Author Archives: Royal Hats

2019 Royal Hat Stats: Most New Hats

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Without further ado, here are stats for the most new hats/headpieces worn by royals last year:This is the last statistic I prepared for 2019 and found results here the most surprising. Last week, the question of royal stylists and borrowed hats came up in discussion at this post. I bring it up here because a number of royals at the top of this list – Princess Beatrice, Zara Tindall, Princess Eugenie, Autumn Phillips- routinely wear hats a single time, strongly suggesting to me they are borrowed, at the hands of a stylist, for a particular event. Because we don’t know how many hats are purchased (although we do know that Queen Maxima, Queen Mathilde, the Duchesses of Cornwall and Cambridge all purchase their hats), these numbers aren’t completely accurate, nor can be. Until we see a hat/headpiece worn a second time, we simply don’t know if it’s a purchased piece or a loaner.

I’m curious, dear readers, for your response to these numbers. I hope you’ve all enjoyed this statistical look back at the royal hats we saw last year!

 

New Hat At Sandringham

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While we’ve been caught up in 2019 hat stats this week, I wanted to acknowledge a smart new hat that made its debut at Sandringham over the weekend:

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In grey felt, the rounded, bowler-style crown is unusually asymmetrical with a gentle peak on one side and a gently side swept brim. The hat is simply trimmed with a pair of curving quills and white felt starflowers centered with ombre grey feathers. While the crown shape seems a little awkward, I really like how the hat’s trim links with Her Majesty’s grey and cream checked coat.

UPDATE- Several eagle-eyed readers have identified this hat as one worn several times in 2002, 2003 and 2004. The trim is different but the Petersham ribbon binding is the same, as is the unique shape. Great catch!

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Designer: unconfirmed. 
Previously Worn: February 8, 2004; March 6, 2003; October 12, 2002

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I don’t have access to my usual archive (I’m quietly away from home this week attending a family medical emergency) but wonder if we’ve seen this coat before with a different hat- I seem to remember a Breton style hat with feathers. Can any of you help? In the meantime, what do you think about this new hat?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

2019 Royal Hat Stats: Most Frequent Wearers

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This is the one some of you have been waiting for- an answer to the question, “Who wore the most hats in 2019?” Again, the measurement is the number of times that each royal wore a hat/headpiece (not the number of different hats each person wore). Included on the graph below are all of the royals who wore a hat five or more times last year; click on the graph to open it in a larger size:

These numbers include the same grey areas I described in the first statistics post but still give a very interesting picture of the frequency that various royal women wear hats. There are a few surprises here – Princess Hisako at #2, the high number of Imperial royals at the top of the chart, the number of European queens below mid-range. What do you notice about these numbers?

Stay tuned tomorrow- we’re going to see who added the most new designs to their millinery closet in 2019. Any guesses as to who tops the chart?!

Monday Multiples: Queen Elizabeth

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Thanks to Jimbo for providing the introduction and background research for this “Monday Multiples” series.

Jimbo’s Introduction: Queen Elizabeth saves the color black for the most solemn, somber, sad occasions – funerals and remembrances. At memorials, Her Majesty wears black and white, grey, navy, or even purple. Clearly, the heavy wool coat featured today is more suited for practicality than fashion (November in London can be blustery, windy, and downright bone chilling) As always, the queen’s hats take center stage, and this sextet of millineria will leave no one disappointed.
My favorite ( Look #3 from 2005) first premiered on September 14, 2001, at a St. Paul’s Cathedral memorial service for the September 11, 2001 New York terrorist attack.

Look #1: With a an angular cloche variation with slanted crown and upturned brim with multi-wrapped silk hatband, shown here on February 14, 2002 at Great Ormond St Hospital’s 150th anniversary celebrations, five days after the death of Princess Margaret

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Look #2: With a tall, fluted-crown cloche hat trimmed with a wide silk hatband and spray of feathers worn November 14, 2004 on Remembrance Sunday.

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Look #3: With a velvet crown and straw brimmed hat with large, sweeping black and cream quills, worn on May 11, 2005 for a St. Paul’s Cathedral memorial for victims of the December 2004 tsunami in South Asia.

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Look #4: With a fluted silk pillbox trimmed with a ring of braid on the crown, a silk bow and spray of feathers worn November 10, 2005 to the Westminster Abbey Field of Remembrance.

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Look #5: With cloche variation with silk covered crown, felt brim and tall, sloping felt wrap around the crown, trimmed with a knotted bow and curling quills and worn November 9, 2014 for the the annual Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph. The hat was designed by Angela Kelly and made by Stella McLaren.

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Look #6: A black felt hat with indented crown and raised kettle brim simply trimmed with layered, raised hatband knotted at the front, worn November 12, 2018 on Remembrance Sunday. This hat was also designed by Angela Kelly and made by Stella McLaren.

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Thanks, Jimbo. I’ve also always liked the hat in Look #3 for its interesting mix of materials (the straw brim really lightens the look). Dear readers, which pairing of coat and hat do you prefer most?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Imperial New Years Poetry Reading 2020

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Members of the Imperial Royal Family attended the annual New Years poetry reading yesterday at the Royal Palace in some colourful and interesting hats.


Crown Princess Kiko repeated a mint green silk covered bumper hat, trimmed with a diamond of the same woven lattice silk as the bodice of her gown.  Princess Mako repeated a pale, ice blue silk floral jacquard covered calot hat with narrow, upturned, cuffed brim. Princess Kako repeated a royal blue silk bumper hat with beaded edge on the top of the upturned brim.

Princess Nobuko wore a new apricot silk covered bumper hat studded with tiny sparkle beads. The silk on the bumper brim is covered in bias stripes, giving a subtle diagonal movement to the design. Princess Akiko topped her cornflower blue gown with a matching hat. The hat’s button crown is covered in what looks like appliqued silk in the same hue, and a slim bumper brim circles the design.

Princess Hisako repeated hat with saddle shaped brim covered in cream silk and an avocado green narrow crown embellished with the same applique cutouts as on her coordinating gown. Green silk flowers and leaves cascade from below the brim’s raised back – a design feature I don’t recall seeing before on a royal hat. Princess Tsuguko also had a new headpiece in teal, gold and taupe with peach silk roses.

This event usually shows us some of the most colourful and memorable Imperial royal hats of the year and yesterday did not disappoint! Which ensembles stand out to you most here?

Photos from social media as indicated