Dutch Queen Opens Eco Facility

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Queen Máxima was in Beltrum today to officially open the Netherlands’ first green mineral plant which processes natural materials into organic fertilizer, soil conditioner and clean water. For this engagement, she repeated her large, natural straw picture hat with upswept brim.

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This workhorse hat is Máxima’s most worn piece of millinery (paired with eight different looks so far, including this textured dress) and it’s no surprise- it’s her signature shape in a neutral colour that goes with almost everything. The natural tones of this ensemble feel like a great pairing for today’s particular opening and while it’s not the vibrant tones we associate (and love!) on her, it’s a layered and polished neutral look.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan.
Previously Worn: Sep 27, 2018;  Jun 21, 2018; Oct 10, 2017; Sep 20, 2016;  Aug 30, 2014; May 24, 2014; May 30, 2013; Jan 24, 2013; Jan 21, 2013; Jul 2, 2011

This hat will be familiar to all of us- anything new you notice about it on today’s outing?

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Photos from Getty as indicated 

Princess Beatrix Celebrates Cancer Society

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On Saturday, Princess Beatrix took part in celebrating 70th anniversary of the Dutch Cancer Society Dutch Cancer Society with a visit to the Royal Dutch Mint to to see a special coin stamped to commemorate this milestone come off the press. For this event, she repeated a denim blue straw hat with domed crown and high, straight sided double bumper brim wrapped in a slightly slanted wide stripe of straw. The design is completed with two pointed ribbon tails curling off the back.

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The colour is so lovely on Beatrix and while I could do with a trim on those ribbon tails off the back, that slanting stripe of straw around the outside of the hat gives a unique take on shape that has become a very familiar one for her

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Designer: Suzanne Moulijn
Previously Worn: July 3, 2008

It’s been a while since we saw this hat- what are your thoughts?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Belgian and Dutch Monarchs Celebrate Anniversary of Liberation

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde joined King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima in Terneuzen, Netherlands on Saturday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of The Netherlands in Zeeland.

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Queen Mathilde repeated her black calot overlaid in wide wrapping stripes of textured woven fabric that form a large, looping rosette motif on the side. We’ve seen it paired successfully with this black and white dress before, the two textural pieces combining to make an attractive, modern take on classic black and white.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: Mar 22, 2019; Sep 24, 2018; July 14, 2018; February 20, 2018

Queen Máxima repeated her fuchsia straw picture hat with sharply sidesweeping ‘slice’ brim.

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We’ve seen this hat several times before to greater success, I’m afraid, paired with more polished hairstyles and vibrant ensembles. In theory, I like the idea of a neutral ensemble with bright accessories but something about the styling of this particular ensemble feels a bit off balance- maybe it’s the front time on the skirt that’s throwing things off? What IS working for me is something I don’t usually comment about and that’s King Willem-Alexander’s very distinguished looking summer beard! Dapper, indeed.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: July 3, 2016;  April 13, 2016; April 27, 2015

We’ve seen both these hats before- what do you think of their outings over the weekend?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Takamado Princess On Canadian Tour

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Princess Hisako has been in Canada this week on an informal tour to celebrate 90 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Canada. The visit kicked off last Saturday in Mississauga with a summery hat in finely woven straw with a moderate brim, trimmed with orange and peach feathers and net veil circling  the base of the crown.

On Sunday in Toronto, she princess met Ontario Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell in a sunny yellow straw hat with upturned brim bound in a wide white stripe, trimmed with a yellow silk bow.
On Monday, she continued on to Ottawa where she visited the Supreme Court of Canada in a white hat with wide kettle brim, trimmed with a lime silk hatband and floral spray.
Tuesday’s programme included a meeting with Governor General Julie Payette and a return to the Canadian Museum of History, where in 1985, she and the late Prince openned a Japanese Zen Garden. For these engagements, Princess Hisako wore an elegant cream lace suit with matching short-brimmed hat. The hat’s crown and front bow are covered in the same lace which lends some textural dimension to the design.


On Wednesday, Princess Hisako traveled to Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province, on the Atlantic east coast. There, in the town of Cavendish, she opened Montgomery Park, a commemorative park to Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, who wrote well known book, Anne of Green Gables. For this opening, the princess donned a boater hat covered in cream silk with a swirling pleated brim, trimmed with white maple leaves, cornflower blue organza tufts and net veil. The hat has a decidedly Edwardian feel which gives a lovely nod to this famous book (published in 1908 and set around the same time) and makes it one of the most romantic Imperial royal hats in recent memory! Listen to a snipet of Princess Hisako’s dedication speech below- it’s charming and she has a lovely voice!



