Category Archives: Belgium

Service of Thanksgiving for the Duke of Edinburgh: Royal Guests

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The Service of Thanksgiving celebrating the life of the Duke of Edinburgh held yesterday at Westminster Abbey was attended by numerous cousins and colleagues from various European royal houses.

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Queen Máxima repeated a rounded black felt beret with knotted applique trim worn on the back of her head in the style of a pillbox.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: Jan 27, 2020

Princess Beatrix joined those in Edinburgh green. The gently domed crown on her brimmed hat was wrapped in three layers of sinamay that were tucked over the other on the side to form a beautiful layered hatband.

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Designer: likely Suzanne Molijn
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Queen Margrethe repeated a chic grey felt trilby trimmed with a black, white and grey feather pompom on the side.

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Designer: likely Per Falk Hansen
Previously Worn: Sep 29, 2019; Oct 28, 2014;  May 15, 2014; Oct 1, 2013; May 1, 2013;  Oct 7, 2008

Queen Mathilde wore a black draped halo bandeau headpiece with dotted birdcage veil.

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Designer: Elisa headband by Fabienne Delvigne. Coat by Meer Couture.
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new.

Queen Letizia topped a stunning coat dress with a green velvet covered teardrop percher hat raised at the back. The design is trimmed with a bow in the same crepe as the dress and a black tulle veil.

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Designer: Balel by Isabel Terroso
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Queen Silvia repeated a black straw hat with upfolded brim and rounded crown simply trimmed with a hatband and flat, looped bow twist.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: July 12, 2017; April 17, 2017; April 1, 2017; March 16, 2013; 

Princess Christina of Sweden wore a black cloche with rounded crown and curved, extended brim trimmed with a wide velvet hatband anchored with a large buckle.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: May 11, 2017 and others

Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown, wore a peaked grey bandeau headpiece trimmed with a black leaf on the side.

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Designer: Kristina Dragomir
Previously Worn: Oct 19, 2019

Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia wore a black felt Garbo style hat.

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Queen Anne-Marie of Greece repeated a navy sinamay pillbox with slim bow at the base.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 25, 2016; May 19, 2012; April 14, 2011; April 16, 2010; 

Crown Princess Marie-Chantal wore a black looped bow fascinator with crystal studded veil.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

Princess Nina of Greece wore a navy blue felt rounded pillbox

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We have not seen such a well attended royal event in over two years, something that attests to the respect and affection held for the late Duke. How lovely has it been to see so many royal hats?!

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Austrian State Visit to Belgium Begins

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde welcomed  Alexander Van der Bellen, President of the Federal Republic of Austria and his wife Doris Schmidauer to Belgium today for a three-day state visit.

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Queen Mathilde wore a new fedora hat for this welcome in muted burgundy melusine felt simply trimmed with a felt hatband. The hat pairs well with the lighter hue wool coat and even lighter pink dress but…. I find my reaction to this hat one of ambivalence. It’s fine. But not great. Something about the awkward shaping/ placement of the hatband and unfinished edge of the relaxed brim doesn’t quite measure up for me- it lacks the crisp panache that usually makes a fedora so chic. And for those of you with a sense of déjà vu about it, you’re not wrong. I’m all for royals buying whatever designs they like but wish couture milliners would steer them away from bespoke pieces that are exact duplicates.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne “Malia” design. Coat by Natan.
Previously Worn: This hat is new

What do you think of this new hat today in Brussels?

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Hat From the Past

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Royal Hats 87 years back to this day in 1935 when Queen Astrid of Belgium visited a new medical clinic in Brussels an a most interesting brimless hat that curved around her face.

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Belgian Royals Attend Laeken Mass

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Members of the Belgian royal family attended the annual mass in memory of the deceased members of their family at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken on Thursday, February 17, 2022

For the event, Queen Mathilde repeated a calot hat with domed, pointed crown wrapped with flying ribbon tails around the bottom curve. The textured black fabric covering it has small dimples that lend a subtle sparkle and welcome texture to the piece.


The hat tops another elegant ensemble for Mathilde. I wasn’t always a fan of the pointed crown’s shape but it’s a unique touch I’ve come around to appreciate, simply because it adds some interest. My issue here is with the puckers around the base, where the fabric has not been smoothly blocked (see what I mean more clearly here).


Designer: I believe it is Fabienne Delvigne. Coat by Meer Couture
Previously Worn: Dec 12, 2015; Dec 13, 2014; Nov11, 2011; Nov 15, 2008

Princess Astrid wore a simple padded black velvet headband.

Princess Claire wore a wide-brimmed black felt fedora. The hat is trimmed with a wide ribbon hatband topped with a slim leather one that ties into a double looped bow on the side. The scale is lovely on Claire as are those stacked hatbands, which give just enough contrast to the design.

Previously Worn:  This hat is new

Princess Delphine wore a slouchy black felt cloche with cuffed brim wrapped in a swath of dotted net tulle. It’s a chic look that suits the petite princess well.

Designer: Elvis Pompilio

Previously Worn:  This hat is new

Princess Léa wore a wide brimmed black felt fedora.

I think this quintet is a great example of the diversity of styles one can choose for more sombre events while still making a style statement. Which hats here speak to you most?

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Belgian Monarchs Wrap Up Middle East Visit

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Yesterday, the Belgian king and queen continued their visit to the Middle East in the United Arab Emerites, attending the Belgium National Day at the Dubai Expo.

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For this visit, which saw the coupe tour the exhibition’s Belgian pavilions, Queen Mathilde repeated her green parabuntal straw hat with rounded crown and wide, sidesweeping brim.

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It is a lovely hat on her, the muted olive shade pairing well with her delicately embroidered dress and the hat’s presence beautifully balancing the dress’ border print skirt. Something, however, about the shape of the hatband is a little off for me- I think it’s the ridge on top, which might do better at the bottom where the crown and brim meet.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne “Spinalli.” Dress by Natan
Previously Worn: Sep 6, 2019

What do you think about this hat on its second outing?

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