This Week’s Extras

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On Friday, members of the Imperial royal family were spotted arriving to rehearse the enthronement ceremony. Empress Masako wore a buff silk bumper hat; the Mikasa princesses were in hats as well.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge donned vibrant regional headwear on Wednesday during a visit to to the Bumburate Valley in Pakistan’s northern Chitral District
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Yesterday, the remains of Queen Elena of Romania were brought from Switzerland and re-interred in Romania. For this ceremony, her granddaughters wore black and grey hats- Her Majesty Margareta in a grey angular bandeau with black trim, Princess Sophia in a black cuffed bumper and Princess Marie in a black calot.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Classic navy felt hat with mushroom brim and black trim by French milliner Clothilde Toussaint
Natural straw bandeau with statement bow and black hexagon veil by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Love the personalized zodiac constellation trim embroidered on this hat by US brand Jennifer Hoertz Millinery
Jaunty bright pink straw design with wonderful offset brim worn and made by Aussie milliner Chris Mullane
For our dear gents, a beige felt fedora with stitched hatband and brim edge by German milliner Nicki Marquardt
Teal veiled bandeau with wonderful leather flowers by Australian brand Felicity Northeast millinery
Stylish take on a rain hat in layered pink and black cut-out fabric by Canadian milliner David Dunkley
Luxe burgundy velvet halo bandeau with flowers and shooting crystals by British milliner Justine Bradley-Hill
Wonderful black coiled crown hat with Spirograph statement brim by Dutch milliner Eugenie van Oirschot
Pale blue tall-crowned hat with wide brim and trailing silk hatband by Australian milliner Nerida Winter
Royal blue felt wide-brimmed homburg with emerald trim from British milliner Nicola de Selincourt
Statement gold-trimmed percher hats in pink & blue with soaring trim by Australian brand Millinery By Mel
Crimson silk covered bumper with pleated crin ruffle and silk rose by British milliner Bundle MacLaren

And from Australian milliner Jill Humphries who works under the Millinery Jill label, this black and white diamond print wrapped turban that gives such a modern feel to a retro shape.

The Danish monarchy released two new photos of Prince Christian to celebrate his 14th birthday
Lovely to see Sayako Kuroda at last week’s “Kanname-sai” festival at Ise Grand Shrine. I suspect we’ll see her at her brother’s enthronement ceremony tomorrow.
For a little over-the-top royal entertainment, we have the Bourbon Two Sicilies princesses sharing themselves making an entrance.
We end this week with a great montage shared by Kensington Palace of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s visit to Pakistan last week. The documentary Harry and Meghan: An African Journey airs in North America Wednesday night (and is, for the moment, available here). It’s authenticity and candid sharing is compelling.

Photos from social media as indicated

Queen Elizabeth Enjoys Day At Races

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Queen Elizabeth II was at Ascot Racecourse yesterday to take in the QICPO British Champions Day. For this fun day out, she repeated her beautifully proportioned lilac-grey straw hat with gently sloped crown and raised brim, trimmed with handmade straw flowers and bow loops.

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While I usually prefer more saturated colour on Her Majesty, the subtle colour play between the purple and grey hues in the hat (likely created through layering sinamay in both colours, with a purple top layer on the crown and grey on the upper side of the brim), highlighted by it’s nuanced shape, works so wonderfully. These things, combined the lift-lending bows and  those exquisite handmade straw roses (or camellias?!) to create a hat with presence, statement and pure beauty that defy its pale hue.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: Aug 5, 2017; May 4, 2017; April 11, 2017; July 1, 2016; October 20, 2015

I’m so pleased to see this hat again- what do you think of it on this this time out?

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Photos from Getty as indicated 

Conclusion of Belgian State Visit to Luxembourg

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde concluded their three-day state visit to Luxembourg on Thursday.

For this final day, which saw the royal couple visit the Chambre de Commerce in Kirchberg, nature center and Biodiversum forest in Remerschen, European center of Schengen and farewell ceremony at the Grand Ducal Palace, Queen Mathilde wore a new calot hat in vibrant turquoise felt trimmed with overlapping flat bows draped across the back.

