Imperial Royal Hats Last Week

The Imperial royals are the most frequent hat wearers these days. Here are the hats they wore last week.

On Monday, October 17, Princess Akiko wore a grey brimmed hat for a national convention.

 

On Tuesday, October 18, Crown Princess Kiko wore a streamlined black hat for a memorial service at Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery while Princess Yoko wore an ivory hat with short brim for a visit to Yasukuni Shrine.

Princess Nobuko arrived in Fukui on Wednesday, October 19 in an ivory brimmed hat with navy hatband. Thanks, Prisma, for including a photo of the feather trim on the side of the hat!

For the National Summit on Agriculture on Thursday October 20, Princess Nobuko wore a vibrant green pillbox wrapped in net veil.

 

Also on October 20, Empress Masako repeated a hat covered in the palest blue silk jacquard to visit Empress Emerita Michiko on her birthday. Princess Akiko wore a textured white cloche hat trimmed with a fabric flower on the side for the World Tea Festival in Shizuoka.

 

On Saturday, October 22, Empress Masako wore a navy silk covered hat with upturned brim for a series of events in Okinawa Prefecture.

 

The same day, Princess Hisako repeated a pale ice blue bumper hat with side bow for an environmental convention in Tokyo.

On Sunday, October 23, Empress Masako attended a national Cultural Festival opening in an ivory short brimmed hat with double ochre hatband.

I love the fresh green of Princess Nobuko’s pillbox and Empress Masako’s ochre yellow ensemble above. Which hats here stand out most to you?

Images from social media as indicatedย ย 

Catching Up… The Imperial Royals

For an August 25 home show exhibition opening in Chiba City, Princess Hisako repeated her pale blue brimmed hat with muti-coloured feather trim on the side.

On August 28, Princess Hisako attended a calligraphy exhibition in Tokyo in an ecru hat with upturned brim and bow at the back.

On September 2, Princess Hisako wore a blush straw bucket hat with lattice woven brim to open a nutrition convention.

For the  150th anniversary of Japan’s modern school system on September 5th, Empress Masako wore an ivory short brimmed hat with wide hatband in the same butter-gold as her silk suit.

On September 12, the Emperor and Empress attended the 75th founding anniversary of the Japan War-Bereaved Family Association. For this event, Empress Masako wore a dove grey suit and matching hat with straight-sided crown and short brim trimmed with a pale, pleated hatband.

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On Saturday, September 17, Crown Princess Kiko wore a black bumper hat to see off the Emperor and Empress on their flight to London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

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Princess Hisako wore a hat with white brim and purple crown on September 24 for a national sports event.

On September 27, most of the Imperial family attended the state funeral of former Prime Minister  Shinzo Abe

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On September 29, Princess Akiko wore an ivory hat with short brim and blue hatband for a milestone in the Shinto religion.

Saturday, October 1: Empress Masako wore a white short brimmed hat with indigo hatband for a sports festival opening.

Princess Hisako attended the National Sports Festival from October 3-5 in two chic hats.

On Wednesday, October 5, Princess Yoko wore a white hat with layered mushroom brim to attend events at the national Sports Festival.

On Thursday, October 6, three Imperial women wore hats for various events.  Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako marked the 150th anniversary of Japan’s railway system. Empress Masako wore an ecru hat with upturned brim trimmed with a latte stacked hatband and bow at the back.

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The same day, Princess Hisako topped a lovely blue and white printed dress with a shallow white hat while Princess Akiko attended the National Sports Festival in an ivory brimmed hat with layered hatbands in soft pink.

On Saturday, October 8, three Imperial hats were worn! Princess Hisako attended the National Performing Arts National Convention in a brimless lilac silk covered hat trimmed with sparkling beads studded on one side. The next day, she repeated a green pork pie hat with curved brim. Princess Akiko donned a grey hat with short brim and side bow to attend a wheelchair race while her mother wore a jaunty magenta mini percher pillbox trimmed with an crin ruffle and silk flowers for a conference in Oita.

On October 9 and 10, Princess Tsuguko and Princess Nobuko attended the National Sports Festival. Princess Tsuguko wore a prim ecru boater with wide toffee hatband while Princess Nobuko wore an angular take on a tam hat, in navy, with a bow around the back.

On Tuesday, October 11, Princess Kako attended National Sports Festival. She wore an ivory brimmed hat with fuchsia hatband overlaid in lace with and a spray of fuchsia flowers on one side.

 

The trim makes this hat! It’s a wonderfully vibrant look for Kako. Interestingly, the hat appears to have been upcycled from her elder sister’s wardrobe. I suppose that answers the question of what happened to Mako’s hats…

On Wednesday, October 12, Princess Hisako attended a tree planting ceremony. She wore a white hat with short brim upfolded on one side and trimmed with orange flowers and a slim orange hatband.

On Thursday, October 13, Princess Akiko repeated an ecru cloche with upfolded brim for a national self-defence awards ceremony. The same day, Empress Masako repeated an ivory brimmed hat with blush hatband and scroll braid trim to the an event in Tokyo.

