Category Archives: Announcements, Extras & Millinery News

This Week’s Extras

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I need to step away from Royal Hats from Monday until the end of the month for some ‘real’ work focus and travel. I’ve planned a series on past Ascot hats and ask again that in my absence, you all share whatever new hats are worn each day in the comments of these flashback posts. I promise to be back soon!  

On Monday, the Imperial family marked the 30th anniversary of Emperor Showa’s death at Musashino Imperial Mausoleum in Hachiōji, Tokyo. Empress Michiko, Princess Kiko, Princess Akiko, Princess Hisako and Princess Tsuguko all wore black hats. The Imperial Crown prince and princess marked this anniversary at the Imperial Palace, Princess Masako in an ecru silk covered hat with high, upturned Breton brim.

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Zara Tindall posed with her husband, Mike on Monday, holding a pink straw sun hat.

On Wednesday, Crown Princess Victoria visited Livgardet (The Life Guards) in Kungsängen in a military green beret.

Also on Wednesday, Princess Sofia was photographed in a pink sun hat at a polo match in Florida where she, Prince Carl Gustaf, and the King and Queen are on holiday, visiting Princess Madeleine and her family.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Winter white beautifully embellished bandeau by Ukrainian milliner Elena Martynenko
Adore this pink straw percher with exuberant ostrich pompom by Australian milliner Meg Rafter
Forrest green velvet felt trilby with slim pale blue hatband by British milliner Bundle MacLaren
Honey orange straw percher with silk roses, veil & burnt feathers by London-based Turkish milliner Merve Bayindir
Blush straw dramatic sidesweep with pale grey looped rings from Irish milliner Aiofe Harrison
Prim Mary Poppins inspired embellished straw boater by British brand Frase Annand Millinery
I’m not usually partial to a bowler hat but adore this vibrant and fresh take on the bowler  by Italian brand Borsalino
Lovely blue straw kokoshnik bandeau with veil and white leather flowers by British milliner Justine Bradley-Hill
Amazing citrus branch headpiece by Australian milliner Rebecca Share that won top prize at Magic Millions Raceday

And from Australian milliner Danica Erard, this vibrant pink straw saucer with flying red bow around the front brim.

The Danish Royal Court shared this charming portraits of Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent to celebrate their eighth birthday.
How sweet is this snap, shared by their mum, of Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella of Monaco returning to school after Christmas break?
Great view of London from the cockpit of a helicopter, flown from Kensington Palace to The Royal London Hospital by the Duke of Cambridge to celebrate the London Air Ambulance’s 30th anniversary.

Photos from Getty and social media as indicated 

This Week’s Extras

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Fun clip shared by the Swedish Royal Court of Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar enjoying time on the slopes together. Little Oscar’s mastery on skis is impressive!
King Philippe of Belgium in a handsome fedora while on vacation in Egypt with his family over the holidays
Princess Madeleine shared this sweet New Years snap of Princess Adrienne in a cozy, knit hat.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Classic black straw button percher with windowpane straw ruffle by British milliner Tracy Chaplin
Formed straw beret percher with towering bow in the loveliest royal blue by Guangzhou-based Jennifer Kofler
Beautifully light cream saucer with crin brim edged in silk abacca by New Zealand milliner Monika Neuahauser
Loden green felt Tyrolean hat with lilac striped hatband by British milliner Laura Cathcart
New, fresh, beautiful and unique take on a black straw bandeau by German milliner Nicki Marquardt
Textured gold boater hat with domed overlay of delicate gold loops by Australian brand Polly and Peaches
Amazing sense of movement and drama on this black & white ombre bow trimmed percher and
this cobalt blue straw percher with lace applique and crin ruffle, both by British milliner Tracey Miller
What a fantastic take on the classic Panama hat in natural straw by Australian brand Embellish Atelier
Adore the angular shape & handmade bloom on this dusty pink felt trilby by Czech milliner Jolanta Kotabova
Incredible texture and sheen on this bronze double-sided sequinned percher from Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
 Creatively folded summer straw hat with hand-dyed ribbon trim from British milliner Stephen Jones

Such a wonderful portrait of members of the Luxembourg Ducal family celebrating Grand Duke Jean’s 98th birthday
Sweet snaps of Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques visiting Santa Claus in Lapland, shared by their mum
You can always count on the Royal Family of Bourbon Two Sicilies for dramatic, glamorous (and cheesy) portraits. Here’s their 2019 New Years greeting.

