Some of us will be lamenting not wearing our Easter hats on Sunday and to provide balm for this disappointment, our discussion question this week is, dearest readers, which royal hats have the widest brims?
For a look at Queen Elizabeth’s widest brims, jump over to this post.
Photo from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
Mary’s three aren’t the biggest, but they are among the best: https://royalhats.net/2016/06/08/seeing-double-crown-princess-mary-2/
Greeting kisses can be a challenge with large brims
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I think these are Bea’s biggest brims
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Some of the Countess of Wessex’s hats have been shared already but she has some pretty large ones
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Trooping the Colour on June 12, 1999 in one of my favourite ever royal hats
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Yes, that black and oatmeal hat of the Countess’ is stunning!
From the March 12, 2012 Commonwealth Service, a hat we talked about in our “Biggest Feathers” discussion
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Maxima at Letitzia’s wedding hat
that photo of Charles surrounded by all these hats, is there such a thing as a clouder of hats?
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Maxima has a few memorable brims- this one, worn April 24, 2009 to name a ship. Photos by Patrick Katwijk via Corbis via Monarchy Press.
I love that top view of Maxima’s hat, thanks HQ!
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This one is a stunner!
Just incredible!
a few more from princess caroline of monaco/hanover
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and this ‘unique’ hat worn at the 2015 casiraghi/borromeo wedding https://royalhats.net/2015/08/03/monaco-royal-wedding-in-italy-family-and-royal-guests/
Wow, that wedding hat was a hot mess, wasn’t it? Loving some of Caroline’s wide brims, though.
Me too! She had some great past hats that we should admire more often.
Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent had some large brimmed hats, and looked very elegant in all of them. Any ideas whether those are feathers on the final hat? It’s magnificent.
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Love the first one! A court dress occasion?
Agreed! Don’t they all look spectacular?
The Duchess of York:
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Check out these hat pins:
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Missed this one!
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So crazy, the crossed letter pins, plus the 3 butterfly hair ties. Very Ascot-y!
I’m grasping at Royal here, but Raine Spencer’s hair is as wide as her hat. Remarkable!
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Goodness me Shanon, that is serious big hair. Countess Spencer looks as if she might be ready to pose for a portrait by Gainsborough.
Impressive effort also for Autumn Phillips. I’m really going to miss her hats at future royal events.
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I had forgotten about this one! This was in Autumn’s awkward phase with hats, but amidst many misses I thought this one was a hit.
While not the widest brim, this one from Serena certainly applies to many of these superlative posts!
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HatQueen’s initial photo for this post looked like a great hat wearing occasion to further delve into: (sorry for my dangling preposition, but I’m bushed!)
Princess Alexia’s wedding on July 9, 1999. Here are some real whoppers!
Infanta Elena, Princess Rosario, Queens Margrethe, Sonja, and Silvia.
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More Haya:
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Princess Caroline approaching Queen Maxima territory!
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I love that hat, MrFitzroyMBE. Especially the wattle trim. (Though that is probably due to patriotic bias, as I’m Australian and it’s our national flower).
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Mittenmary, the hat Diana is wearing has always been a favorite of mine.
Brims so large that they have to be folded:
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Maxima has this hat in dark burgundy and ecru as well. All are from the Madagascar Hat Company
See the ecru one here
See the burgundy one here and here
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Of course she does!
This is pretty wide brim by Princess Royal standards…..but all the more interesting is the bulbous beehive crown — and MrFitzroy really wishes he had found this one with it’s ….um…’insect’ ….for the ‘unusual trim’ post last week!!
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Oh yes, that hat certainly counts as a “crazy” trim! Animals, and insects in particular, are likely to creep viewers out — they’re a risky choice in my view — though this fanciful decoration makes me smile!
One of the photos that immediately comes to mind for me when we’re talking about wide brims is this one from a camera angle we don’t usually see!
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Princess Michael’s cream hat with lattice brim is from Philip Treacy
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Princess Michael might be one of our strongest overall “Large Brim” contenders.
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This millinery aerial shot immediately reminded me of a similar camera angle of the gossiping towns women in the wonderful movie “The Music Man,” during the song “Pick-a-Little-Talk-a-Little,” with added chickens running about. They don’t make ’em like that any more!
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At Ascot in 1998
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Epsom Races, June 2000
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Her black straw Philip Treacy with large feather
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Ascot 1995
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Countess of Wessex had some large brims at Ascot:
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Princess Haya had some large brims at Ascot (and also some pretty hats I included because she’s so lovely)
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I was wondering when Sophie’s burgundy straw boater would appear! And such great hats on Princess Haya. I really hope we see her back at Ascot in the future.
Yes, I really miss seeing Princess Haya.
There were several large hats at Prince William’s wedding. Not sure the future Princess Charlene’s tops Princess Michael’s, but it looks close:
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I always thought this was a lovely hat on Princess Charlene. She looked very pretty. Thanks for including this!
Agree, Shanon! Not sure that I like most of the hats posted today, but Princess Charlene’s hat definitely suits her.
Looking at some of these wide-brimmed hats, I’m wondering if an early form of social distancing had to be implemented in the venues where they were worn, just to keep the hat brims from knocking into the person in the next seat!
Can you imagine sitting behind someone with a hat like this? Not only can’t you see over their head, but looking side to side your view is impeded also. I am only a fan of this look if I am looking at someone, not behind them!
I used to live in the New York area and went to the 1989 Brooklyn Academy of Music performance of “Faust” by the Welsh National Opera attended by Princess Diana, who was a patron. (I actually got an amazingly good seat for a normal opera ticket price, and was seated right near David and Elizabeth Emmanuel, who were still in favor at that time.) At the intermission, our local TV news reporter Sue Simmons did a broadcast from the lobby, and I went over to take a look. I’m kind of short, and I was standing behind a tall woman whose dress had really large sort of puffed shoulders, so large that I couldn’t see over them, and if you look at the videotape of the broadcast (taped by a family member) all you see of me is bits of my head on one side then the other, trying to see around those giant puffed shoulders!
Hah, I don’t remember ever having my view blocked by those ‘80s shoulders, but I can visualize this thanks to your vivid description! Hope you got at least a glimpse of Diana.
I’ll start. No prizes for guessing this one ‘s wearer! The Netherlands, 2005
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For comparison, Maxima has at least 7 similarly wide hats –but I think they are beaten by a whisker by the red above. Example: New Zealand 2016.
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Another wearer of seriously wide hats: Princess Michael, wedding of Prince William 2011.
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Maxima’s red and pink hat immediately came to my mind. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one 😀
The navy picture hat is a dream. She certainly has dozens of wide-brimmed hats.
You beat me to it, mcncln! Max’s red will be hard to top.
The red hat is the winner! Great finds! I love Princess Michael’s hat at william and Kate’s wedding. So lovely.