Buckingham Palace Garden Party

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The first garden party of the season (and the first during King Charles III’s reign!) was held yesterday at Buckingham Palace.

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The king wore his black antique silk covered top hat.

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Queen Camilla repeated a navy sinamay hat with angular crown trimmed with navy lace, sidesweep brim and double white silk covered hatband knotted into a wired flying bow on the side.

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The hat, on it’s own, is great. The lace applique on the crown is unique and therefore notable. However, the combination of hat with high-contrast striped coat somehow doesn’t work for me.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Dress and coat by Bruce Oldfield.
Previously Worn: Apr 14, 2022

The Duke of Edinburgh repeated his gleaming black antique silk top hat while the duchess repeated her hat from Trooping the Colour last year, a pink and ivory design described by the designer as “a bespoke hand dyed, two tone style disc, trimmed with bows.”

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I really like the saucer shape on Sophie well and the the brim extension, in  transparent pink windowpane sinamay, gives the loveliest lightness and lift to the design. On its first outing, I didn’t like the bows but even they are growing on me here. The contrast of free, whimsical bows with her structured coat dress works is charming for this kind of event.

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Designer: Jane Taylor. Coat dress by Suzannah London.
Previously Worn: June 2, 2022

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester made up the royal group, the duke in his antique silk covered top hat and the duchess repeating her sky blue sinamay hat with wide pleated brim upfolded to a wide cuff around the edge.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 13, 2022;  Jun 3, 2022;  March 29, 2022

The first garden party always kicks off the summer season and this one was no exception (also kicking off coronation week!) What do you think about the hats at this event?

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Images from Getty as indicated 

Luxembourg Wedding in France

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Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg and Nicolas Bagory celebrated their religious wedding ceremony on Saturday at the Church of Saint Trophyme in Bormes-les-Mimosas in the south of France.

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Alexandra turned to couture house Elie Saab, a favourite of her mother, for her gown. In ivory duchess satin, the design focus is a pleated portrait collar neckline that folds into an empire line beneath the bust and extends over-the-shoulder to cap sleeves. The folded motif is repeated at the hip where the skirt opens to a sleek A-line silhouette in front and modest train at the back.

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Alexandra topped the structural gown with a full-length silk tulle veil studded with pearls, sequins and crystal-centered miniature flowers that glittered like magical snow.  The beautiful veil was anchored with the grand ducal family’s Chaumet Choker Tiara made slightly more delicate with the removal of the piece’s large pearls. It’s a great combination, the diamond latticework pattern of the tiara works pairing beautifully with the lines of the gown, the studded veil and tiny blossoms in Alexandra’s hair providing the most romantic contrast to soften and elevate the overall look.

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The young bridesmaids, which included Princess Amalia, wore fresh floral half circlet headpieces atop their white dresses with patterned blue sashes, also worn by the pages.

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We all want to see royal brides looking their very best on their wedding day and such can be said about Princess Alexandra. We wish this couple many years of happiness!

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See three great galleries of photos the Luxembourg Monarchy’s website here, here and here.

Images from Getty and social media as indicated  

This Week’s Extras

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Last weekend, Princess Yoko wore an ivory silk covered bowler for a visit to Yasukuni Shrine. On April 29, Princess Hanako wore a wonderful yellow hat for an award ceremony at Ueno Royal Museum.

On Tuesday, The Duke of Gloucester took part in Anzac Day commemoration in a black bowler hat.

Also on Tuesday, Princess Amalia attended the Seville Fair in a red floral headpiece.

There have been rave reviews for the “Hats Made Me” millinery exhibition that opened this week at the Stockwood Discovery Center in Luton, the millinery manufacturing center of the UK. If you’ll be in the UK between now and December, don’t miss it.

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week (see the comments for more):


A very pretty new portrait of Princess Yoko of Mikasa was released this week

 

Princess Alexandra’s veil is absolutely beautiful! We’ll look at today’s religious ceremony in depth on Monday.

Images from social media as indicated 

British King and Queen Present New Colours

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King Charles and Queen Camilla took part in a ceremony this morning on the North Lawn of the Buckingham Palace garden to present new standards and colours to the Royal Navy, the Life Guards of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, The King’s Company of the Grenadier Guards and The King’s Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force.

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King Charles, as expected, was in full military uniform and cap. Queen Camilla repeated her ruby fur felt beret percher hat  trimmed with a side spray of monochrome felt leaves and berries.

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On its own, the ensemble is so well balanced, the strong colour tempered with Camilla’s light hair and the smaller scale of the hat. Make no mistake- this hat is no wallflower!  As I said on its first outing, here is a case when a large brimmed hat in the same colour would likely have been too much and the shape and scale of the great trim on this design make a striking, stand-alone statement. In the overall context of this military event with lots of scarlet coats in attendance, it was such a fitting choice.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Coat by Fiona Clare Couture. 
Previously Worn: Oct 14, 2021 

Images from Getty as indicated  

Koningsdag 2023

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Annual King’s Day celebrations were held today in Rotterdam, this year celebrating King Willem-Alexander’s tenth anniversary as Dutch king (how time flies!). He was joined by his wife, two daughters (Princess Alexia is away at school in the UK) and members of the Dutch extended royal family.

Queen Máxima dressed in the bright green and white of Rotterdam’s flag, repeating a draped abaca calot headpiece.

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The halo face-framing shape is so pretty from the front, thanks to the lovely draping on this design. It’s the side view that still feels a bit clunky and less refined.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Top and skirt by Natan.
Previously Worn: June 26, 2017

Princess Ariane wore a deep purple headband.

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This day is always so joyous and colourful!

Images from Getty as indicated and from the Dutch monarchy’s social media.