A fourth garden party took place at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Beatrice, the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester braving rain to be in attendance.
The Duchess of Cambridge used the occasion to debut a new hat. The mint sinamay double disc design features a high sidesweep pinch in which is nestled oversize mint silk handmade flowers. There’s a delicacy and lightness to the piece that feels so fresh, despite us knowing that Kate has twins of this style in different colours!
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Designer: Philip Treacy OC 896 from SS 2022
Previously Worn: This hat is new
The Duke of Cambridge repeated his antique silk top hat.
Princess Beatrice wore a halo bandeau headpiece in a natural and black geometric woven print. The graphic pattern gives a great sharpness to the piece.
Designer: Dandelion design by Camilla Rose. Dress by Self Portrait.
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new
The Countess of Wessex repeated the electric blue straw ringed saucer percher trimmed with stiffened lace and curled quills we last saw her wear at Easter. The Earl repeated his antique silk top hat.
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Designer: bespoke Jane Taylor. Dress by Emilia Wickstead.
Previously Worn: April 17, 2022; July 1, 2016; July 2, 2013; June 18, 2013
The Duchess of Gloucester is wearing a wide brimmed black hat. It looks like a darker twin to the blue lightweight sinamay hat she wore in March.
Don’t you wish these garden parties would continue all summer?!
Images from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
It’s a pretty hat for Kate, but I wish the color of her dress had been more saturated; actually, what I really wish was she had repeated this ensemble:
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I quite like Beatrice’s bandeau and dress separately, but not together; up close I find the patterns clash a bit much for my tastes (and I’m one who enjoys some pattern mixing).
A nice look for Sophie, but I would’ve preferred to see this repeated:
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Birgitte definitely suits a large brim (although she looks good in smaller hats as well), and this looks like a fun garden party combo based on the very limited photos available. I do wish we could get a repeat of one of her 2018 Ascot ensembles again!
All the men look good in their top hats, but IMO Edward reigns supreme in his and definitely leads this next generation in having the best fitting (and probably looking) top hat.
Yes indeed. These two hats and looks from The Duchess and The Countess are among my absolute favourites.
Gorgeous.
The Royal gentlemen all look very dapper. I like the different ties and waistcoats complementing the elegant silk top hats. Lovely.
The Royal ladies are also a lovely mix of more subdued tones this week. Four very different hats. I like them all. Princess Beatrice is very individual in her style which is rather nice. I like her dress with matching bandeau very much.
I wasn’t sure on Kate’s combo at first, it’s got quite a lot going on with the high neck and fussy hat, but it’s very current and ladylike, and she looks lovely. Hopefully we’ll see the hat again (she does tend to wear a lot of hats only once, which is a shame).
Sophie’s look is still lovely, but I’d love to have seen the original hat she wore with this dress, it was a stunner.
I love Bea’s look, really flattering and the mix of monochrome patterns just gives really subtle interest.
Birgitte looks elegant as per.
I liked all the hats here and thought they suited their outfits well.
Kate’s looked good from all angles – I know she has others similar, but the pinching of the brim made this more of a favourite for me. I love the fabric of the swishy dress and I’m sure she needed the high neck and long sleeves (compare the DoGlo with her wrap and coat!) on a very cool day.
I love Sophie’s hat, especially the contrast of the delicate trim.
Bea’s hairband was well enough – not a favourite for me, but age appropriate and fine.
The DoGlo went for a workhorse hat and distracted the eye with her fab pearls!
I really liked that all the ladies’ hats were completely different from each other’s.
I like all these hats, especially Prince Edward’s antique silk top hat. He looks fantastic! The shape of the Duchess of Cambridge’s hat didn’t chime perfectly with the high ruffled collar, in my opinion, but a very pretty hat nonetheless. I’m a fan of the modern halo bandeaux, and really liked the geometric design on Princess Beatrice’s. I thought Countess of Wessex looked luminous in that colour of blue, and the Duchess of Gloucester looked classic in that lightweight black brimmed hat.
Pss Beatrice’s headband is a miss for me. I like the Duchess of Cambridges hat, it suits her, though similar to others she has in different colors.
Nice, but wish she would not do repeat designs just in different colors.