Members of the Belgian royal family attended the annual mass in memory of the deceased members of their family at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken on Thursday, February 17, 2022
For the event, Queen Mathilde repeated a calot hat with domed, pointed crown wrapped with flying ribbon tails around the bottom curve. The textured black fabric covering it has small dimples that lend a subtle sparkle and welcome texture to the piece.
Previously Worn: Dec 12, 2015; Dec 13, 2014; Nov11, 2011; Nov 15, 2008
Princess Astrid wore a simple padded black velvet headband.
Princess Claire wore a wide-brimmed black felt fedora. The hat is trimmed with a wide ribbon hatband topped with a slim leather one that ties into a double looped bow on the side. The scale is lovely on Claire as are those stacked hatbands, which give just enough contrast to the design.
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Princess Delphine wore a slouchy black felt cloche with cuffed brim wrapped in a swath of dotted net tulle. It’s a chic look that suits the petite princess well.
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Princess Léa wore a wide brimmed black felt fedora.
I think this quintet is a great example of the diversity of styles one can choose for more sombre events while still making a style statement. Which hats here speak to you most?
Images from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
I really like Claire’s fedora. It’s sharp, chic and appropriate.
Delphine is my other favorite. Her hat isn’t much on its own, but she brings such style to it. I think she looks great. Isn’t it nice that she’s a part of these events now? I can only imagine how odd all of this was for her, but she’s so poised and confident that she fits in nicely.
Claire and Delphine were the winners for me. Claire’s fedora with it’s great details was very chic on her, especially when paired with the houndstooth jacket. If I just saw Delphine’s hat sitting on a shelf, I would not think it would be flattering on most people, but it is for Delphine! I wonder if it’s vintage because it looks like it could be.
Mathilde’s calot is fine, although the puckered fabric is unfortunate, and pairing it with a navy outfit feels a bit off to me, especially when everyone else is in all black (although the outfit does suit her well). Astrid’s headband, while not exciting in terms of headwear, looked very nice on her and pairs well with her outfit.
Léa does suit a fedora (see here for a better one: https://royalhats.net/2013/02/19/begian-royal-family-attend-remembrance-mass/), but this wool felt one unfortunately looks quite cheap to me (and I don’t say that lightly), especially with how misshapen and unfinished it looks.
Mathilde’s hat is a good scale and appropriate for the occasion. Regular readers of comments will not be surprised to learn that I rarely think fedoras are a good look for women at formal occasions, as to me they always convey a I-should-be-worn-in-the-country-or-with-sunglasses informality, but I have to say that I do think Claire’s hat is good here.
I find I’m becoming a number one fedora fan. I like both of today’s, and Claire’s, with the fancy hatband, wins the day for me. I really like the houndstooth coat too.
I agree with Wies, I too originally thought Mathilde’s fabric was knitted, but shaping would have been much easier with a knit — the puckering could have been avoided completely. The sparkle effect is very interesting, and I wonder if it’s created by placing a white or light colored fabric underneath the black that is just peeking out through the tiny openings in the black fabric. Claire’s fedora is perfect on her, and appropriately somber for the occasion while still making a strong fashion statement. I want to like Delphine’s slouch hat, but there’s that one big dot on the veil that is positioned right over her eyebrow no matter what angle the photograph is taken — I feel like someone should have noticed that and moved it!
I like Princess Claire’s black fedora; it is simple but the hatband gives just enough contrast to make it elegant.
Queen Mathilde’s calot hat has just the right volume. It goes very well with her coat (and pearls). I wonder what the material is, in which it is covered. At first I thought it might be some knitted fabric, as it seems to have a bit of fluff around it. But as you pointed out the little pleats at the base of the hat, Hat Queen, I suppose it is something more difficult to block.