Photos from social media as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Her Majesty Margareta of Romania in a navy bowler hat on Wednesday to deliver gifts to Săvârșin Castle staff
More calot and bumper hats on members of the Imperial Royal Family on Thursday, who gathered at the Imperial Royal Palace for a year-end family luncheon.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Adore the sculptural layers on this green and purple felt hat by Hungarian milliner Zsófia Marx
Navy beaded button percher with looping crin trim from New Zealand milliner Anel Heyman
Red felt hat with black feather-embroidered brim from London-based Turkish milliner Merve Bayindir
Spiky black bandeau headpiece from Munich-based milliner Nicki Marquardt
Stylish and so wearable chocolate sidesweep in bouclé tweed & leather from Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
Dark burgundy felt trilby with black silk abaca trim from British milliner Bundle McLaren
Saucy crown shape on this elegant winter white felt design from Czech milliner Jolanta Kotabova
Interesting accordion folded brim on this black & purple boater by Argentinian milliner Flor Tellado
Large lotus flower shaped headpiece in gold crin from British milliner Stephen Jones
Amazing black and red ombre felt pinwheel by Dutch milliner Eugenie van Oirschot

And from from London-based Irish milliner Philip Treacy, this stunning ruby red velvet felt percher with oversize silk rose and veil

More holiday photo greetings were shared this week by Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia; King Albert and Queen Paola and Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana of Greece.

Photos from social media as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Last Sunday, the Swedish royal family donned warm winter hats to unveil the statue of King Carl XIV Johan (the first Bernadotte King of Sweden) in its new location on the Slottsbacken “Castle Slope” in Stockholm
Prince Alexander of Sweden in a festive hat with his father on Monday to receive this year’s royal Christmas trees


Princess Rym Ali of Jordan in a fetching deep aubergine felt cloche on Tuesday with her children at a tree lighting ceremony.
Queen Elizabeth arrived in Norfolk on the train on Thursday, in one of her characteristic head scarves.
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The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Garnet felt sidesweep with floral ruffles and curling quills from British milliner Bundle McLaren
Navy fur felt cloche with beautifully raised brim from Czech milliner Jolanta Kotabova
Luxe black cherry beaver felt fedora with silver silk hatband from Danish brand Hornskov Copenhagan
A very festively trimmed electric blue veiled button percher from Rachel Trevor Morgan
Dark green fedora with stunning navy and gold brocade hatband from Philip Treacy
Star trimmed red bandeau from British milliner Harvy Santos
Mesmerizing unraveling straw top hat from the insanely creative mind of British milliner Stephen Jones
Scarlet wide-brimmed fedora from Belgian milliner Fabienne Delvigne
And this floral helmet, made by Philip Treacy for a nature exhibit at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Glorious!

Lovely holiday greeting portraits from the royal families of Jordan, The Netherlands, Belgium and Greece

Photos from Getty and social media

Inventory: Duchess of Sussex’s Black Hats

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Black hats are a staple in every royal millinery wardrobe and it’s no surprise that less than a year into her royal working life, the Duchess of Sussex already has several:

1.Embed from Getty Images   2.Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Stephen Jones; Philip Treacy
Introduced: Apr 25, 2018; Apr 25, 2018

3.Embed from Getty Images  4.Embed from Getty Images  5.Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Philip Treacy; unconfirmed; unconfirmed (I suspect both are Stephen Jones)
Introduced: Aug 4, 2018; Nov 11, 2018; Nov 11, 2018

UPDATE- Since this post was published, the Duchess has added the following hats:

6.Embed from Getty Images   7.Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Awon Golding, Stephen Jones
Introduced: Dec 25, 2018; Nov 10, 2019

This is the first inventory we’ve started for Meghan and I’m curious about your thoughts. At first glance, it’s not the most exciting of hat collections but black hats seldom are. I appreciate some of the small details here- that marvelous beaded dragonfly on #2, the exuberant twists on #3 and even the luxe velvet texture of #4. No doubt we’ll see this group of hats grow over years to come but for now, what do you think?

Photos from Getty as indicated