With no hats to cover this week, we’re going to create our own excitement here by creating Fantasy British Royal Family Christmas Hat Parades. It’s simple- you act as stylist for the British royals, digging into their royal hat closets and choosing a hat you’d pick for them to wear for Christmas Day. You can take an individual approach or style the group as a whole (hats that compliment, blend or deliciously clash!). There are two stipulations- first, new hats are off limits (you have to pick from what is/has been in each royal’s closet) and second, no trading hats between the ladies.
This is the final post I’ve planned for this week so take your time, explain why you’ve chosen each hat and revel in the choices others share. The whole point of this is a little lighthearted fun.
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I can’t wait to see your styling choices!
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I can’t possibly compete with all these wonderful arrays of Christmas fashion, but here’s one. Since HatQueen introduced this theme with two very old photos, I’m assuming that it is not inappropriate to imagine that time travel exists and include in our fantasy parade royals who are no longer with us. I would love to see the Queen Mother in our parade wearing this lovely light blue coat and hat from 1987:
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/g34943121/queen-elizabeth-queen-mother-photos/?slide=37
(Cannot find embeddable version of this photo, but Town & Country gives photo credit as “Hulton Deutsch/Getty Images”.)
March 17, 1987 (not very green, and one of these photos is backwards!) I even love the dent in the crown!
Matthew, I’ll be in Ft. Meyers on Sunday!
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Jimbo, I knew I could count on you! Based on the buttoning direction of the red jackets, it would appear that the Town & Country version is the one that is backwards.
Fort Meyers is on the opposite side of the state from me, I’ve actually only ever been there once. If you’re going to be there any length of time, you can take a ferry from there down to Key West, though I’m not sure what’s open down there these days. Have a good time and stay safe!
Excellent choice, Matthew! I believe I read somewhere that QEQM wore this shade in honor of the regimental color of the Irish Guards, visible in the plume of their hats. Would love to see Kate revive this practice.
Red and green!
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Thanks for the inspiration, Trish! I was trying to think of the right Instagram Christmas greeting and you set me in a great direction!
I tried to post this yesterday, but it obviously didn’t come through (so apologies for the repeats), and I certainly won’t ever be epic like Jimbo, but here go some of my choices.
There was only one choice for HM for me:
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It’s beyond time the royal men start wearing more hats, so I think Charles should lead the family in a bowler:
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Had to go with my Camilla in green suggestion from the festive post, but an alternative would be this leopard and feather beret (although I would pair it with a navy blue or burgundy coat):
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Again, have to go with the blue Canada disc hat for Kate (pair with blue & green tartan coat), but a close runner-up would be this John Boyd dove grey portrait hat (paired with a dark green or burgundy coat):
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Of course I would love a repeat of Meghan’s emerald hat (worn with a charcoal grey coat), but I also wouldn’t mind seeing her first Christmas hat come back again:
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Had trouble figuring out Anne, but I decided this is what I would like to see again:
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Like The Queen, there was only one choice for Zara (and have to go with a cap for Mike as well):
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So many choices for Sophie, but I think it’s come down these two with a little bit of sparkle/shine for the holidays (pair the black with a crimson outfit):
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While she likely won’t wear this hat beyond carriage events, I think this would be fantastic for Christmas on Louise:
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Pair a tailored purple coat with this cocktail hat for a festive look on Beatrice:
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As much as I love decorated hats, this super simple structured beret is just so wonderful on Eugenie (but pair it with a teal/turquoise outfit):
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And finally, there was also only one choice for Lady Sarah Chatto (pair it with a charcoal coat):
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Forgot about Kate’s gray portrait hat. Am a little weary of perchers right now. Love this hat!
It would really shine if paired with a burgundy coat, as you suggest!
LOVING all the royal Christmas styling!! I think we need to revv up the glam
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This is a great take- a “Glammed-up Royal Christmas!” There are some great hats here.
Here’s a go at a jewel-toned group look:
As others here have suggested, Queen Elizabeth in teal velvet (hat by Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren)
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The Duchess of Cornwall in raspberry red (hat by Lock & Co.)
