Great grey veiled hat on Princess Hisako last Sunday for a visit to Omiwa Shrine
The Japanese emperor and empress visited Nara and Kyoto this week. For their arrival on Tuesday, Empress Masko repeated a white silk bowler hat with beaded hatband. For mausoleum visits on Wednesday, she wore a smart (new, I think) pale grey hat with short, upturned brim and horizontally pleated crown.
On Thursday, Princess Nobuko wore a fun dark blue crowned hat with black fur (maybe faux fur?) brim studded with tiny grey cut feathers to attend the 130th anniversary ceremony of the Japanese Red Cross Society in Yamanashi.
Also on Thursday, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako hosted a tea party for 600 people at Kyoto Imperial Palace. Empress Masako’s pale blue hat has a lovely wave sculpted into the upturned brim. Later that day, she wore a cream hat with short, kettle brim with wide, double layered peach silk hatband for her and the emperor’s return to Tokyo.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Beautiful shape and colour on this halo bandeau in blue and purple silk abaca by British milliner Vivien Sheriff
From London-based Irish milliner Philip Treacy, an angular green felt brimmed hat with incredible feather trim
Incredibly chic dark navy felt take on a Newsboy cap by Russian milliner Lia Gureeva
Incredibly chic dark navy felt take on a Newsboy cap by Russian milliner Lia Gureeva
The summer straw hat of my dreams- perfect colour and shape. From Australian milliner Rachel Henry
A bandeau anyone could wear- black velvet with delicate feathers. By US milliner Jennifer Hoertz
A bandeau anyone could wear- black velvet with delicate feathers. By US milliner Jennifer Hoertz
Gently waved shape on this burgundy felt formed cap by Italian brand Galia et Peter
Wonderful white saucer of free-hand wired roses by Australian milliner Lisa Hughes
Absolutely exquisite feather work on this deep inky blue percher by UK-based milliner Guilia Mio
Such a lovely shape on this camel felt upturned brim design by British milliner Jane Taylor
Love the sparkling beaded veil on this black felt boater by Irish milliner Aiofe Harrison
Sunrise on a hat! Orange and red straw, crin and floral percher by Australian brand Locopa Designs
Fantastic movement on this charcoal felt percher with flying tails by British milliner Dillon Wallwork
Wonderful white saucer of free-hand wired roses by Australian milliner Lisa Hughes
Absolutely exquisite feather work on this deep inky blue percher by UK-based milliner Guilia Mio
Such a lovely shape on this camel felt upturned brim design by British milliner Jane Taylor
Love the sparkling beaded veil on this black felt boater by Irish milliner Aiofe Harrison
Sunrise on a hat! Orange and red straw, crin and floral percher by Australian brand Locopa Designs
Fantastic movement on this charcoal felt percher with flying tails by British milliner Dillon Wallwork
And from Australian milliner Georgia Skelton, this lilac straw pyramid shaped hat with jaw-droppinghandmade open lattice brim.
Princess Aiko turns 18 tomorrow and to celebrate, the Imperial court released this video.
And because a giggle is always welcome, we end this week with a delightful anecdote told by Lady Pamela Hicks about her aging former Nanny and the Queen.
Photos from social media as indicated
Royal Hats 
Princess Hisako has the greatest variety of styles of all the imperial ladies and she seems to really enjoy her work. I also like Princess Nobuko of Mikasa fur hat, so unexpected. Empress Masako seems to be ever so slowly moving out of her hat comfort zone.
What a fabulous hat on Hisako! I love the silver grey color, and the detailing reminds me of the Countess Mountbatten of Burma’s hat (by Dillon Wallwork) at her daughter’s wedding: https://royalhats.net/2016/06/27/british-and-greek-royals-attend-british-society-wedding/.
The waved-brim hat on Masako reminds me of those rippled-brim Delvigne hats worn by Queen Paola, Queen Sonja, and I think others back in the 2000s. Overall though I’ve been a bit disappointed we haven’t seen bolder colors from Masako so far (minus the yellow sunburst hat).
The feathers on the Giulia Mio cocktail hat are fantastic, and the bright floral trim on the Locopa Designs hat is so stunning! And of course you know I loved the Treacy green hat with all the feathers!
