Christening of Prince Gabriel

Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia were joined by family and friends today in the chapel at Drottningholm Palace for the christening of their second son, Prince Gabriel.

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Princess Sofia broke with tradition and wore traditional folk dress. Her costume is from Dalarna, the area where she was raised and the duchy of which Prince Gabriel was named Duke at the time of his birth, making the sartorial choice a personal and sentimental one. Her vibrant ensemble included a traditional hand painted/embroidered red cap edged in cotton lace.

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Queen Silvia topped a slate blue silk dress and coat with a veiled lace headpiece. The texture and sheen of the headpiece is a beautiful compliment to the streamlined coat and the colour, while muted, looks wonderful on her.

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Dec 1, 2017 | Royal Hats

Designer: Philip Treacy. It is a bespoke version of OC 384 from AW 2017
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

Princess Madeleine, who was named one of Prince Gabriel’s godparents, also made a sentimental touch with her millinery. Her lilac grey twisted silk headpiece with pink silk rose at the back is a clear nod to a similar peach design that Queen Silvia wore on August 31, 1970 for Prince Carl Philip’s baptism (and that Crown Princess Victoria had reinvented in June 2014 for Princess Leonore’s christening). We didn’t get to see the headpiece directly against Madeleine’s printed silk Valentino dress but it looks like it would balance really well.

Dec 1, 2017 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats    Dec 1, 2017 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Dec 1, 2017 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats Dec 1, 2017 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Designer: Philip Treacy. Flowers made by Anfisa Korelova
Previously Worn: thisheadpiece is new

Crown Princess Victoria topped a stunning red suit with a leather hair bow. At an event where small headpieces reigned, I see the rationale in this choice but I’m not a fan of the twee shape or mismatch of shades between the bow and the suit. My reservations about the hairbow aside, the red suit is divine on Victoria and I adore her brave use of deep maroon accessories with it. And Princess Estelle’s matching maroon Mary Janes? SO adorable.

Dec 1, 2017 in Corinne Henriksson | Royal Hats Dec 1, 2017 in Corinne Henriksson | Royal Hats

Dec 1, 2017 in Corinne Henriksson | Royal Hats Dec 1, 2017 in Corinne Henriksson | Royal Hats

Designer: Corinne Hair Accessories Leather Bowtie
Previously Worn: this bow is new
Princess Estelle topped her red boiled wool jacket and grey dress with a sweet red velvet hairbow.
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There have now been six Swedish royal Christenings in the past five years, all of which have seen mostly small headpieces instead of hats. Today followed this trend- what do you think of these designs?

Photos from Getty as indicated; Jonas Ekstrommer/TT;  Frederik Sandberg/TT; Anna-Karin Nilsson; Jonas Ekstrommer via Getty

Dutch Monarchs Visit Caribbean

King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima arrived in the Caribbean today to visit reconstruction efforts in Dutch territories impacted by Hurricane Irma. For their arrival in Oranjestad, Saint Eustatius, Queen Máxima wore a new blue straw hat with relaxed, curved brim and a simple ribbon hatband.

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The hat is a ready-to-wear item so is decidedly less formal than many others in Máxima’s wardrobe- something fitting not only for this location, but the nature of this trip. It’s a great match for her linen dress, made by Ukrainian designer Vita Kin, although I think I’d prefer the overall ensemble without the tassel earrings.

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Designer: J. Crew
Previously Worn: this hat is new
Not all royal hats are formal ones and I can think of plenty of future events where Queen Máxima will be able to repeat this one. What do you think of this most recent addition to her lineup of blue hats?
Photos from Getty as indicated

Queen Visits West Sussex

During a day in West Sussex today, Queen Elizabeth visited Chichester Festival Theatre and Canine Partners charity. For this visit, she repeated her pale pink felt hat with slim wrapped hatband, side looped bow and ivory ostrich feather pouf.

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We’ve seen this domed crown and short brimmed shape on Her Majesty a few times- it works well here with the feathers balancing out the high crown. I particularly like the layered hatband, a simple design feature that adds a surprising amount of movement and texture to the design. The hat is subtle but that’s exactly what was needed not to overpower the accompanying coat; the entire ensemble is delicately subtle (no small feat when using heavier winter materials like the felt and wool here) and that’s a big reason why it works so well.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan. Coat by Stewart Parvin.
Previously Worn: Oct 21, 2017; Mar 27, 2014Jan 26, 2014; May 23, 2013Mar 31, 2013
Thoughts on this family hat’s repeated outing today?
Photos from Getty as indicated

Hat From the Past

Royal Hats to 1966 and a perplexing hat worn by Princess Margaret to a service at Westminster Abbey. To my dear reader sleuths- any front views you can provide to help make sense of this hat (shape, colour, material) would be greatly appreciated!

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Hat From the Past

Royal Hatsthirty-five years ago to this day in 1982 when a young Princess of Wales visited Wales in a small blue felt tricorn hat with raised Breton brim, veil wrap and ostrich feather at the back. The unique hat shape was a go-to one for her in the early 1980s during the first years of her royal life.

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Designer: John Boyd

Photo from Getty as indicated