The colour is great, particularly in combination with the grey and mustard yellow in the ensemble. I also think the hat’s scale works well, balancing with the other turquoise accessories which add pops of colour throughout the whole look.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This hat is new

With the green and orange hats worn Tuesday and Wednesday, this turquoise design makes for a trio of brimless hats for Queen Mathilde on this state visit. What millinery marks do you award for this trio?

Photos from social media as indicated 

Dutch Monarchs Conclude State Visit to India

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On Wednesday, King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima spent the third day of their state visit to India in Mumbai. Queen Máxima began the day in a repeated pale aqua straw picture hat with rounded crown and wide, sidesweeping brim with raw, unfinished edges.

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The design is completed with what appears to be a slim hatband in either burnt feathers or dyed raffia, tied at the back of the hat in a bow with tails left to swirl in a circle around the brim. This detail gives such lovely movement to the design and the colour is both lovely on Máxima and a great fit for a tropical climate.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan
Previously Worn: July 2, 2018

Later that day, Queen Máxima changed into another blue ensemble, this one topped with a fascinator of rolled blue sinamay ribbons and darker blue cut and burnt feathers.

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Designer: unknown. Dress by Sandro Paris
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

Thursday saw the royal couple visit Kochi, where Queen Máxima wore an orange straw hat with tall crown and wide, sidesweeping brim. The lower side of the brim has a stepped fold and a wide straw hatband completes the design.

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It’s a hat that hasn’t seen the light of day in over a decade and its outing struck me as unusual until I saw this:

It’s another fantastic take on diplomatic dressing. The scale of the hat and its colour link so well the dress.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Jan Taminiau 
Previously Worn: April 30, 2006; September 20, 2005

The final day of the visit saw the king and queen in Alleppey where Queen Máxima made another diplomatic statement, this time flying a sartorial flag for the House of Orange. She topped her orange lace dress with a wrapped straw calot trimmed with a pair of large, layered half bows and feather quill.

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I’ve long thought the dress lets this ensemble down but my lace quibbles aside, the hat makes a punchy statement despite its small size. The ensemble also made a lovely diplomatic counterpoint to Máxima’s nod to the Indian flag the day before

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan
Previously Worn: Nov 2, 2016; Nov 2, 2011

These four millinery designs join the two worn during the first two days of this state visit bringing Queen Máxima’s total to six for the week- an admirable total to be sure. I think the hats this week finished stronger than they started- what is your millinery evaluation of this Indian state visit?

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Photos from Getty as indicated 

Belgian State Visit to Luxembourg

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde arrived in Luxembourg yesterday for a three-day state visit with their cousins.

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Queen Mathilde braved rainy weather in a green boiled wool coat and matching bandeau headpiece.

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Mathilde wears green so well and this shade is great on her. While I like the bandeau’s ruching much better from front view than from the side, the shape suits her well and the ensemble’s styling with a mix of green and cognac accessories is so well balanced. It’s a great autumn look.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne custom design named “Maelle”. Coat and dress by Natan
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa is recovering from recent knee surgery and as such, her participation was limited to a welcome and photo inside the Grand Ducal Palace and attendance at last night’s state banquet.

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Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie stepped in for her mother-in-law today, joining Queen Mathilde for a number of engagements in a new hat. The vibrant hat’s base is a button percher in orchid purple felt and it is trimmed with an abstract flower made from petals of multicoloured, pleated shibori silk leaves and pinwheels which are embellished with Swarovski crystals. It’s a fun, bright, whimsical piece that Princess Stéphanie wears extremely well.

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Designer: Sylvia Martinez
Previously Worn: this hat is new

Queen Mathilde also wore a new hat today, an ochre orange silk toque hat with flat top and ruched sides. The design is trimmed at the back with applique cutout flowers and leaves from the same fabric as this ensemble’s grey printed dress. Orange hats are not easy to pull off but this one works so well, thanks to its small scale and clear connection to the dress. It pairs so well against the dark grey, giving the overall look some lift and energy.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne custom design. Dress by Dries Van Noten.
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

This trio of small millinery designs each packs a fair bit of visual punch- which hat stands out most to you?

Photos from Getty as indicated