During past Royal Ascot weeks, the royal arrivals I’ve anticipated most each day has often been Princess Haya. Her Ascot looks are often head turners and an easy choice to feature and celebrate today for Ladies’ Day. Here are the 58 designs Princess Haya has worn to the races over the years:
2004:
2005:
2006:
2007:
2008:


Cream textured brim hat with feathers and veil June 17: Brown straw waved brim with feathers June 18:
Large red straw saucer with straw braided trim June 18; Black silk ruched lampshade with bow June 20
2009:


White straw and crin hat with feathers June 16; Grey straw picture hat with nude roses and feathers June 17;
White picture hat with veil June 18; Navy straw hat with veil & feathers June 19; Chocolate crin headpiece June 20
2010:

Ivory straw picture hat with blue flowers June 15; White &red straw hat with red roses June 16; Green straw hat with blue and green flowers & feathers June 17; Black straw hat with flowers June 18; White crin hat with blue flowers June 19
2011:


Pale lilac-grey straw hat with purple flowers June 14; Smooth navy straw rolled brim design June 15:
Burgundy straw percher with spiky feathers June 16; Chocolate straw picture hat with cream scarf June 17
2012:

Black pleated crin headpiece June 19; Dark blue velvet Philip Treacy hugger with twist June 20;
Fuchsia Philip Treacy slice hat with roses & ruffles June 21; Nerida Fraiman black angular straw with lace June 22
2013:


Black braided saucer with silk roses June 18; White straw Stephen Jones pillbox June 19;
Black crin Stephen Jones headpiece June 20; Ivory straw Philip Treacy picture hat June 21
2014:


Navy straw Nerida Fraiman percher with feathers June 17; Mint saucer with cream crin bow and brim binding June 18;
White straw Philip Treacy slice with black lace & feathers June 19; White Philip Treacy percher with twists June 20
2015:

Black flower saucer June 16; Black straw waved hat June 17, both by Philip Treacy
2016:


All from Philip Treacy- Feather covered pyramid June 14; Oversize ivory silk pillbox June 15;
Red straw picture hat with feathers & twists June 16; Black silk veiled rose headpiece June 17

White straw brimmed hat with navy lace by Juliette Botterill June 20;
Black and white Philip Treacy waved disk with feathers June 21; Red picture hat with oversize roses June 22

Ivory crin Philip Treacy saucer with twists and oversize roses June 19;
Cream straw veiled Philip Treacy hugger June 20; Black flower trimmed percher June 22
There’s so much here to admire, both in terms of individual looks and overall millinery bravado. The Philip Treacy fuchsia slice in 2012 is one of my favourite royal hats of all time, the white straw slice with black lace trim by Philip Treacy in 2014 is a masterpiece and the navy lace trimmed Juliette Botterill hat in 2017 is just plain pretty. Princess Haya is not usually included in conversations about the bravest royal hat wearers which is a shame- there are numerous looks here that few other royals would even dare try pulling off. Granted, not all are successful but my goodness, her commitment to each look is so solid that even the less successful looks are still noteworthy. Her absence at last year’s races was strongly felt, especially after learning the dire circumstances behind it. I hope things are resolved for her in a way that enables her to confidently attend Royal Ascot again, as it’s just not the same without her.
What do you notice about Princess Haya’s millinery style evolution? Which of her Royal Ascot hats stand out most to you?
Photos from Agencja Fotograficzna Caro/Alamy; Action Plus; Van Parys Media; PA Images; Van Parys Media; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty; Alan Davidson/Shutterstock; HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein; Shutterstock; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty; David Hartley/Shutterstock, Tim Graham Photo Library and Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty; Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein; Chris Jackson and Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty; Reuters; Mark Cuthbert/UK Press, Samir Hussein/WireImage, Chris Jackson, Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty; HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein; Eamonn McCormack/WireImage, Max Mumby/Indigo, and Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty; Alan Davidson/Shutterstock; Chris Jackson, Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty; Shutterstock; Ben Pruchnie/FilmMagic/Getty; Shutterstock; Steve Parsons/PA Images, Max Mumby/Indigo, Max Mumby/Indigo, Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty; Rex Features/AP; Julian Parker, Max Mumby/Indigo; Stuart C. Wilson/Stringer, Chris Jackson, Julian Parker, Alan Crowhurst, Julian Parker/UK Press, Kirstin Sinclair, Julian Parker/UK Press, John Walton/PA Images, Mark Cuthbert/UK Press, Max Mumby/Indigo, and Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty; Arabian Royal Agency; Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty