King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark arrived in Stockholm on Monday for a state visit. For the official welcome, both kings predictably wore ceremonial military uniform with caps.
Queen Mary wore a new calot hat in navy sinamay with large bow at the back.
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
The styling of the ensemble is a classic success with navy accessories beautifully setting off the textured white dress. As for the hat shape… one comment online described the hat’s bow as eating her head, especially from head-on veiw from a distance. The bow certainly gives the calot presence.
Milliner: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Queen Silvia repeated a cerise silk covered pillbox trimmed with a flat bow around the back and a slim yellow silk piping around the base of the front that ties to the hounds tooth patterned dress of this ensemble.
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
On its own, the hat is fine- it’s a classic pillbox and Silvia wears the shape well. It’s the overall look that feels off, maybe because it feels less chic and more costume to me in this colour scheme in high-sheen fabrics.
Milliner: unknown. Silk dress and coat by Maknam.
Previously Worn: Nov 15, 2022
Crown Princess Victoria wore a floral headpiece with large petals made of the same pink fabric as her dress and coat with a black center.
{instagram url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C6ofdrEoJjF/ width=550]
Milliner Tim Maartenson made mini versions of the headpiece for buttons on Victoria’s dress and a small hairclip for Princess Estelle. It’s fair to point out that Maartenson’s work is bringing to life a design by Christer Lindarw, whose vision was clearly an overall pink look with black accessories. I find the headpiece’s design both a bit cutesy and a little flat although make no mistake, it’s impeccably made; Maartenson has created some lovely headpieces for the crown princess and I suspect he would have come up with something more sophisticated had he been given the freedom to create his own design to coordinate with this ensemble. That all being said, it’s great to see such collaborations between designers, milliners and makers happening and being acknowledged.
Milliner: Tim Maartenson for Christer Lindarw. Dress and coat by Birgitta Jonsson for Christer Lindarw.
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new
Princess Sofia repeated a white bandeau headpiece.
Milliner: unknown. Dress by Veronica Virta
Previously Worn: May 17, 2022
During the programme of events the first day, the two queens removed their hats. Queen Mary wore a sparkling hair comb; between the comb and the calot, I’ve have gone with the calot. Let’s hope this practice of removing hats after a state visit’s welcome doesn’t become tradition.
Milliner: Ellen Hunter NY “Nell” comb
Previously Worn: Jan 3, 2024
Thoughts?
Images from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
When the announcement was made that King Frederik and Queen Mary were travelling to Sweden for their first ever State Visit abroad we knew that there would be splendid moments and I was especially looking forward to the State Banquet. But even the arrival and welcoming ceremony was rather special with the Danish Royal Couple coming by sea and being received in the harbour rather than at the Royal Mews. Both Queen Silvia and Queen Mary looked lovely in their day wear for the formal welcoming ceremony, though I have to agree that at certain angles the bow in Queen Mary’s hat looked a bit weird, a bit too big. But she made up for it wearing that beautiful Sapphire brooch I thought. As for Queen Silvia I am not averse to the radiant pink and yellow look.
Should you wish to read more about the State Visit I will (cheekily) leave a link to my blog where there are more details about the banquet, the guests and the orders and jewels worn:
Thank you for this post. I do really like Queen Mary’s ensemble, especially the dress, jewelry and the cape. The hat from the side is good, but I wish the loops of the bows had been flattened and tacked down and not so voluminous from the front. It was almost comical. Other than her outfit, which I really liked, I give CP Victoria and Queen Silvia both a no. The shine, pattern, and colors scheme of Silvia’s ensemble is giving me kindergarten teacher at an Easter egg hunt, and Victoria’s pink coat and dress were so oversized they were overwhelming, while her head flower was underwhelming. I often feel like Victoria’s daywear is matronly, and this outfit is an example of that. Give me a smart skirt suit or coat dress, but the everything pale pink and the excessive fabric and the wafer flower on a cake on her head were all shouting NO simultaneously.
“kindergarten teacher at an Easter egg hunt”
I couldn’t have said it better!!
I am so glad Mary will continue the tradition of wearing a hat for welcoming ceremonies during a state visit. However, this particular hat disappointed me. Mary usually chooses hats well, but this hat fails her on the most important angle which is head-on. From the side, the hat looks fine, but from the front that huge bow looks very random. You can’t tell it is attached to a hat. The bow just seems to appear out of nowhere. I’m sorry, Marry this is a fail. Sylvia’s hat is perfect. Her outfit looks good from a distance, but up close there is too much pattern and too much yellow. Victoria’s flower is better than nothing, I think. I wish she would change up her hairstyle and give her milliner free rein to design her a decent hat. I am learning to accept headbands like Sophie’s. It is so nice to be here talking about hats again! Thank you, HatQueen!!!!!
Overall I like the look of Mary’s ensemble and the navy blue (and sapphire!) accessories are very classically paired with her white dress. I do love a big bow, but from the front this calot hat reminds me of the shape of some traditional Dutch bonnets.
I’m still not a fan of this patterned dress and coat for Silvia (or anyone, for that matter), and I agree the hat on its own is fine, but the outfit brings it down a bit.
Victoria favors small headpieces like this and also wearing them towards the back of her head. While they are nicely made and attractive pieces, it does defeat the purpose a bit by not being able to really see them, and I think this positioning makes them feel a bit more juvenile; if she had worn this on the side of her head in a fascinator style, I think it would be better in terms of showing it off. Her hairstyle hasn’t really changed for years, and IMO that dictates how she wears these headpieces.
Nothing surprising or exciting from Sofia, but still nice to see her.