On October 14, Princess Hisako visited an elementary school in Sopporo in an ecru hat with interesting crown made of overlapping sections in different textured fabrics.

On Saturday, October 15 in Kanai City, Princess Nobuko, opened a garden wearing a dark blue pork pie hat with extended brim trimmed simply with a lighter hued hatband. The same day in Sopporo, Princess Hisako attended a house festival in a black felt hat with upturned brim trimmed with a teal hatband and a teal bow with black beaded embroidery just as on her collar.

On Sunday, October 17, Princess Hisako wore a chocolate homburg hat with twisted chocolate and pumpkin hatband to present a football championship. This hat pairs so well with her suit and pumpkin turtleneck.

Images from Getty and social media as indicated  

Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II: Royal Guests

The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II yesterday was attended by numerous other monarchs and royal guests.

Queen Margrethe of Denmark

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King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden

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King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway

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King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan

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Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg

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Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco

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King Willem-Alexander, Queen Mรกxima and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne

King Philippe and Queen Letizia of Spain

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Designer: Cherubina

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain

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Designer: Miguel Marzo y Jesuฬs Diฬaz

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako

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His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah of Malaysia and Her Majesty Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah of Malaysia

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Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Faisal Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah

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Her Majesty Margareta, Custodian of the Romanian Crown and Prince Radu

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Queen Anne-Marie and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece

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Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein (followed by King Letsie III of Lesotho)

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Prince Hassan bin Talal and Princess Haya of Jordan

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Princess Sarvath al-Hassan of Jordan
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Sheikha Amna bint Mohammed Al Thani of Qatar

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Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco
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Prince Alexander and Princess Katherine of Serbia

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The late Duke of Edinburgh’s family, Hess and Baden descendants of Philip’s late sisters.

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Hats worn to the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth: Family Members

Hats worn to the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth: Extended British Royal Familyย 

Hats worn to the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth: Noble and Notable Guests

Catching Up Imperial Family Milestones

In last weekend’s “Extra’s” post, we celebrated the December 5 official presentation of Princess Aiko following her 20th birthday, dazzling in a diamond tiara and necklace borrowed from her aunt, Sayako Kuroda.
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It turns out that members of the Imperial royal family also gathered for this celebration, the ladies in hats as well! Princess Kako was seen arriving at the Imperial Palace in her pale sage green silk jacquard covered calot hat with cuffed bumper brim, trimmed with a spray of silk flowers on the side.

Previously Worn: Dec 23, 2019; Apr 10, 2019;ย 
Princess Hanako repeated her dark green velvet hat with clamshell-shaped bumper brim trimed with an ostrich plume and bow at the back. ย Princess Yuriko wore a turquoise printed silk draped pillbox (or maybe a toque shape?) with rolled rose and leaves made of the same fabric, placed on the side of the design.ย 

ย Princess Hanako’s hat Previously Worn: Feb 24, 2019; Jan 14, 2015;ย  Jan 10, 2014;ย Jan 4, 2011
Princess Nobuko looked to be wearing a new dusty pink silk covered pillbox high on the back of her head. Princess Yoko repeated her tall salmon pink silk covered pillbox wrapped in a double fringe of feathers in the same hue. Princess Akiko looked to be wearing a new cream hat with shallow crown and brim covered in a beautifully draped hatband that tied in a side bow.

Princess Yoko’s hat Previously Worn: Mar 23, 2021; ย Nov 8, 2020;ย Oct 25, 2019;ย Apr 10, 2019
Princess Hisako repeated a salmon pink velvet pillbox with indented pork pie crown, trimmed in pink, peach and burgundy velvet applique flowers that also embellish the neck and shoulder lines of her matching gown. An interesting note from Imperial family expert Prisma- while this ensemble dates back until at least 1992, it was worn, most recently, in January 2014 by Princess Noriko! Princess Tsuguko looked to be wearing a silvery blue silk covered pillbox that I believe is new.

Previously Worn: Jan 15, 2014 (by Princess Noriko); Jan 14, 1992
Sayako Kuroda was also in attendance in a pale green silk calot covered in a ruched dotted white veil.

On December 9th, Empress Masako celebrated her 58th birthday. She arrived at the home of her parents-in-law in a pale blue silk covered bumper hat.

Sayako Kuroda was also seen arriving at the Imperial Palace to greet the Empress on her birthday in a pleated ecru calot hat.

Which ones of these eleven hats stand out most to you?