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The Duchess of Cambridge in her mulberry Jane Taylor felt trilby (I REALLY want to see this hat again!), Hobbs navy wool coat (without the red scarf) and printed LK Bennett silk dress to bring the hat and coat together
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The Duchess of Sussex in her green Erdem coat with black lace trim with black velvet brimless hat with bow
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Princess Beatrice in this tailored black dress and fringed coat with her deep blue velvet felt button percher with rose and silk abaca bow by Juliette Botterill
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Princess Eugenie in this deep blue coat and wide brimmed purple felt Sarah Cant hat
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The Countess of Wessex in her purple coat with her black felt Jane Taylor saucer trimmed with a bow
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Lady Louise in Zara Tindall’s orange coat paired with Louise’s grey animal print felt beret by Jane Taylor
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Princess Anne in her new-ish red coat and black faux fur hat by Yvette Jelfs. And her two eldest granddaughters in their darling pink and teal coats!
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Zara Tindall in her navy wool Guinea London coat, navy and white dotted dress by Rebecca, and magenta felt Philip Treacy hat.
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This is so colorful! I love Princess Anne’s coat. She really needs to wear that more often.
I went a different route in the Fantasy British Royal Family Christmas Parade. I think everyone, including the Royals, are tired of lockdown, so I think they all decided to take a holiday to a warmer climate and celebrate Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere.
HM The Queen
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Or:
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Duchess of Cornwall
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Duchess of Cambridge
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Duchess of Sussex
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Princess Beatrice
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Princess Eugenie
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Countess of Wessex
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Princess Anne
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Autumn Phillips
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Zara Tindall
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Countess of Snowdon
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Lady Sarah Chatto
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Such fun! .
I love all the summery hats! Shanon, I think all of us in the northern hemisphere are fed up with COVID-19 and would love to get away to a sunny vacation spot!
Shanon, I love your slant on this post! Since we saw no Easter, Ascot, Trooping, or other major events this year, your choices are total eye candy.
BTW, I’m not as faithful to the “This Week’s Extras” post as you and quite a number of other commenters are, so I don’t get a chance to tell you how much I enjoy YOUR contribution each week, pairing some spectacular and some silly new creations with the current Royals. You do a great job! Merry Christmas (yes, I still prefer that saying to Happy Holidays) to you and your family!
PS I leave Sunday for some time in southern Florida. I’ll stay as connected as I possibly can here at Royal Hats, depending on the poolside wifi strength.
Jimbo, you are so kind in your words. Thank YOU for all your amazing posts that you contributed this year. Hat Queen, as ever, thank you for making this such an entertaining, insightful and safe place for us all to collaborate. Safe travels to everyone wherever you are, please stay safe and a very Merry Christmas to you all! I hope 2021 brings us all hope, health and happiness.
Shanon, I echo Jimbo’s comments! I love reading your posts. All my best wishes to you and your family for a wonderfully holiday season and a healthy and happy 2021!
I share in the appreciation for both Jimbo’s posts (and those photos!) and Shanon’s perfect matching of new designs to royals! Merry Christmas to all!
Every time MrFitzroy thinks about the recent appearance of Her Majesty decked bright saturated red, with her ‘jeweled’ Hermes scarf, it brings a huge smile!
It makes one wonder what would happen, if by design or serendipity, the whole family appeared for Christmas in red (or red trimmed) hats!!! It would certainly be festive!!
Of course we start with HM swathed in candy apple red,..
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Let’s dip back in the closet for the Princess Royal, as she is known to do, for a little bit of a vintage PanAm stewardess look….
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The Duchess of Cornwall is a bit wan when it comes to red hats (beyond her trusty beret), but she makes up for it in a bright red poppy covered mask!
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The Countess of Wessex has just the tiniest glimmer of red in her hat trim, but Prince Edward brings it!
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Red is such a “go to” color for the Duchess of Cambridge, she just can’t go wrong….
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Princess Beatrice opts for just a hint of red in her hat trim, but brings it up a notch with wonderful red embroidery….
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Princess Eugenie doesn’t look particularly wintery, but entirely festive none the less!!
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Opps!! MrFitzroy forgot to include Zara Tindall, who has some wonderful hats in different shades or red….It was difficult to decide between these two……
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I love the pops of color! Great choices!!
I love all the red hats!
This is a veritable feast of red!
I couldn’t decide between plaids or jewel tones… so I’m going to offer both options. Here goes plaid;
Her Majesty standing out in winter white and tan fur
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The Duchess of Cornwall in a vibrant coat and red Philip Treacy felt beret with pheasant feathers
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The Duchess of Cambridge in black (or charcoal?) and ivory houndstooth plaid coat with her mulberry felt Jane Corbett trilby.
