Looking back over the repeated royal hats we saw worn at Royal Ascot this year, there was one design that stood out as your favourite by far:

Crown Princess Mary in a Jane Taylor vertical gold straw disc saucer with silk flower and feather trim worn on Day 2

The race for favourite new design worn at the races this year was not so cut and dried and, for the first time ever on Royal Hats, we have a four-way draw:

Princess Eugenie’s pale pink lattice picture hat with feathers by Jess Collett worn on Day 3
Zara Tindall’s electric blue percher with yellow quills by Rosie Olivia worn on Day 1
Princess Beatrice’s navy saucer disc hat with silk orchids by Gina Foster worn on Day 5
Princess Eugenie’s black mushroom picture hat with pearls by Nerida Fraiman worn on Day 5

Each of these five hats will be put forward into our poll for best new and repeated hats of 2016 at the end of the year. Jump over to the bottom of the original poll posts (new hats here and repeated hats here) to look at the results in greater detail.

Stay tuned later this week where we’ll face off our favourite designs worn during Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday celebrations last month. There are some beauties and I suspect we’ll have another close race!

Photos from  Danny Martindale, Chris Jackson, Mark Cuthbert, Max Mumby/Indigo and Mark Cuthbert via Getty

Royal Ascot always brings us a parade of new royal hats and this year was no exception. With so many beautiful designs at the races this year, we are going to narrow down our favourites to two (yes, two!) winners to put through to our year-end contest for favourite royal hat of 2016.

Based on your comments, fourteen new millinery designs caught your eye at Royal Ascot this year. They cover the gamut of design from picture hats to perchers, lattice to lace, feathers to fabulously large flowers.  Click on any of the photos to jump back to their original feature posts (complete with reviews from our expert panel of royal milliners). Here are these fourteen beauties, in the order that they were worn:

1.  2.  3.

Princess Haya’s black and white feathered picture hat by Philip Treacy worn on Day 1
Zara Tindall’s electric blue percher with yellow quills by Rosie Olivia worn on Day 1
Duchess of Cornwall’s pink hat with raised brim and giant flower by Philip Treacy worn on Day 1

4.  5.  6.

Queen Elizabeth’s pink and white tall cloche with winter berry trim by Angela Kelly worn on Day 2
Duchess of Cambridge in a cream mesh saucer disc with feather and rose trim by Jane Taylor worn on Day 2
Countess of Wessex’s sky blue percher hat with chevron patterned brim by Jane Taylor worn on Day 2

7.   8. 

Queen Elizabeth’s orange straw hat with roses and blue feather trim by Angela Kelly worn on Day 3
Princess Haya’s red picture hat with straw curls and feathers by Philip Treacy worn on Day 3

9. 10. 11. 

Princess Eugenie’s pale pink lattice picture hat with feathers by Jess Collett worn on Day 3
Queen Elizabeth’s pink hat with spray of pink and white feathers by Angela Kelly worn on Day 4 
Princess Haya’s black rose headpiece with veil worn on Day 4

12. 13. 14.

Duchess of Cornwall’s blush pink slice hat with pink rose trim by Philip Treacy worn on Day 4
Princess Beatrice’s navy slice hat with silk orchids by Gina Foster worn on Day 5
Princess Eugenie’s black mushroom picture hat with pearls by Nerida Fraiman worn on Day 5

With such an amazing lineup of millinery, we’re going to choose two winners this month so please vote for more than one hat! This poll will remain open until Friday, July 8 at midnight GMT and each computer or mobile device may vote once every 12 hours for as many hats as you wish. To avoid unnecessary influence, results will remain hidden until the poll closes. Also, don’t forget to vote for your favourite repeated millinery design, over at this post. Now get voting!

Photos from Julian Parker, Max Mumby/Indigo, Chris Jackson, Chris Jackson, Chris Jackson, Samir Hussein, Samir Hussein, Julian Parker, Chris Jackson, Samir Hussein, Julian Parker, Chris Jackson, Kristin Sinclair, and Mark Cuthbert via Getty

With so many fantastic royal hats seen during the month of June, we’re going to break up our favourites polls into a few more manageable groups. First up, we’re going to choose our favourite repeated royal hats worn at Royal Ascot.

The races this year saw nine repeated designs on five different royal heads that, based on your comments, were worn to particular success. It’s now time to choose one winner. Click on any of the photos to jump back to their original feature posts (complete with reviews from our expert panel of royal milliners). Here are these nine finalists, in the order that they were worn:

1.  2.  3.

Queen Elizabeth’s yellow hat with raised brim, blue flowers and brown leaves by Rachel Trevor Morgan worn on Day 1
 Princess Beatrice’s navy percher saucer with brown burnt feather trim by Sarah Cant worn on Day 1
Crown Princess Mary in a vertical gold straw disc saucer with silk flower and feather trim by Jane Taylor worn on Day 2

4.  5.  6.

The Duchess of Cornwall’s cream straw hat with taupe twist trim by Philip Treacy worn on Day 2
Princess Michael of Kent in a Philip Treacy slate blue slice hat with crin ruffles and feathers worn on Day 3
Princess Beatrice’s aqua blue sedge hat with navy bow and embroidery by Sarah Cant worn on Day 4

7. 8. 9. 

Princess Michael of Kent’s cream hat with ostrich feather boa by John Boyd worn on Day 4
Queen Elizabeth in an Angela Kelly designed turquoise straw hat with pleated crin crown wrap worn on Day 5
The Duchess of Cornwall’s Philip Treacy cream and navy straw picture hat with feather worn on Day 5

This poll will remain open until Friday, July 8. Each computer or mobile device may vote once every 12 hours for as many hats as strike your fancy although there will be only one winner. To avoid unnecessary influence, results will remain hidden until the poll closes. Happy voting!

Photos from Chris Jackson, Chris Jackson, Chris Jackson, Kirstin Sinclair, Max Mumby/Indigo, Max Mumby/Indigo, Mark Cuthbert, Kirstin Sinclair and Julian Parker via Getty