This Week’s Extras

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Princess Yoko repeated her Zarny circle tiara headpiece last Sunday during her visit to Myanmar.
Crown Princess Kiko in a pale, neutral modified bowler hat last Sunday for the 43rd National Tree Growing Festival opening ceremony in Ginowan
On Monday, Princess Beatrix attended a symposium at the Council of State in The Hague in a repeated iridescent plum straw bumper hat.
Queen Mathilde added a new red hat this week- see how it compares with her other red hats in this updated post.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Magenta parisisal straw blocked beret percher with unique coiled flying twist by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Two galleries (here and here) of impeccable felt hats by Japanese millinery brand Maxim
Amazing vintage shape on this dark green bumper hat with scalloped brim by British milliner Beverley Edmondson
Raspberry felt rounded beret percher with streamlined felt flower trim from London-based milliner Siana Yewdall

Chic midnight blue felt hat with off-center peaked crown and wide hatband from Czech milliner Jolanta Kotabova  

Lovely photo holiday greeting from the Norwegian (the adorable gingerbread Royal Palace model was made by children from Fridheim kindergarten in Oslo), and Belgian royal families


Happy news from Bhutan- during a speech on the nation’s 112th National holiday, King Jigme announced that he and Queen Jetsun are expecting their second child early next summer
 More lovely Christmas photo greetings (both involving vintage transport!) from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall


The Duke of Sussex sent a cheery message to a children’s bereavement charity

This year’s sweet video greeting from Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar

We wrap things up this weekend with new photos of the Queen, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Prince George, preparing Christmas puddings for a charity supporting the Armed Forces.

Photos from social media as indicated

Hat From the Past

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Royal Hats thirty-eight years ago tomorrow to December 21, 1981 when a young Princess of Wales wore this John Boyd designed Breton hat with dotted veil in Christmas red for a visit to Guildford.

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Photos from Getty as indicated

State Opening of Parliament

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Queen Elizabeth delivered the Queen’s Speech in the House of Lord’s Chamber this morning, officially opening the next session of Parliament.

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For the second time in recent memory, the event was less formal than usual and saw the queen in a hat. This time, she repeated repeated her muted jade straw hat with straight-sided, domed top crown and short cartwheel brim, trimmed with green silk flowers and a multi-looped straw bow.

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The high profile of this  event provides us with views of this hat from all angles, showing just how good it is. The colour stands out so beautifully against the gold wall backdrop and domed crown, while not my favourite millinery shape, is so well balanced by the hat’s brim and trim. A straw hat is an interesting choice for the Queen in December but the hat’s lightness, especially combined with her floral frock and patterned silk cloque coat, makes a bright, hopeful ensemble that feels like a fitting lift for Britain’s current political climate.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: June 3, 2019; May 22, 2019; May 15, 2018; June 23, 2017

What did you think of the Queen’s choice of hat to open Parliament today?

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Photos from Getty as indicated 

Zara Tindall’s Christmas Day Hats

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The hats worn by the Queen’s eldest granddaughter, Zara Phillips Tindall, during racing season are always ones to watch. Today, we’re taking a look back at all the hats she has worn on Christmas Day:

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Floppy brimmed velvet hats (very popular at the time!) in green and grey in 1994 and 1996

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Oversize felt cloches (also stylish at the time!) in dark grey and ecru in 1998 and 2000

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Fuzzy exaggerated black trilby in 2001; Tall crowned chocolate design with velvet trim in 2002

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Chocolate brimmed cap in 2003; Brown leather informal design in 2004 

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Plum fedora with metal trim in a modern motif in 2006; Fuchsia felt hugger with statement bow by Philip Treacy in 2008

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Black felt oversize mod beret in 2009; Grey felt percher with ruffle and striped quills by Karen Henriksen in 2011

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Caramel felt ruched percher by Karen Henriksen in 2012;
Red felt button percher with pheasant feathers by Rachel Trevor Morgan in 2013

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Purple beret percher with bronze-backed flying leaf trim by Sarah Cant in 2018

This shows a considerable evolution in style that closely follows millinery trends of the time (and, I suspect in the case of the casual leather hat in 2004, a reflection of her gap year in Australia in 2003?!). The looks become increasingly sophisticated, although that fuchsia statement hat in 2008 remains a favourite of mine that I think would look as fresh and bold today as it did eleven years ago. What stands out to you in Zara’s Christmas Day hats here?

Top Royal Hats: July & August 2019

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Results for favourite new and favourite repeated hats worn in July and August are in, dearest readers, and while I heartily agree with your choices, the winners took me a little by surprise:


Princess Tsuguko’s cream hat with graphic divided black crown and trim worn on August 10




Crown Princess Victoria’s headpiece of folded lilac ribbon flowers by Örjan Jackobsson worn August 31 

I think this is the first time we’ve seen these two princesses’ millinery designs win these polls, something which fills me with great excitement! Jump over to the poll for favourite new hat here and the repeated hat poll here to see the results in greater detail.  
Photos from News 24 and  Örjan Jackobsson