British Royals Attend Garden Party

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This afternoon under sunny, blue skies, Queen Elizabeth hosted the second Buckingham Palace garden party of this spring/summer season.

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For this event, she repeated her pale blue straw hat with tall, slightly flared and sloped crown and flat brim. The hat is beautifully trimmed with a layered silk hatband and handmade silk peonies and rose buds in ombre shades of pink. It’s a lovely hat and the floral motif, both on the hat and on the print of the silk dress, feels right at home at such an event as this.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan. Coat and dress by Stewart Parvin
Previously Worn: June 20, 2018

The Duke of Cambridge carried his black silk top hat while the Duchess wore a new saucer percher in pale pink straw. The hat is trimmed with a pale pink rose, feather and silk abacca ruffles both on top and below the raised edge of the hat.

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Juliette Botterill’s work is beautiful, as evidenced by this design. The scale is great on Kate and the mix of straw, abacca, silk and feathers on the hat makes it work with the monochrome outfit. It’s a very pretty look for Kate.

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Designer: Juliette Botterill. Coat dress by Alexander McQueen
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The Countess of Wessex repeated the pink straw waved disc hat she debuted last year at Ascot. Bound in a wide stripe of black lattice, the design features a high upsweep at the back, sandwiched in folded ruffles of pink and black lattice crin. I admire the unexpected colour scheme (which looks great on Sophie) and the zip of playfulness the exuberant trim brings to the design. It’s good on many levels and I’m so glad it hasn’t been relegated to the depths of her closet like so many of her other past Ascot hats.

Designer: Jane Taylor. Emilia Wickstead dress 
Previously Worn: June 19, 2018

The Duchess of Gloucester brought back her ecru straw, wide brimmed boater hat with appliqued leaves around the brim (see them in better detail here). It’s a classic, streamlined and elegant design that defies its age and I’m glad to see back in rotation. Brigitte has been reaching into the depths of her millinery closet recently and bringing out some interesting pieces!

 

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 15, 2011; June 20, 2000 and likely others

Princess Alexandra a picture hat with rounded crown and flat brim in textured natural straw, trimmed with a hatband of silk flowers and a swath of widely woven cream net veil. The quintessential garden hat both coordinates and counterpoints very well with  Alexandra’s patterned Chinoiserie silk jacket and fits right in at a garden party

 

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 2, 2015; June 20, 2012; June 1995

Finally, the Duke of York repeated his black silk top hat while the Duke of Gloucester and Duke of Kent both repeated top hats in dove grey felt (scroll through galleries above and below). While not photographed wearing a hat, it looks like the Earl of Wessex carried his black silk top hat in hand.

These garden parties are always great fun- what hats stood out to you most today?

Photos from Getty and social media as indicated 

Dutch Monarchs Kick Off German Visit

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima arrived in the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania region of Germany yesterday for a three-day visit. For this arrival, Queen Máxima repeated her black double bandeau padded headpiece covered in black silk.

Bandeau headpieces are at the height of current millinery fashion these days and through this lens, this headpiece seems more stylish than we’ve given it credit for being in the past. The ensemble is also a great pairing with the headpiece taking a secondary, complimentary role to the patterned skirt and vibrant top- it’s a great look for the Dutch queen.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Outfit by Natan
Previously Worn: October 26, 2017;  June 1, 2015; May 29, 2013; April 30, 2010 Additionally, this headpiece was worn by Princess Mabel on November 2, 2013

This is the third hat we’ve seen Queen Máxima pair with this vibrant outfit and, I think, the one that balances the overall ensemble best. What do you think?

Photos from social media; Picture Alliance and Picture Alliance via Getty

Kent Wedding at Windsor: Royal and Notable Guests

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In addition to the Kent family, Gloucester family and British royal family, Saturday’s wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston was also attended by a number of foreign royal guests. King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece were spotted arriving, the Green queen in a repeated her ecru and gold woven straw pillbox with whimsical, looped side bow.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: October 20, 2012; April 29, 2011

Our friends over at Luxarazzi spotted Prince Philipp and Princess Isabelle of Liechtenstein among the guests. Princess Isabelle wore a wide-brimmed black straw hat with ruched brim overlay studded in pink silk flowers.

The Bulgarian Princess of Turnovo wore a large percher headpiece in pale grey crin. We don’t see Miriam at many royal events (especially after Prince Kardam’s passing in 2015), it was lovely to see her again on Saturday.

The bride was photographed in familiar embrace with Brazillian Prince João Henrique of Orléans and Bragança. His wife, Claudia, paired a mustard dress with a natural straw vertical saucer hat trimmed in slim multi-looped bows both above and below the raised side of the brim.

