Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg celebrates her 30th birthday today, something which calls for a peek into her millinery closet. Back on December 29, 2012, she attended her cousin Archduke Christophe’s wedding in this grey felt cloche. I adore she chose a quintessentially French hat shape for this wedding, which took place in France. It was a chic look for her.
Images from Getty as indicated
on February 13, 1954, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh flew from Sydney to Canberra, touching down en route in Wagga Wagga for a two and a half hour visit. The Queen wore a champagne printed silk dress with short sleeves and knife pleated skirt, topped with a matching casque hat of ovelapping petals made from the same fabric.
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Embed from Getty Images
On Sunday, February 14, the couple attended Divine Service at St. John’s Church (no other engagements were scheduled this day). She repeated pale suit with peplum jacket topped with a silk calot hat with draped stripes with side layered bow. The bottom photo shows a wonderful side view of the hat taken January 25, 1954 when she wore it in Timaru, New Zealand.
Images from Getty and social media as indicated
On February 12, 1954, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh began the day in Bathurst before boarding a noon train back to Sydney through the Blue Mountains with stops at Bowenfels, Lithgow, Katoomba and Leura, Echo Point. Her sky blue tailored coat was topped by a two-tone blue calot hat.
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Embed from Getty Images
Images from Getty and social media as indicated
on February 11, 1954, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Wollongong, south of Sydney. Mid afternoon, they travelled north to Bulli, where they boarded a train to return to Sydney. For this “day away” the queen wore a blue silk shantung tailored coat with a matching calot in braided blue straw. The hat had a cuffed brim (that looked to be scattered with tiny blue flowers?) around the front overlaid in a delicate veil and was trimmed with a black bow at the back.
Images from Getty and The State Library of New South Wales as indicated
On Tuesday, February 9, 1954, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh continued their tour of Australia, journeying from Sydney to Newcastle by train. For their day in Newcastle, which included a civic reception, multiple speeches, a gathering of former servicemen, a rally for thousands of schoolchildren and visit a steelworks, the Queen wore a floral printed shirtwaist dress topped with a pale calot hat with bonnet-style front. The hat had an interesting coiled pyramid braid trim on the side.
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The royal couple flew that evening from Williamtown to Evans Head and spent the night in Lismore. On February 10, 1954, they spent the morning in Lismore and flew to Dubbo mid afternoon for a two hour visit including: an official welcome, war memorial visit, military personnel inspection, and walk about the Dubbo Agricultural Show (which had been moved from its usual May date to coincide with the royal visit). For this whirlwind day, Queen Elizabeth wore a floral print dress with sweetheart neckline with matching peplum jacket which was removed in the heat of the day. Her dark calot looks to be a layered crescent shape with light coloured bow on the side.
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Embed from Getty Images
Hats aside, one journalist described the pace of events and travel over these two days as ““undignified” and “sheer madness.” These photos show a queen who looks elegant, calm and unflappable.
Images from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 