The Belgian royal family celebrated their nation’s holiday last Friday with a Te Deum mass at The Saint Michael and Saint Gudula Cathedral followed by a military parade.
Queen Mathilde wore a tomato red sinamay hat with slightly arched brim, simply trimmed with a hatband and folded bow at the back.
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My issue with this hat is it’s wobbly brim, which would look so much more refined if it had been pressed smooth during blocking.
Designer: “Vinity” design by Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Queen Paola wore a black felt pillbox that flares out to a square shape around the top of the crown. It’s one of the most uniquely shaped pillboxes I’ve ever seen; I think it works best from front view, where it forms an angular, peaked halo shape around her face. I’m less keen from the side view. It’s innovative, certainly, but flattering? I’m not sure.
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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Crown Princess Elisabeth wore a natural-hued hat with wide brim in the loveliest woven Panama straw.
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Designer: “Desert Wind” by Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan.
Previously Worn: This hat is new
As in years past, Princess Astrid wore military uniform and cap with jaunty upturned brim
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Princess Claire wore a large design in salmon pink straw braid with cartwheel brim and unique, unblocked crown. The design is trimmed with a wide hatband in the same colour.
The colour is lovely on Claire, as is the scale of the brim (she carries a wide statement brim so well!). The slouchy, unblocked top of the crown is another millinery innovation we don’t often see. While it’s an interesting counterpoint to the streamlined brim and wonderfully unexpected, I’m not sure it works from all angles. Maybe with a more streamlined ensemble it would work better?
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Designer:
Previously Worn:
Princess Delphine balanced her colourful dress (with floral print she designed) with a white sinamay hat. The design features an indented crown, downturned brim and is trimmed with a wide white hatband and one of the same turquoise sequin hearts as is on her dress.
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Designer: Josje Huisman (Cornelia brand). Dress by Atelier ExC by Ebru Sari.
Previously Worn: This hat is new
There are numerous standout hats here, some more for their creativity (which I LOVE to see!). Which designs inspired the greatest reaction for you?!
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Royal Hats 
I keep checking in to see if HQ has resurfaced . . . Miss her and hope that everything is OK!
I hope that this is only a well deserved break for Hat Queen, and that she will return rested and refreshed to us soon!
Has anyone heard anything from Hat Queen?
It’s quite worrying isn’t it. Hope everyone’s ok.
Where is the Hat Lady? I miss you!
Hat Lady, I hope yo are pkay. I’ve missed you.
Me too.
Me too!
Mathilde has always rocked the red and I agree it’s a good color for her, but as she has so many all-red ensembles, this one doesn’t stand out unfortunately. Also, the construction, especially when seen in Delvigne’s video, definitely leaves something to be desired for a couture hat (apologies if I sound too harsh, but it’s just how I feel!).
While I want to like Elisabeth’s hat, again, the construction feels quite subpar and to me she doesn’t look comfortable wearing this hat because the brim is so turned downward that it makes it difficult for her to see. I think this would’ve been much better if the brim had been shaped like one of Máxima’s slice hats.
Like Bristol, I also thought Paola’s hat looked like a clerical biretta. Even though it’s not my favorite hat, I liked it for something different and overall I thought it flattered her.
I liked everything about Claire’s hat and outfit except for the crown of the hat; it feels like it was squished while being back and just never was revived instead of being an innovative design choice. Sometimes classic is best, and that’s what should’ve happened with this crown IMO.
We can always count on Delphine to bring something unique, and she didn’t disappoint. I very much enjoy her artistic approach to her ensembles for this event and trying to highlight different designers. My only real complaint is I feel like the hat is being worn backwards, but I think that’s because I’m used to seeing crowns higher at the front, and this is the opposite. In the end though, a brava from me for Delphine!
Well, an interesting selection, and how unusual to see such a sweep of large-brimmed hats on almost all the royal ladies! I think Elisabeth’s hat is very dramatic, but is also really impractical for a royal at a public occasion, since not only did it mean Elisabeth had to lean back to see members of the public, but also that the public couldn’t see her properly either. I’m not sure how much interacting Claire and Delphine were doing, so maybe a bit less important for them. Claire’s crown is certainly arresting! I’ve never seen anything like that before, so full marks for novelty. From some angles it does look rather like a squidgy cap on a garden gnome… I just don’t like the see-through aspect of the white brim on Delphine’s hat, it seems like an error rather than a fashion choice. Paula’s hat reminds me of one of those four-cornered clerical birettas. Nice to have so much to comment on!
My favorite today is Elisabeth’s. She carries the size very well, although, as Jimbo says, it is a little beachy. I could see scaling it down a little for a more polished look.
OK, I guess the crown of Claire’s is original, but it looks as though the milliner just gave up.
Delphine’s shot of color is always welcome at these things. She did well to keep the hat simple. But the whole look is already fanciful enough without the clunky platforms and the fuzzy bag.
My goodness, what an assortment of umbrella-sized hats! All bold and eye-catching to be sure, and no fascinators or headbands in sight!
Queen Mathilde: Red is a magnificent color on the queen. I quite like the wavy brim, as it gives motion and interest.
Queen Paola: Her black pillbox has an air of academia to me. I don’t care for the shape, dark funereal black, or the winter weight material.
Princess Elisabeth: Entirely too big for my more sensibilities. It looks heavy and uncomfortable on her. It appears that her line of vision is greatly impaired by the ginormous brim. Not a fan.
Princess Claire: Same comment as Elisabeth. Maybe a great beach hat, though.
Princess Delphine: Today’s winner. Beautiful light-weight summer white goes very well with her floral dress.
My first reaction to the group pic was that Paola looked like she was wearing an academic cap. I liked all the wide brimmed ones – nice to see and a change from hair bands and tiny hats.
Trickymum, you and I think a lot alike! I surely miss this blog! It’s been almost 2 months since the last new post, and I certainly hope Hat Queen is well, happy, healthy, and enjoying the oncoming autumn. Mrs. Jimbo is still wearing summer weight hats to Church on Sunday, but darker colors now. Soon the ol’ switcheroo into winter wear will happen.
I included a pair of hats from earlier this month. Camilla could have been matched better, IMO. Anne’s red beret is always a pleasure to see. It’s a great, bold color for her.
I hope that is OK with HQ! Best to you!
Queen Camilla and Princess Anne: Braemar Games, 2023
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The best hat is worn by Princess Elisabeth! I think it’s a grand looking hat that has a stunning shape and the size is dramatic. She wears it with panache!!!!