Scrolling through the gallery below brings up photos of several more Brazilian princesses. Duchess of Segorbe, Princess Maria da Gloria of Orléans-Bragança topped her green dress with a soaring, waved natural straw hat trimmed with what looks like a silk abacca hatband and flying bow tails (a Brazillian princess by birth, Gloria was the first wife of Prince Alexander of Serbia but is now married to the Spanish Duke of Segorbe).  Princess Yasmin of Orléans-Bragança paired her red dress with a matching circular layered headpiece in red crin.

While not royal, a number of noteable guests at this wedding also included:

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Jemima Jones and Jemima Goldsmith

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Carole Middleton in am ecru and grey Jane Corbett picture hat; Pippa Matthews in a blue velvet Jess Collett bandeau

That wraps up our look at the hats worn to Lady Gabriella’s wedding. Please share ones not covered here that caught your eye in the comments below.

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Kent Wedding at Windsor: British Royal Cousins

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After admiring the hats and headpieces worn by the bridal party and Kent family relations at Saturday’s wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston, we turn now to the bride’s British royal cousins. We begin with the family’s matriarch, Queen Elizabeth, who repeated the lovely cerise straw hat we first saw her wear at Ascot last year. With a gently molded stepped crown, sidesweeping brim and double straw hatband, the focus of this design is its vibrantly beautiful posy of handmade silk flowers on the side, studded with arrow trimmed feathers.

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It’s a lovely look for Her Majesty with the contrasting textures between straw hat and tweedy coat giving some dimension to the ensemble. While the hat’s balance and shape are beautiful on their own, it’s those incredible silk flowers and the colour used on their inner petals that magnetically draws pulls the eye in for a second look that makes this design a standout star.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: June 21, 2018

Princess Anne repeated a hat in finely woven navy straw. In a variation of a cloche shape, the design’s short brim is upturned on one side in an angle echoed by a slight diagonal pitch on the crown. The interesting shape is somewhat lost against the hat’s trim, a wide yellow hatband with navy stripes and large side flower, both in the same fabric as the ensemble’s coordinating jacket.

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Coordinated is a good descriptor for this look but thankfully, those strips on the hat’s hatband keep it from the dreaded “matchy” label. No, it’s not currently fashionable but it makes a graphic statement and the interaction between hat and jacket is balanced. It’s a strong look that Anne carries well, despite looking slightly out of place in this decade.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: September 20, 2011; August 12, 2010; June 17, 2009; April 8, 2007 and likely others

Princess Beatrice topped a navy lace dress with a white straw button percher hat, lavishly trimmed with straw loops, silk organza pointed leaves and layered silk flowers. The hat is lovely but I thought its pairing with this lace dress was incongruous in both colour and feel. The pieces are both exquisite and I’d love to see them both on Beatrice again, paired with alternate elements (imagine this hat with a floral frock? So pretty.).

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Designer: bespoke Jess Collett. Self-Portrait dress.
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Lady Sarah Chatto wore an oversize cloche hat in ecru straw hat with rounded crown and extended brim. Sarah is an expert in elegant neutrals and this hat, with white sweater set and taupe silk pleated skirt, is a case in point. I initially thought this was a new addition (I’m SO ready to see her add different shapes to her millinery wardrobe) than the saucers she has favored for the past few years) but you eagle eyed readers remembered it’s nearly 20 years old- a case for sticking to classic shapes because it’s certainly aged well. Interestingly, the brim on this design is flexible, as shown by the different positions Lady Sarah has worn it in the past.

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Designer: likely Stephen Jones
Previously Worn: June 18, 2012; June 15, 2006; June 4, 2002; June 10, 2001; July 11, 2000; 

The biggest millinery surprise of the event was on the Duchess of Gloucester, who brought back a headpiece last seen in the early 1980s.  In royal blue textured straw braided into a wide headband, the design nearly defies its age thanks to its wonderful colour, which pairs fantastically with Brigitte’s silk dress. Yes, it’s a dated and slightly bonkers look but one that is brilliantly brave and for this, deserves both giggles and admiration.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 16, 1984

The Duchess’ daughter-in-law, the Countess of Ulster, wore a  beret percher covered in black crepe, trimmed with a dramatic sweep of pleated crin trim

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Designer: Bundle MacLaren. It is a bespoke version of the Leah design. Dress from Cefinn
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Lady Rose Gilman paired her turquoise dress with a red straw button percher trimmed with a crescent of red goose feathers anchored with a jeweled bow.