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The Duchess of Sussex in her navy and green plaid coat with midnight blue Philip Treacy veiled percher
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The Countess of Wessex in a black and dark blue houndstooth frock and Jane Taylor black felt saucer with bow and feathers; Lady Louise in her pink and taupe plaid coat with velvet braided bandeau headpiece from last year
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Princess Anne in a kilt and her navy trilby with side bow and feathers. Peter Phillips in a camel tweed coat and chocolate fedora.
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Zara Tindall in a mulberry tweed Pip Hewson coat and Juliette Botterill hat with feathers; Mike Tindal in a smart grey tweed coat and flat cap. Lady Sarah Chatto in a black and white checked coat with camel felt hat trimmed with a diamond brooch
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Now, I said no hat swapping between royal ladies but I didn’t disallow coat swapping! That’s precisely what I’m going to do for Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who have almost no plaid clothing. Princess Beatrice gets the Duchess of Cambridge’s blue and pink plaid coat to pair with this beautiful black felt percher with blue flower by Juliette Botterill (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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Princess Eugenie gets the Countess of Wessex’s black and white houndstooth coat to wear with her red brimless Sarah Cant hat (and matching lipstick again, please!)
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Looking at it all now, it’s a LOT of plaid…
Beautiful choices, HQ, and I like that you selected the coats to go with the hats instead of the other way around!
Yes! I thought the plaids would all be the same but you chose ones that are all different! And such great hats.
Fabulous choices!
For today’s comment, think of how well the British congregations sing in Church, especially Christmas carols. Please use your biggest and loudest playground voice as you SING with gusto and exuberance the following Elvis tune:
WE’LL HAVE A
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CHRISTMAS WITHOUT YOU. WE’LL BE SO
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JUST THINKING ABOUT YOU. DECORATIONS OF
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ON A
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CHRISTMAS TREE WON’T BE THE SAME DEAR, IF YOU’RE NOT HERE WITH ME.
AND WHEN THOSE
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SNOWFLAKES START FALLING, THAT’S WHEN THOSE
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MEM’RIES START CALLING,
YOU’LL BE DOING ALRIGHT WITH YOUR CHRISTMAS OF
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BUT WE’LL HAVE A
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CHRISTMAS!
This truly can’t be topped!
Jimbo, you have made my day! ROFLOL!!!
Inspired, Jimbo!
Extraordinary! You win the internet Sir!
This is hilarious!
I pondered different angles to take on this. I thought about hats with sparkle or plaid, but those didn’t seem right. While searching through pictures of Queen Elizabeth over the past 20 years, I decided that I would go with pictures in which people look genuinely happy and delighted. It’s not much of a criteria from a millinery perspective, but it fits the idea in my mind that we all need hope, love, and delight right now.
[This is my first time attempting to embed, so we shall see if I’ve gotten it right or messed it up.]
Queen Elizabeth:
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A better view of the whole hat is here:
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Duchess of Cornwall:
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Duchess of Cambridge:
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Duchess of Sussex:
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Princess Anne (bonus: QE is wearing the same hat as above but at a different event, giving credence to the fact that this is a happy hat):
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Countess of Wessex:
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Princess Beatrice:
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Princess Eugenie (this was one of the hardest to find; the most joy I found was at her wedding, but tiaras don’t seem right for Christmas):
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Well done. It’s a very coordinated blue look for the family with that lovely gold on Beatrice and a pop of red on Eugenie!
What wonderful theme you chose! I love it!
You said to take your time, but when you set this challenge I had to drop everything I was doing! I decided they all needed to be in jewel like tones, and I wanted a range of styles, shapes and textures. I’d restyle some of the looks (Beatrice’s cloche for instance is such a wintry look that looked all at sea with that graphic summer dress, and Sophie’s dated coat needs to go), but I think these are a fab collection of titfers. Here goes…
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These are SPLENDID, JamesB! Love the jewel tones. Did I just hear a mic drop 😉?
Yes they are!
I love these, especially Camilla and Kate’s!
Wonderful choices! I especially love Camilla’s festive green felt hat.
for the do cambridge, what about her recent festive red and plaid extravaganza with lovely red hat from the 2012 diamond jubilee celebrations??
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This is such a festive look for Kate! I almost included it in my plaid group above, pairing it instead with her black felt Whitely beret.
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