery: https://mrsongmillinery.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/feather-crystal-rhinestone-fascinator-headband-empress-white-black?variant=29078894870611.
The Balmoral church photos taken through the car windows are always so tantalising! Here’s hoping we see Autumn’s new hat again, in the open air. I do hope Anne’s hat isn’t actually new; I like to think she has moved away from those yellowish/ autumnal browns which she had such a lot of, a while ago, and which I don’t feel suit her nearly as well as her more recent, blue-based colours.
Fantastic showing by the York’s at Ellie Goulding’s wedding. Beatrice looked fashion forward but didn’t slip into OTT as she sometimes does, that dress is fab and the leather bandeau inspired. Eugenie looks so pretty, and I agree this open neckline is so much better, the last time she wore this hat the high neck was shrouding her. And I really like Sarah’s look too, I think black at a wedding can be very elegant, as she looks here.
– I really like Princess Anne’s hat. It looks so great on her.
– I wish we could see Autumn Phillips’ hat up close and not so shadowed by the car as I suspect it’s another winner for her.
– Really great showing by the York ladies. Princess Eugenie’s dress is fun and the hat compliments it quite well.
– Princess Beatrice looks wonderful. The leather bandeau is great and pairs well with her dress. Great look for this wedding!
– The Duchess of York looks fantastic in the black and white bandeau. I must admit I actually love the pink/green/yellow colors on the original bandeau. I am just thinking that the colorful bandeau might have complimented the yellow dress she wore to Ascot this year. Pink shoes maybe tied it altogether? What do you think HQ?
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Shanon I seem to remember commenting on the colourful version of this bandeau not long ago in Royal Hats just after Ascot- it may have been in a This Week’s Extras- and there were pics on Facebook of it being worn somewhere in sunny Italy by no less than Sarah herself, if I recall rightly. The hat looked fantastic as you can imagine,worn with a strappy boho dress I think. When I have time to hunt it down, I’ll link it. And I agree that the colourful bandeau would have been a better choice colourwise with the yellow dress
I’m sorry I missed that comment mcncln, and I haven’t seen the photos of Sarah in the colorful bandeau. I bet she looked amazing. Please link to it if you have time. I will search around for the photos as well. Thank you!
Found it, based on mcncln’s description: https://royalhats.net/2019/06/22/this-weeks-extras-195/ I think you are right about it being a better pairing with the yellow dress, Shanon. (I admit it’s hard for me to be objective since the dress is a matter of too much yellow to my eye!)
Thanks mittenmary! mcncln was spot on!
I agree that the dress was a little too much yellow, and needed to be broken up. Sarah looks wonderful in the bandeau.
Shanon, it’s here! https://royalhats.net/2019/06/22/this-weeks-extras-195/
I was thinking the same when I saw the hat’s original colorway, Sarah should have worn it with this dress!
Turns out it wasn’t the “Lorie Headdress” in black and white but, as updated in the post, a brimless black straw hat wrapped in two layers of feathers.
Great fedora and trilby, but alas, not on the royal gentlemen. They must not have read Jake’s posts!
I agree, HatQueen about Princess Eugenie’s braided pillbox pairing better with the open neckline, but the loose hair doesn’t quite work with this hat. Princess Beatrice’s leather bandeau does indeed look elegant.
HQ, here’s some intrigue for you (and perhaps Jimbo): a commenter on From Her Majesty’s Jewel vault says HM’s hat is an older one, with a downsized trim. I didn’t think I should embed the uncredited photo, but i’m curious to hear your expert opinions. http://queensjewelvault.blogspot.com/2019/08/balmoral-holiday-2019.html#disqus_thread The original trim was more balanced, but rather overwhelming!
Took a while to find the citation. It’s definitely the same hat — from a long, long time ago!
Most people probably have to press the “load more comments” button at the bottom of the first comment listing. Then search for “25 August comment” or “This hat trim is actually”
Thank you for providing the link!
I should have said: it’s easier to find the comment with the photo if you sort by Newest.
It looks like the same hat to me, too.
Mittenmary, here’s some different photos of HM from 2007. The exploding trim has been removed in the back, and given a haircut in the front! I think it’s an improvement. Notice, the jacket, and not a full coat – often HM’s ensemble choice when on summer holiday. I like it, also.
November 24, 2007: Kampala, Uganda
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That is some EXPERT and extremely quick detection, Jimbo! Thanks for finding these. The photo on the other site is likely from the same event since HM is wearing the same brooch. I agree that the haircut improved this one, and I also like the short jackets on HM.
So this hat is at least 12 years old, which makes me wonder whether it might be one of the oldest in the current rotation? Maybe that is a topic for a future post.
Mittenmary, today’s sermon was all about humility, so I will humbly tell you that the detection work wasn’t that EXPERT today!
As for oldest hat in the rotation, 2 years ago HM wore a hat from 2005 – 12 years again. Enjoy, and Happy Labor Day to you and your family!
November 26, 2005, June 17, 2017
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I’m sure you’ll be invited to a better place at the banquet table, Jimbo! Hope you enjoy the holiday weekend, too.
I have always thought hats made of felt were best worn in winter. But seeing the two felt hats today makes me wonder: Is the season more advanced than I thought, or is this “rule” only applied in the southern US where the seasons are more pronounced?
Balmoral is in Northern Scotland where, even in the middle of summer, it’s not very warm.
I agree with you Hat Queen that the flared crown on the Queen’s hat is distracting. And, I’m not sure why, but having the wide end of the feather “aimed” toward the front of the hat seems a little off. Having the wide part of the feather in front and the fact that the brim is wider in the front, to me, throws the balance of the hat off especially from the side view. But, I agree, delightful color combination!