Category Archives: All About Design

Inventory: Queen Máxima’s Green Hats

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While we found a whopping seventeen red hats in Queen Máxima’s hat closet, she is much less prolific when it comes to all things green. So far, this vibrant queen has added just two green hats into her wardrobe:

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Designer: both are Fabienne Delvigne
Introduced: April 19, 2005; October 25, 2006

UPDATE: Queen Máxima has added several additional green hats since this post was published:

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Designer: all are Fabienne Delvigne
Introduced: June 26, 2017;  Jan 17, 2018;  May 23, 2018

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne; unknown
Introduced: June 5, 2018; June 12, 2019

Photos from Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis; Kristian Dowling and Paul Faith/AFP via Getty; Getty as indicated

Inventory: Duchess of Cornwall’s Green Hats

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To kick off our look at green hats this month, we’re venturing into the Duchess of Cornwall’s millinery closet. Camilla is certainly a fan of all things green with six pieces in her inventory (more than most other royals, as we’ll see in coming weeks) including several leafy designs and the most festive of St. Patrick’s Day hats:

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Introduced: July 19, 2005; March 17, 2006
Designers: both are Philip Treacy

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Introduced: May 6, 2006; December 15, 2006
Designer: both are Philip Treacy

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Introduced: June 14, 2008; June 16, 2015
Designer: both are Philip Treacy

UPDATE: Since this post was published, Camilla has added the following green hats:

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Introduced: June 19, 2019
Designer: Philip Treacy (flower by Anfisa Koreleva)

When I think of royal statement hats, I don’t immediately think green but each of these pieces is truly a statement hat in its own right. While I prefer the darker brimmed pieces, the fantastic floral fascinators remind me just how brave Camilla is when it comes to her hats. What pieces here are your favourites on her?

Photos from Getty as indicated

One Hat, Six Coats

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this or thatDuring her visit to Anglesey last week, the Duchess of Cambridge repeated a chocolate felt bumper hat that has been a staple in her millinery wardrobe for several years. Designed by Silvia Fletcher for Lock and Co., the “Betty Boop” style features a slightly elevated bumper brim embellished by a large, flat bow on one side. Kate has paired five different coats so far with this hat, begging the question of which pairing is best:

1. At the St. Patrick’s Day Parade at Aldershot, March 17, 2012 in a green Emilia Wickstead coat dress

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2. With an ecru coat, faux fur muff and Max Mara Studio leopard print dress on March 2, 2013 at a wedding in Switzerland

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3. With a pink Joseph coat to the Cheltenham Races on March 15, 2013

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4. With a brass buttoned, brown tweed Moloh coat for church on Christmas Day in 2014

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5. Attending the St. Patrick’s Day Parade at Aldershot on March 17, 2015 in a Catherine Walker coat

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6. With a red LK Bennett coat on a February 18, 2016 visit to RAF Valley in Anglesey, Wales

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Some of you commented last week that Kate wore this hat further forward on her forehead than she has in the past- looking at these photos, I think the placement on this hat’s last outing was more straight (I prefer the jauntier angle she placed it the first four times). While I adore the impeccably cut Catherine Walker maternity coat, its muddy colour puts it at odds with this hat. I’m not fond of coats #3 and #4 which leaves #1, #2 and #6 as my favourites. The coordination in ensemble #2 is beautiful but if pressed to make a single choice, my vote would be for #1- the beautiful movement of this green Emilia Wickstead coat dress works so well with the hat and the colours work well together.
Which ensemble do you think pairs best with this hat?
Photos from Getty as indicated 

Seeing Double: Queen Mathilde

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Royal HatsLooking into my archives on Queen Mathilde’s hats recently, I found an interesting pair of picture hats, both designed by Fabienne Delvigne and worn, each for the first time, just eight days apart:

Princess Mathilde, May 11, 2001 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Navy and white version worn during a Swedish state visit to Belgium,  May 11, 2001

Black and white version at the May 19, 2001 wedding of Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of The Netherlands

Both hats are fantastic- the shape of the large mushroom brim is wonderful and the contrasting trim, in classic navy and black, makes for such timeless and elegant combinations. I’m just curious why Princess Mathilde, as she was then, ordered such similar versions of the same hat and wore them so close together?

Photos from Photonews via Getty and Getty as indicated