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Designer: unknown. Dress by L.K.Bennett
Previously Worn: uncertain

Sarah, Duchess of York, wore one of my favourite hats of the day, a triple layered saucer in dusky pink straw with lovely upsweep around the back and a trimming of pheasant feathers. Everything about this hat is spot-on (from scale to colour to unexpected feather trim (which links so well with Sarah’s signature auburn hair) to that beautiful sweeping curve) and the combination of hat and dress is spectacularly elegant.

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Designer: Jess Collett
Previously Worn: This hat is new. Dress by Jad Ghandour

I know some of you have been waiting two days to discuss these hats so let’s jump to it- which designs here stood out most to you?

Photos from Getty as indicated; Tim Rooke/Shutterstock 

This Week’s Extras

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Just fitting in this post while I step away for a day- I’ll be back to finish coverage of Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding tomorrow!

Back on May 4, Prince Mihailo and Princess Ljubica of Serbia christened their daughter Natalija in the church of St. George at Oplenac. Princess Ljubica wore a cream straw disc base percher hat with straw loops and ostrich feathers.
Last Sunday, the Prince of Wales took part in the Cavalry Sunday parade, an annual march and commemorative service held the second Sunday of May by the Combined Cavalry Old Comrades Association in Hyde Park. He sported the traditional black felt bowler hat worn by retired regimental members to this event.
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On Monday, the Earl of Wessex donned a dapper cream straw fedora for The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards Presentations in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.
Also on Monday, Princess Hisako wore a cream silk covered bowler trimmed with a modern floral motif and a very interesting, octagon shaped upturned kettle brim for her departure en route to Sweden. I’m not sure I like the brim shape but it’s undisputably unique.
Princess Beatrix celebrated the bicentenary of the Hermien Mill in Harreveld on Friday, repeating her navy straw hat with domed crown wrapped in layers of wide straw ribbon.
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Yesterday, Crown Princess Kiko attended the 30th National Greenery Conservation ceremony in Tottori in a cream hat trimmed with a pale green hatband (not a coincidence, I’m sure!)
The Duke of York was photographed yesterday in more rehearsals for upcoming Trooping the Colour. The Duke was appointed Colonel of Grenadier Guards in 2017 (taking over from the role his father had held since 1975) an will review the troops in this regiment on June 1 to make sure they are in tip top shape for the Queen’s birthday parade on June  15
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Today, Princess Yoko donned a tall, flared pink cloche hat for youth tennis championships in Kashiwa.

This week, I updated the post on all of Queen Máxima’s signature upswept brim ‘slice’ picture hats and was gobsmacked to realize she has 25 (and counting) of this style! Jump to the updated post for a peek.
The following new millinery designs jumped out at me:
Brilliantly practical straw percher with interchangeable trim from British milliner Fernanda Lewis
Two great picture hats (one with lovely ombre ruffle & one with pink perspex bow) by British milliner Ellie Vallerini
Exquisite movement on this crin trimmed black straw beret percher by Scottish milliner Maggie Mowbray
Pale grey saucer with iridescent pinwheel of layered crescent petals from London-based milliner Merve Bayindir
Red button percher with swirling scarlet cherry blossoms by Irish milliner Suzanne Ryan
Bandeau headpieces with colourful, statement-making trims from British milliner Jess Collett
Striking black and white design, amazingly made without a hat block by Australian milliner Louis Macdonald
Lovely colour story on this lilac and peach floral trimmed boater from Irish milliner Carol Kennelly
Stunning midnight blue beaded pillbox percher with flying bow by New Zealand milliner Anel Heyman
Adore the ribbon pinwheel trim on this cream straw trilby from period-inspired British brand Bea & Evie
Fantastic statement star magnolias on this magenta hugger percher by Australian brand Murley and Co.
Pattern! Vibrant floral printed black straw boater with feather trim by Canadian-based brand Jaycow Millinery

 

Princess Märtha Louise was in a lot of headlines this week after announcing a new relationship. Here’s the interview she and her new partner Shaman Derek Verrett conducted to address some of the controversy:
Princess Benedikte’s daughter, Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, was married to Count Michael Ahlefeld-Laurvig-Bill’s wedding yesterday. Interestingly, she wore a floral tiara from her new husband’s family. Princess Märtha Louise (and Shaman Derek Verrett) were among a handful of family and royal guests.
Wonderful footage of the entire Cambridge family exploring the “Back to Nature” garden the Duchess was part of creating at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show.


And, we wrap up this weekend with a start to the Royal Ascot countdown… it’s just 4 weeks away!

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