On Thursday, she visited Green Gables and in a touching gesture, she topped her black floral suit in a vibrant green hat in nearly the same shade as the famous location. The design features a wide rolled brim and black hatband, piped in the same floral pattern as her suit- a new addition since we last saw it.


After a stop in Alberta, she landed in Vancouver where yesterday, she attended Nikkei Matsuri, a large Japanese cultural festival. In another thoughtful diplomatic touch, she wore a white straw saucer hat with folded crin brim trimmed with sprays of red and white silk maple leaves on both sides (above the brim on the left, below the brim on the right). I know some consider such statements cheesy but my Canadian heart is warmed by the gesture.


And finally, today in Victoria, Princess Hisako visited government house in what believe is the same white kettle brimmed hat she wore on Monday, swapping out the lime hatband and flowers for a leaf green bow on the side. I suspect this isn’t the first quick change of trim this hat has experienced to make it coordinate with other ensembles- it looks awfully close to this hat she wore last July.

Princess Hisako routinely wears some of my favourite pieces of Imperial royal millinery and this tour has had some wonderful hats. What do you think about the hats she has worn in Canada this week?

Photos from social media as indicated. Special thanks to @ImperialJPNfan on Twitter for curating and sharing all of this information on the tour. 

This Week’s Extras

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On Thursday, Queen Beatrix opened the opening of the 79th session of the Institut de Droit international (IDI) in the Hague. She topped her black floral dress with a black straw hat with tall, pleated Breton style brim.
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Princess Ingrid’s confirmation took place yesterday in the Chapel of the Royal Palace in Oslo. For this milestone, she, Crown Princess Mette Marit, Queen Sonja and Princess Märtha Louise, all  wore traditional Norwegian bunads with the folk costume’s wreath-style rolled headpiece .

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Ingrid’s new bunad was a gift from her grandparents, King Harald and Queen Sonja. In a wonderfully personal touch, Queen Sonja, who was a trained dressmaker before beginning her royal life, helped create the traditional folk dress.
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Ingrid’s godmother, Crown Princess Victoria, attended the event in a lilac silk chiffon dress with matching headpiece. of  lilac silk ribbon pleated flowers with hand beaded centers from Parant Parant Couture Headpieces by Örjan Jackobsson. Crown Princess Mary, who attended with Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Christian, wore a new folded headpiece in plum straw that wrapped around her head with a side rosette.
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Today, Princess Kako attended a memorial service for victims of the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake at the Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Tokyo. She wore a sedate black silk covered hat with wide hatband and short kettle brim.

Also today, Queen Elizabeth was joined by Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence for Sunday service at Crathie Kirk in Scotland. The Queen repeated a raspberry Rachel Trevor Morgan hat with sidesweeping short brim and felt feather trim. Princess Anne wore a new brown felt trilby with extended brim and what looks like a spray of feathers on the side by Amy Morris-Adams, different from  the very similar brown trilby with side bow she wore for the first time LAST Sunday.

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The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Sleek olive green felt cloche with metallic gold hatband from Melbourne brand Contempromental Millinery
White straw boater hat with lace overlaid brim by German brand MATAdesign
Pale blue straw capulet with lime hatband and navy honeycomb veil from Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
Exquisitely dramatic black lace headpiece by UK-based Italian milliner Guilia Mio
Pink buntal button with delightful ruffled swoosh from Australian milliner Rachel Henry
Rust felt pillbox with black pleated ombre trim by British milliner Jane Taylor
White percher with swirling black feathers from British milliner George Durdy
Copper straw hat with relaxed crown, wide brim and feathers by German milliner Nicky Marquardt
Purple silk abaca turban with magenta leather orchids by Australian brand Murley and Co.
Emerald silk covered button percher with crin ovelay and gold feather by Czech milliner Jolanta Kotabova
Cream and poppy red straw hat with marvelous side sweeping brim by Dutch milliner Myra van de Korput
Fantastic black straw hat with rainbow tipped ostrich feathers by Anthony Peto Chapelier

And from Australian hat shop The Essential Hat and milliner Catherine Ellen, this sunny yellow straw picture hat with cut-out brim.

The Danish monarchy released a trio of portraits to mark Prince Nikolai’s 20th birthday
Lovely portrait of the Norwegian king, queen and crown princely family taken before the formal dinner following Princess Ingrid’s confirmation
Pierre Casiraghi was part of the sailing team for Greta Thunberg’s landmark voyage and navigated some rather rough seas.
Empress Masako and the Imperial princesses donned traditional kimonos on Friday for a palace tea party hosted for African leaders.

We end this week with an August 27 performance”The Swan” by Saint-Saëns by Empress Emerita Michiko and flutist Karl-Heinz Schütz (jump to 0:30 to start)

Photos from social media as indicated