to February 15, 1968 and a braided turban with giant tassel trim on Queen Elizabeth to attend a reception for the Confederation of British Industry. Surprising to see a hat with such a craft-project vibe on Her Majesty.
Please share any Royal Hat related updates and conversation in the comments below.
Photo from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
HM Queen Elizabeth II today opened the new wing of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospital in a repeat hat of the most gorgeous violet color and the divisive poms:
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Jake, thanks for sharing HM’s outing today. Queen Elizabeth can’t possibly look more regal than when she wears this royal purple ensemble.
And someone chose a beautifully co-ordinating bouquet to present HM with!
I have a soft spot for the pompoms; it’s the split crown design that I don’t care for. But it’s a beautiful color and, as Jimbo says, so regal! Here is a link to the most recent outing: https://royalhats.net/2018/04/12/queen-elizabeth-visits-windsor-elder-program/ Note that HM has gone with a different brooch this time.
Mittenmary, this wonderful outfit was actually worn just this past November. HM must really like it also!
November 6, 2019: Royal British Legions Industry Village
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I can look beyond the split crown and pom poms and just soak up the wonderful color paired with the glorious brooches!
I have such a soft spot for the pompoms, knowing that they are brought out when HM visits children, as happened here today. Those fluffy balls add a whisper of cuteness to that rich and regal purple.
You are right Jake, a pucker is visible where no pucker should be. Anything less than impeccable just won’t do for a sleek, monochrome style like this. But Queen Mathilde looks fantastic and very regal.
On February 14th, Princess Hisako attended the opening ceremony of the 30th Japan Grand Prix International Orchid and Flower Show
Well, this is exciting: a new hat for Max, as featured on one of the sites from HatQueen’s blog roll. http://www.modekoninginmaxima.nl/mode-maxima-mode-algemeen/koning-en-koningin-bij-seminar-indonesia-and-netherlands-joint-future Maybe Wies could translate for us? In any case, I like the ‘60s vibe and the patterning of the pheasant feathers with the solid dress.
http://www.modekoninginmaxima.nl/mode-maxima-mode-algemeen/koning-en-koningin-bij-seminar-indonesia-and-netherlands-joint-future
Here is the translated webpage.
Whoops.
I translated it using google translator but the English version didn’t copy.
So sorry!
Good thought, Beth. The event was about Dutch and Indonesian culture in advance of the state visit, but it’s just “designer unknown” for the hat.
Beautiful hat! The journalist of the site modekoninginmaxima (meaning Fashion Queen Máxima), calls it a “’50’s beret”, but I agree that it is much more sixty-ish. My mother had one like this but with fur instead of feathers.
It could almost be a vintage hat. I would love to know who made it: the feather work, with all those tiny little pheasant feathers, is extraordinary!
Queen Maxima on February 18
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Back view
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Extraordinary! Thanks for sharing, Maja!
Great photo of the back of the hat! Thanks so much Maja!
I agree with mittenmary about the ’60’s vibe and patterning of the feathers with the solid dress. Quite unexpected and quite lovely!
Gorgeous!
I don’t mind this hat on Máxima, and while the feather work is certainly meticulous and well-done, I’ve just never liked this. I have a vintage structured beret with feathers very similar to this one (it came with a group of hats I bought at an auction), but I find all the feather colors too random and sometimes unappealing to my eye. Máxima also wore a similar hat to Guillaume & Stéphanie’s wedding (although it included some large and tall pheasant feathers): https://royalhats.net/2012/10/20/luxembourg-wedding-dutch-royal-family/.
Thanks Maja for including this!
Jake, One of the commenters on the modekoninginmaxima said that the pheasant feather from the Luxembourg wedding hat was taken from one of Queen Juliana’s old hats and they were wondering if this entire hat was one of Queen Juliana’s. It would be interesting to know the answer to that question.
Interesting, I was not aware of this. It would make sense since we don’t see modern hats like this (and I do think Máxima has worn a Juliana hat at least once before, maybe a black one?). If it’s vintage, the preservation of the feathers and recycling an old hat makes me appreciate it more, but just something about all the feathers doesn’t appeal to me unfortunately.
