Queen Visits Air Force Training Center

Last Monday, Queen Elizabeth visited the new integrated training centre at RAF Marham. For this day out, she wore a new ensemble with matching hat in a cream, peach and pink textured bouclé plaid. The hat features a gently sloped crown and upturned brim and is trimmed on the side with a wired plaid bow and spray of pale peach feathers

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The feather trim gives some welcome textural contrast to this ensemble, as does the bias pattern of the plaid on the bottom of the upturned brim. I’m not sure I would have chosen the plaid pattern for all three pieces (hat, dress and coat) of the ensemble but the colour palate is a pretty one that the Queen wears well.

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Designer: Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren
Previously Worn: This hat is new

What do you think of this new addition to Queen Elizabeth’s hat closet?

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Photos from Getty as indicated 

Hat From the Past

Royal Hats fifty-nine to January 21, 1961 when Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh arrived in New Delhi for a six week tour of India and Pakistan, the Queen in a memorably voluminous pale blue/grey tulle and silk flower trimmed turban.

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Photos from Getty as indicated

Poll: Favourite New Royal Hat of 2019

And then there were nine.

Nine new royal hats that made their debut in 2019 to great acclaim. In felt ribbon and straw, in saucer, beret percher, disc and helmet shapes, in colours from the soft to the saturated, these beautifully made designs are the ones we admired most this year. It’s now time for another look at these beauties, choosing one to be crowned Favourite New Royal Hat of 2019.

Please click on each caption link to jump to original feature posts with additional views, information and discussion on each hat. Here are the 9 new hats you most admired in 2019, shown here in random order:
1.    2.
Zara Tindall’s plum felt teardrop percher with feather trim by Juliette Botteril worn March 13
Queen Máxima’s dusky pink vertical saucer with silk flowers and pheasant feathers worn June 17
3.    4.
Crown Princess Victoria’s folded lilac ribbon flower headpiece by Örjan Jackobsson worn August 31
Autumn Phillips’ lattice straw saucer with flowers and feathers by Sally Ann Provan worn June 22
5.    6.
Queen Máxima’s tawny pink straw saucer covered in feather flowers by Berry Rutjes worn June 18
Zara Tindall’s navy felt percher with veil and leather flowers by Justine Bradley-Hill worn April 4
7.    8.
Sarah, Duchess of York’s pink layered disc with pheasant feathers by Jess Collett worn May 18
Autumn Phillips’ green felt beret percher with flying bow and leaves by Sally Ann Provan worn Sep 9
9.
Duchess of Cornwall’s black rounded brimless hat wrapped in feathers by Philip Treacy  worn Nov 10
This poll will also remain open until Saturday, February 15  at midnight GMT.   As always, each computer or mobile device can vote twice per day for as many hats as you wish. It’s a tough race- good luck!

Poll: Favourite Repeated Royal Hat of 2019

In 2019, we saw numerous repeated royal hats worn to royal visits, weddings, inauguration events and other celebrations. Throughout the year, we have admired many of these designs, slowly narrowing down our favourites to nine designs.

These nine beauties include bandeau, saucer, curved brim, disc and traditional picture hat shapes in colours from the most vibrant to monochrome. It’s now time to choose, from these nine finalists, your pick for Favourite Repeated Royal Hat of 2019.

Please click on each caption link to jump to original feature posts with additional views, information and discussion on each hat. Here are the nine finalists, in the order they were worn:

1.    2.
Princess Mako’s peacock blue silk bandeau with diamond motif worn February 26
Queen Elizabeth’s orange hat with magnolia blooms and brown straw leaves by Angela Kelly (made by Stella McLaren) worn March 7 to the Science Museum in London
3.    4.    5.
Princess Beatrice’s copper straw saucer with curling feathers & pink roses by Juliette Botterill on April 21
Countess of Wessex’s blush pink straw disc hat with black windowpane crin by Jane Taylor worn May 21
Countess of Wessex’s natural straw cutout saucer with tan organdie twists and coral feathers by Jane Taylor worn for the Order of the Garter on June 17
    6.    7.
Princess Alexandra’s pink straw picture hat with bow & feathers by Rachel Trevor Morgan worn June 18
Princess Tsuguko’s cream picture hat with graphic divided black crown and trim worn on August 10
   8.    9.
Princess Hisako’s cream straw hat with black brim stripe and monochrome flowers worn Sep 24
Duchess of Cambridge’s Lock and Co. forest green saucer with leaf trim around the back worn Dec 25
This poll will remain open until Saturday, February 15  at midnight GMT.   As always, each computer or mobile device can vote twice per day for as many hats as you wish. Happy voting!

This Week’s Extras

Princess Beatrix in a black straw hat with embellished bumper brim last Wednesday at the funeral of Infanta Pillar
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On January 31st, Princess Nobuko and Princess Hisako visited the 69th Kanto Tokai Flower Exhibition at Sunshine City Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo. Princess Nobuko wore a black brimmed hat while Princess Hisako donned a gey felt Pork pie-crowned design with rolled brim and burgundy hatband
Chic grey felt boater hat on Princess Hisako today to open the 2020 Tokyo Tableware Festival
Queen Elizabeth in a familiar blue felt hat with feather flowers by Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren, to attend St. Peter and St. Paul church this morning in West Newton near Sandringham
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The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Lilac lace covered button percher with silk flowers by Irish milliner Teresa Nugent
Black straw saucer with lovely swirling blush floral trim from British milliner Justine Bradley-Hill
Burgundy felt folded design with button trim by German millinery Angelika Löbering
Pink straw wide-brimmed hat with statement polka dot bow by Florida-based AmyJo Original Hats
Black featherpercher with quill twist and red feather hearts by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Beret percher wrapped in ombre orange organdie ribbon with bows by British milliner Dillon Wallwork
And this wonderfully elegant grey straw design with rolling wave cuffed brim, veil, feather quill twist and diamante bumble bees from Australian milliner Rachel Henry

Lovely new portrait released by the Dutch court to celebrate Princess Beatrix’s 82nd birthday
Sweet snap from the Monaco Royal Palace balcony during the Sainte Devote Ceremony last Monday
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Photos from social media as indicated