Images from social media as indicatedย 

Ethiopian Royal Hats Part IV: Visits With Foreign Royals

I’m so pleased to welcome back longtime reader, hat aficionado (follow him on Instagramย orย Twitter)ย and friend of Royal Hats, Jake Short, for the fourth post in a 5-part series on the history and hats of the Ethiopian Imperial Family (see Part 3 here).ย ย 

Visits With Foreign Royals

State and official visits to Ethiopia and abroad were also more common during the later decades of Haile Selassieโ€™s reign. In 1954 the Emperor, along with his youngest son Prince Sahle Selassie and granddaughter Princess Seble Desta (daughter of Princess Tenagnework), visited President Dwight D. and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower in Washington, DC (a clearer photo of this meeting can be seen here). Another visit to DC in 1963 saw the Emperor in a military cap and Princess Ruth Desta in a typical 1960s domed turban, while US First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy wore a pillbox hat (seen here in color).

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Haile Selassie visited the Netherlands in 1954 and was photographed holding a plumed ceremonial military hat while Queen Juliana wore a calot with swooping feather trim.

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Fifteen years later In January 1969, Queen Juliana reciprocated with a state visit to Ethiopia, accompanied by Prince Bernhard, Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus. For their arrival in Addis Abeba, Haile Selassie wore a formal bicorn hat while Juliana wore a black hat with woven halo brim studded with turquoise flowers. Princess Beatrix wore a tall, patterned turban.ย ย 

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During this visit, these wonderful photos were captured with the Emperor in his military cap and Queen Juliana in turbans- one covered in pleated ruffles and the other, smooth.

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During this trip, Queen Juliana was photographed at a children’s hospital in a capulet hat made of chunky, textured braid that was popular at the time. Another day, she repeated the black straw halo brimmed hat (with turquoise flowers removed!) while Princess Beatrix wore a white plaited pillbox.ย  On January 31, 1969, Queen Juliana wore a dark bumper hat while Princess Beatrix wore a navy brimmed hat in chunky navy straw braid with navy hatband tied in a side bow. Finally, Queen Juliana donned another turban for a visit to the Holy Trinity Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral; Princess Beatrix paired a white and black pinstriped dress with a dark hat with wide, upturned brim.ย 

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King Paul and Queen Frederika of Greece visited Addis Ababa in 1959. Here they are seen with the Emperor and Empress, all wearing hats suited to their rank and typical for that time.

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A decade later in 1969, the Emperor met Pope Paul VI, who wore a white zucchetto skullcap.

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Again in his military cap, Haile Selassie is seen with other royals at a ceremony in Iran in 1971 to celebrate 2,500 years of the Persian Empire; Queen Fabiola and King Baudouin of Belgium (with Princess Anne of the UK behind them), Queen Ingrid and King Frederik of Denmark, Queen Anne-Marie of Greece (behind Emperor Haile Selassie), and Shah Reza Pahlavi and Shahbanou Farah Diba of Iran can be seen wearing hats (many more royals were also in attendance at this grand event).

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Relations with the Japanese Imperial Family, another reigning imperial family, were cordial and saw multiple visits. Haile Selassie visited Japan in 1956 with his eldest daughter Princess Tenagnework (seated, wearing a veiled calot), her daughter Princess Aida Desta (wearing a feathered casque hat), and Prince Makonnen, Duke of Harar. Crown Prince Asfaw Wossen and Crown Princess Medferiashwork visited Japan in 1959; while neither wore hats during a duck hunting session, their hosts Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko did. Crown Princess Medferiashwork was seen during this same visit in a toque-like hat during a visit to a department store.

Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko visited Ethiopia in 1960, with Akihito (carrying a top hat) being formally received by Emperor Haile Selassie at the airport. Crown Princess Medferiashwork wore a calot while she and Michiko visited a girlsโ€™ school; Medferiashwork was later seen in a headscarf when she accompanied Michiko and Akihito (both in hats) on a visit to Mt. Entoto just north of Addis Ababa.

Finally, there were multiple interactions with the British Royal Family. A 1954 state visit to the UK by the Emperor and his son the Duke of Harar began at Victoria Station, where Queen Elizabeth II greeted Haile Selassie, who wore a ceremonial military hat trimmed with lion’s mane!

The Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Princess Mary, and Princess Alice, the Duchess of Gloucester, who all wore calots typical of the mid-1950s.

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The Queen wore a petaled/feathered calot as she, the Emperor, and the Duke of Edinburgh traveled to Buckingham Palace.

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A 1965 visit to Ethiopia by the Queen and Prince Philip saw only military hats from the host royals (the Empress had died in 1962, and there is a lack of photos of other female royals to determine their level of participation in the visit).ย 

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Queen Elizabeth, as you’d expect, wore several hats during this visit.

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While the visit saw no royal hats otherwise, there were many instances of tribal hats and headpieces worn by those who came to meet the royal guests.

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Another informative post, Jake- thank you! The Ethiopian princesses’ calots and half hats during the Japanese visit (and reciprocal visit five years later) are beautiful examples of fashion of the time! It’s also a fascinating reminder how millinery styles changed (inflated!) from the 1950s to the 1960s! How well did Queen Juliana’s cream turban pair with her 1960s sunglasses?! Such a fun look!

Jake returns next week for the final post in this series.ย 

Images from Getty and BNA Photographic