Finally, Lady Pamela’s story reminds me of a story I read about some woman, upon meeting HM when she was out somewhere, said, “You look just like the Queen!”, to which HM just replied with, “Oh, thank you!” haha.
I’m not sure, bit I think I read that white is considered the traditional colour for the empress. Masako certainly has been wearing a lot of white and cream this year, especially for the most important events.
HatQueen, I see that your Rachel Henry straw has sold, but if Mr. HQ is on the ball, I’m sure he can get a duplicate made for you in time for Christmas!
The 18th birthday video could hardly be more stilted, but Princess Aiko is a lovely young lady and the father-daugher bond looks genuine.
Of the Japanese hats this week, Masako’s blue is the standout for me. Love the wave detail.
Shanon has covered the new designs so well, but I’ll chime in about the amazing hand-wired roses on the white Lisa Hughes. Have we seen this kind of construction before?
And what a great nanny story from Pamela Hicks
Princess Beatrice’s iconic butterfly hat at the Met museum
Interesting, Maja, but is this one definitely Beatrice’s? This isn’t quite the shape I remember. (Sorry not to post an image: Getty is not letting me embed as usual.)
No, this is not Beatrice’s personal hat. It’s a very similar one from Sandy Schreier, an American fashion historian and collector of couture clothing.
Ah, ok! That exhibit sounds stunning, and that post makes an interesting point about the increased demand for fashion collectibles.
Getty embeds don’t always work on older photos- in the meantime, everyone can use the link below to jump over to the photo.
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/britains-princess-beatrice-attends-the-wedding-of-peter-news-photo/81130076
On November 22nd, Princess Hisako attended the Japanese Red Cross Society Kyoto Prefecture Branch 130th anniversary
Margareta, Custodian of the Crown of Romania accompanied by Prince Radu and Princess Sofia attended the memorial service on the 2nd Anniversary of Passing of King Michael
Just confirmed Margareta’s angled bandeau is from Kristina Dragomir.
Princess Hisako’s hat is wonderful! I love the color and netting.Also, great group of hats on Empress Masako.
I’m really interested in Fabienne Delvigne’s new book! I wonder if it will be available in North America?
– The feather trim is spectacular on the Philip Treacy green felt brimmed hat. I would so love to see the Duchess of Cambridge wear this at Christmas!
– Agree with HQ that the Lia Gureeva newsboy cap is incredibly chic. I could see Princess Charlene in this, but how fun would this be for Princess Anne?
– Wowza! Rachel Henry’s summer straw hat is a stunner! I hope Santa brings this for you HQ! Queen Maxima would look divine in this!
– I think Princess Sofia of Sweden would look lovely in the burgundy felt formed cap by Galia et Peter.
– Another beautiful Christmas hat choice! I think Princess Eugenie would look great in this deep inky blue percher by Guilia Mio
– The Countess of Wessex would look wonderful in Jane Taylor’s camel felt upturned brim design. Also at Christmas 🙂
– Princess Beatrice would look great in the sparkling veiled boater by Aiofe Harrison.
– Utterly fabulous lilac straw pyramid shaped hat with lattice brim by Georgia Skelton. Countess Snowden at Ascot?
There’s an article in Tatler (read it here) about Fabienne Delvigne’s book.
Shanon, my impression of the Georgia Skelton lilac pyramid with that exquisite lattice was that it would be very hard to style and wear. You are right about Countess Snowden, though — she is one of very few who could pull that off.
Not exactly a hat but…. the Queen was photographed in a silk (likely Hermes) headscarf) on Thursday, en route to Windsor Castle for the weekend.
So good to see a Dorgi — and on the Queen’s lap, no less. Marvelous! I was afraid that the Queen might have no dogs.left. I have read numerous times that she’s not been getting new dogs because of her age, and I didn’t know how many dogs still were alive. Pets keep one grounded.
And I like the scarf.
The Duchess of York was also spotted twice over the past two weeks in a black bandeau- at the memorial of Timothy Hoare on Wednesday
and on November 15, 2019 at the Geox Dragon Formula E car launch in Mestre, Italy
Embed from Getty Images
Fabienne Delvigne released a book this week about her 30 years as a milliner