While I agree with Mcncln that the color photo improves the hat, I agree with Mittenmary more – a homemade crafty concoction. My mother was a fantastic knitter – sweaters, scarves, hats, mittens. Any left over yarn, no matter the color, went to the making of pot holders. Some of her color combinations wound up being really out there!
The hat in today’s post was not the only hat to be paired with this beautiful green coat. I actually prefer the infamous playing cards hat better, HANDS DOWN!
photo 1
photo 2
photo 3
Wow, Jake I don’t remember this “playing cards” hat – so quirky! I know HM wore her share of “frivolous” hat styles in her day, but I am still a touch surprised — it’s so easy to forget that this stately monarch is said to have a very keen sense of humour.
Mcncln, since I admire Jake so much for his excellent comments and similar taste in millinery as me, and the fact that green is a favorite color of his, I too will give him credit for HM’s quirky green playing cards hat. Without being disrespectful, wouldn’t it be a hoot to have a dedicated post for quirky hats, like the pompom post or biggest bow post? I have a couple doozies already bookmarked!
Looking forward to that post, Jimbo!
Jimbo, I won’t take any credit for all your expert knowledge of royal hats! I do appreciate your deference to my favorite color haha.
Awesome idea for a post Jimbo!
Hello HQ! Lovely to see a quick brief post from you. I hope you are finding it possible to take life as gently as you need for, as long as you need.
As for HM’s tassel hat: I think it looks a lot better in colour. That black-and-white view is not very promising – but now I like the hat very much. See it below at 1:02- 1:46, 3:19-3:43 and 4:00-4:20. The other royal hats in the video are very “sixties fabulous” too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFZaSXXNjZI&index=143&list=PLkTOa7atYvalmJJfxBGwzR7jSn3TK84Fm
And I was delighted to see Queen Mathilde rocking this grey bandeau hat on 17 Feb 2020. Bandeaux are not an easy style to wear, but Mathilde has incorporated the trendy shape seamlessly into this classic, minimalist ensemble. Love the understated elegance.
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I completely agree mcncln on both points;
HM’s tassled hat looks fantastic in colour- great find on the footage!
and Queen Mathilde is definitely rocking her chic grey bandeau and cape outfit.
on a side note, sad to see another royal marriage ending in divorce, and after 26 years. shame we probably wont see any more hat winners from Countess Serena going forward (nor from the lovely Autumn)!
This hat does indeed look better in color, but it still has a bit of that craft-project vibe. Great hat for the Duchess of Kent (I think) — it looks like balls of fur.
Yes, Mathilde wears a bandeau well. But where is her coat? Everyone else looks bundled up.
Indeed it looks better in colour: green and black! Thank you for the footage Mcncl.
I like the way the tassel blows in the wind, like the feathers on the Queen Mother’s hat. And the fur bonnets and hats on the other royal ladies are very smart.
The Annual Memorial Mass used to be much more of a hatted event, but clearly not anymore. Mathilde only in a bandeau, and Princess Margaretha being the only other royal with a headpiece (a crinoline fascinator):
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When I first saw the photos mcncln provided, I didn’t realize it was for this event and thought the all-grey was a bit off (despite it being my favorite neutral), but it works great for the occasion. It does look like the fabric slightly puckers on the top of the bandeau, which is unfortunate for an otherwise polished ensemble.
Thank you, mcncln, for the video!
I really like the hat, tassel moving in the breeze, paired with the coat. Love the color.
Thanks also for the photos of Mathilde. I too am not a bandeau fan, but this one works with the whole ensemble. As you said, “understated elegance.” That’s Mathilde, 99 percent of the time!
Belgian royal family at the annual mass for the deceased members of the family in Laken on February 17:
Also Princess Léa
https://www.gettyimages.de/detail/nachrichtenfoto/cérémonie-annuelle-en-mémoire-des-membres-défunts-de-nachrichtenfoto/1201486726?adppopup=true
I’m not normally a fan of bandeau’s, but this one on Queen Mathilde is quite lovely. It just works so well with her cape dress. Thanks for sharing mcncln.
Interesting- just confirmed this bandeau is by Belgian milliner Amélie d’Hooghvorst. It is the first design Queen Mathilde has worn from her. So great to see her working with another milliner!
Surprising is putting it mildly!
I wonder what colour this hat was. If the picture had been from the mid seventies instead of from ‘68 my guess would have been brown & orange.
Brown and camel maybe?