I’ll skip the introduction and get right to the reveal- here are your top five Favourite New Royal Hats of 2020:

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Duchess of Cambridge’s blue felt Hicks and Brown fedora with pheasant feather hatband worn Jan 5

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Duchess of Cambridge’s red felt saucer with flowers and oxblood bow by Sally Ann Provan worn March 10

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Duchess of Sussex’s green teardrop beret with net veil wrap and bow by William Chambers worn March 10

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Zara Tindall’s claret felt curved percher with cutout bow and arrow feathers by Juliette Botterill worn March 11

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Queen Máxima’s cream, tan and black striped straw saucer by Bettina Thomas worn Sep 16 

While the global pandemic slowed royal hat appearances in 2020 down to a slow trickle, it made us all the more appreciative of the designs that did manage to make a debut.

Several of the royal hats that made first appearances in 2020 were met with particular admiration. These beret, saucer, fedora, calot, sidesweep, and cartwheel brimmed designs reclaim our attention once again as we now choose our favourite of the year. As with the poll for repeated royal hats, I have included the first and second place winners from each of this year’s six individual polls to round out this field.

Please click on each caption link to jump to original feature posts with additional views, information and discussion on each hat. Here are the contenders for Favourite New Royal Hat of 2020, shown in the order they were worn:

1.   2.
Duchess of Cambridge’s blue felt Hicks and Brown fedora with pheasant feather hatband worn Jan 5
Queen Máxima’s brimless beret-calot covered in pheasant feathers worn February 18 

3.   4.
Duchess of Sussex’s green teardrop beret with net veil wrap and bow by William Chambers worn March 10
Duchess of Cambridge’s red felt saucer with flowers and oxblood bow by Sally Ann Provan worn March 10

5.   6.
Autumn Phillips’ black felt percher with olive silk camellia blooms and leaves by Sally Ann Provan worn March 10
Zara Tindall’s claret felt curved percher with cutout bow and arrow feathers by Juliette Botterill worn March 11

7.   8.
Zara Tindall’s navy straw beret percher with cascade of flowers by Juliette Botterill worn June 16
Queen Elizabeth’s pale aqua hat with feathers and straw rolled pink roses by Angela Kelly worn on July 17

9.  10.
Queen Máxima’s cream, tan and black striped straw saucer by Bettina Thomas worn Sep 16
Princess Benedikte’s turquoise woven raffia hat with upswept brim worn Sep 26

11.  12.
Queen Elizabeth’s black hat with stitched leaf trim worn for Remembrance Sunday on November 8
The Duchess of Cambridge’s black felt beret percher with multi bow by Philip Treacy worn Nov 8

This poll will remain open until Monday, February 22 at midnight GMT.  As usual for these polls, each computer or mobile device can vote twice per day for as many hats as you wish. Happy voting!

Photos from Max Mumby / Indigo, Patrick van Katwijk, Samir Hussein / WireImage, Max Mumby/Indigo, Max Mumby/Indigo, Max Mumby/Indigo via Getty;  Mike Tindall; Chris Jackson and Patrick van Katwijk via Getty; Roar Easter/Randers Art Museum; Chris Jackson/WPA Pool and Peter Nicholls/Pool/AFP via Getty

While 2020 will be remembered for many things, royal hats won’t be one of them. However, even amidst a dramatic decline of royal public engagements, there have been pockets of joy and hope which have included a few hats.

Several of the royal hats that made repeat appearances in 2020 caught our attention. We’re now taking a look back at these fedora, sidesweep, beret, slice and pillbox designs to choose our favourite of the year. To make this poll brighter and more hope-filled, I have included the first and second place winners from each of this year’s six individual polls.

Please click on each caption link to jump to original feature posts with additional views, information and discussion on each hat. Here are the contenders for Favourite Repeated Royal Hat of 2020, shown in the order they were worn:

1.     2.
Queen Elizabeth’s oxblood hat with cherry blossoms by Angela Kelly (made by Stella McLaren) worn Feb 25
Princess Anne’s turquoise felt fedora with double hatband and feathers by Amy Morris-Adams worn Feb 29

3.     4.
The Duchess of Cornwall’s navy felt picture hat with ostrich feather wrap by Philip Treacy worn March 10
Queen Máxima’s green straw upswept slice picture hat by Fabienne Delvigne worn March 11 in Indonesia

5.     6.
Duchess of Cornwall’s ivory and navy straw picture hat with knotted trim by Philip Treacy worn June 18
Princess Beneditke’s picture hat in raspberry pink straw worn in Germany on July 31

7.     8.
Queen Máxima’s pink straw picture hat with high upswept slice brim by Fabienne Delvigne worn October 1
Queen Elizabeth’s pink felt hat with layered hatbands and silk flowers by Rachel Trevor Morgan worn October 15

9.   10.
The Duchess of Cornwall’s black felt Philip Treacy percher with crin twist and silk rose worn Nov 8
The Countess of Wessex’s navy felt Jane Taylor pillbox with dotted veil worn November 11

This poll will remain open until Monday, February 22  at midnight GMT.  As usual for these polls, each computer or mobile device can vote twice per day for as many hats as you wish. Happy voting!

Photos from Victoria Jones / POOL / AFP via Getty; David Hartley/Shutterstock;  Chris Jackson and Patrick van Katwijk via Getty; Lars Salomonse;  Patrick van Katwijk/WireImage and Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP, Chris Jackson, Steve Reigate/WPA Pool, Ben Stansall – WPA Pool, Chris Jackson – WPA Pool and Darren Staples via Getty

 

Results for your favourite new hat and favourite repeated hat worn in November and December are in with one easy winner and one tie: