Author Archives: Royal Hats

This Week’s Extras

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Queen Margrethe in her textured straw red hat on Tuesday for a service at Holmen’s Church celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Danish Armed Forces
Princess Akiko in a darling cloche hat for the Japanese Rugby Championship last weekend

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Pale grey straw turban studded with starburst flowers by French milliner Laurence Bossion
Super chic two tone straw trilby by British milliner Louise Pocock
Tan straw bergere with black crown and handmade flowers by UK-based milliner Guilia Mio
Amazing lion fish inspired headpiece by Israeli milliner Maor Zabar
Exquisite oversize pink silk rose headpiece by Russian designer and flower maker Marina Koneva
Red leather teardrop percher with resin flowers and wire swish by Irish milliner GrĂĄinne Maher
Beautiful headpiece of swirling blue, green and lemon feathers by British milliner Jess Collett
Worthy winner of the HATalk International Millinery competition by New Zealand milliner Anel Heyman

Ingenious! Ivory straw bandeau trimmed with spheres recycled from a lace tablecloth by German milliner Antje LĂŒcke
Deep teal straw teardrop saucer with rose gold orchids and veil by Russian milliner Lia Gureeva
Black pleated crin halo bandeau encased around an arc of beads by British milliner Denise Innes-Spencer
Adore the whimsical trim on this textured straw beret percher by London-based milliner Rafa Pienador
Sunny yellow straw waved disk with statement red feather flowers by Australian milliner Felicity Northeast
 Black and cream straw saucer with wonderful brim detail and feathers by British milliner Viv Jenner
A spectacular statement in gold-tipped scarlet and magenta feathers by Australian milliner Pamela O’Brien

Striking new portrait of Princess Laurentien released for her 55th birthday

Images from social media as indicated 

Hats From the Past

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Royal Hats We began this week with a christening so let’s end it with one as well!

On May 28,1926, the Duke and Duchess of York christened their daughter, Princess Elizabeth, in the private chapel of Buckingham Palace. It’s a great look at millinery fashionable at the time with lavishly trimmed brimmed hats on Lady Elphinstone (the Duchess of York’s sister, far left) and Princess Mary (the Duke’s sister, far right) and cloche on the Duchess, a shape that would become her signature.

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Images from Getty as indicated

Dutch Monarchs Visit North-Limburg

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen MĂĄxima paid a regional visit to North-Limburg today, the day full of engagements related to healthy food, sustainable farming, bio-circular economy, theatre and youth mental health along with a walk through Nationaal Park de Maasduinen.

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For this event, the Dutch queen debuted a new pilllbox hat in emerald braided straw.

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There’s much to love- colour, scale, texture, and beautiful styling with this green dress and patterned coat. Win win win!

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Designer: unknown. Dress and coat by Oscar de la Renta
Previously Worn: this hat is new

That’s now back-to-back green hats for Queen MĂĄxima (a first, I think!) What do you think of her new pillbox today?

Images from Getty as indicated

Dutch Queen Celebrates Leather Company

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Queen MĂĄxima was in Weesp yesterday, visiting Dutch leather company Smit & Zoon on the occasion of its 200th anniversary. For this occasion, she repeated her avocado felt hat with flat crown and wide, cartwheel brim trimmed with Petersham ribbon brim binding, hatband, and back bow.

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It’s a hat familiar to many of us and it’s lovely… except for the visible dent on the left side of the crown!

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: Dec 14, 2018; Nov 22, 2018; May 23, 2018

We don’t often see such glaring issues on a royal hat and while I’m a little surprised this one wasn’t fixed before this outing, my guess is that we’ll see it good-as-new on its next appearance. It’s an amusing mishap, one that reminds me even a queen is susceptible to a squashed hat!

Images from Getty as indicated

Hawaiian Royal Hats Part IV: After the Monarchy and Into the 20th Century

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We continue with a series on Hawaiian royal history and hats, researched and written by longtime reader Jake Short. You can find Jake on Instagram or Twitter and can link back to any of his previous guests posts at the bottom. Welcome, Jake!

After the death of Queen Lili‘uokalani in 1917 at age 79, plans to try to restore the monarchy waned and legal disputes for restoration and/or compensation offered no results. Prince KĆ«hiƍ, who has a Hawaiian state holiday named after him now, eventually became the Hawaiian Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives, the only person of royal birth to serve in the U.S. Congress. 

He wore many hats over the years including this brushed felt fedora, 

these top hats, 

and this western-style, flat-brimmed fedora.

Even when he was in jail after participating  in the 1895 Wilcox Rebellion to take back Hawai`i after the illegal overthrow of the monarchy, he was photographed in a hat!. KĆ«hiƍ’s wife, Elizabeth Kahanu KalanianaÊ»ole, also wore many hats as the wife of a government official in the early part of the 20th Century. Prior to serving as Delegate, KĆ«hiƍ and Elizabeth visited Europe, where they were treated as visiting royalty, and he served in the Second Boer War with the British Army.

Prince David Kawānanakoa, considered heir to the Hawaiian throne after the death of Crown Princess Ka‘iulani based on King Kalākaua’s order of succession, supported the monarchy’s restoration. He was also arrested for treason after the Wilcox Rebellion but released as there was no evidence against him. You will recall that Princess Ka‘iulani tragically died during their engagement; David later married Abigail Campbell.

 

Abigail Campbell’s mother, Abigail Kuaihelani Bright was part of the Hawaiian nobility.  

Interestingly, while Prince David Kawānanakoa helped found the Hawaiian Democratic Party, his wife Princess Abigail Campbell Kawānanakoa was a leader in the Republican Party. In 1920, Abigail met the Prince of Wales (future Edward VIII) and the future Earl Mountbatten of Burma when they visited Hawai‘i in a portrait hat that wouldn’t look completely out of place today. 

David and Abigail’s eldest child Abigail Kapi‘olani Kawānanakoa can be seen here at Prince KĆ«hiƍ’s funeral in a wide-brimmed white portrait hat.

Thanks Jake. I find it fascinating when royals continue serving their country in governing roles after their monarchy is abolished – is that choice to run for public office fueled by loyal commitment to service? Desire to hold onto power? Maybe leadership is simply in their DNA? Politics aside, Prince KĆ«hiƍ’s hats were very handsome!

Jake returns next Wednesday with the fifth and final installment in this series. His previous guest posts at Royal Hats include: 

Hawaiian Royal Hats Part I   
Hawaiian Royal Hats Part II: World Tour and Golden Jubilee
Hawaiian Royal Hats Part III: Bayonet Constitution and Illegal Overthrow
Men’s Royal Hats
Royal Men’s Hats: Fedoras and Trilbys
Royal Men’s Hats: Caps and Berets
Royal Men’s Hats: Pork Pies, Hombergs, Boaters, Bowlers and the Rest
Recommend Hat Repeats for  Queen Elizabeth
Recommend Hat Repeats for Queen Måxima Part I and Part II
Recommend Hat Repeats for Queen Margrethe
Recommend Hat Repeats for Queen Mathilde

Images from Getty and social media as indicatedÂ