Queen Commemorates RAF Club Centennary

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Queen Elizabeth visited the Royal Air Force Club in London today where she took part in commemorations of the club’s 100th anniversary, opening the new wing, unveiling a series of newly-commissioned artworks (including a new portrait of herself!), viewing a beautiful new stained-glass window by Jo Salter, Trustee and first British female jet pilot and meeting with past and present members. For this engagement, she repeated her sky blue hat with hourglass curved crown and gently sideswept brim (straw on top, the same wool silk as the crown and coat on the bottom) trimmed with cut green feathers, gold sprigs, large amber glass beads and small blue heather flowers.

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In Her Majesty’s sea of medium blue hats I’ll admit- this is not my favourite. While I still find the crown shape bit clunky and the trim a bit overenthusiastic, the colour is lovely and the combination of green feathers on the blue felt is really charming.

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Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: August 6, 2018
What do you think of this hat on this, its second outing?
Photos from Getty as indicated

Hat From the Past

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Royal Hats to this day, 30 years ago, and a very smart royal blue Philip Somerville hat worn for the start of a state visit to Spain.

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Photo from Getty as indicated

Dutch Monarchs Visit Zeeland

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima made a regional visit to Schouwen-Duiveland and Tholen in the province of Zeeland today. For this day away, Queen Máxima repeated her pleated red turban.

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It’s impossible to talk about this hat without including the rest of her ensemble- a stunning new Claes Iversen blouse and embellished skirt. On its own, this hat is not one of my favourites as this turban shape’s high, full crown gives it a helmet vibe. Paired with this blouse and skirt, however, the turban’s impact is muted and it becomes a supporting note to this vibrant ensemble. With a sleek chignon, hoop earrings and magenta pumps, the hat tops a beautifully balanced outfit that certainly makes a statement but works so well as a whole.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Blouse and skirt by Claes Iversen.
Previously Worn: March 20, 2015

It takes a certain amount of confidence to pull off an ensemble where a puffy red turban is a supporting feature but Queen Máxima does it so well. I love this look on her- what do you think of it?!
Photos from Getty as indicated

Dutch Visit to Germany Day 3

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On Friday, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima visited Völklinger Ironworks and Homburg on the final day of their visit to Germany. For this day’s engagements, Queen Máxima repeated her cranberry felt, wide-brimmed Garbo hat simply trimmed with a wide hatband and side bow. It’s a hat that makes a strong statement but doesn’t overwhelm the Dutch queen and I think she continues to wear it well. I’m just not sure it’s colour pairing with this dress is its best (although much improved over the checked suit we saw paired with it on its last outing).

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Natan
Previously Worn: Jan 13, 2018; Oct 4, 2017
What do you think about this hat and dress combination?
Photo by Uwe Anspach/picture alliance via Getty Images

This Week’s Extras

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Additional photos from Friday’s royal wedding (including formal portraits released by the British Monarchy) have been added to posts- scroll down to the index below this post to see them. We’ll also catch up with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima’s last day in Germany first thing tomorrow morning

While Queen Sofia did not wear a hat a last weekend’s nuptials of The Duke of Huescar (grandson of the late Duchess of Alba) and Sofia Palazuelo, Queen Margarita of Bulgaria topped her black and grey floral dress with a grey Breton style hat with high, upfolded brim. The bride was expected to wear one of the Alba tiaras but surprised by instead choosing a Teresa Briz designed headpiece of white feathers (scroll below to see it).

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Back on October 7, Princess Hisako wore an elegantly shaped ecru Breton hat with pale blue silk floral trim.

On Wedesday, Princess Akiko of Mikasa attended the 16th commendation ceremony of People’s Self-Defense Force in Tokyo in a prim white hat with pink hatband (Imperial Family of Japan)

Princess Kiko on one of her go-to pale hued bowler hats, this one in cream with a wide, pleated beige hatband, for an appearance at the National Sports Festival earlier this week

On Friday, Queen Margrethe unveiled a sculpture of Danish engineer and author Thomas Dinesen  at Churchill Park in Copenhagen. For this event, she repeated her red multi-textured straw hat.

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:

Exquisitely delicate gold leaf headpiece by New Zealand milliner Monika Neuhauser
Love the unique shape on this grey felt hat with yellow ribbon trim by British milliner Dorothy Morant
Wonderfully creative use of zippers on this red straw hat from Australian brand Chaperon Hats
Black felt beret with crystal studded veil and feather flowers from Irish milliner Aoife Harrison
Gold straw elevated boater with twists and silk flowers from Australian brand Locopa Designs
Two beauties from Melbourne brand Murley and Co. Millinery- a tomato red straw knotted bandeau
and a black and white patterned statement hat with wide, mushroom brim 
Silver star trimmed black veiled headpiece from London-based milliner Awon Golding
British milliner Jane Fryers’  rose trimmed headpiece in fish leather!

I’m seriously blown away by this astounding, hand painted boater hat from Melbourne based-brand Taboo Millinery

 Royal Hats

At an engagement early last week, King Willem-Alexander adorably autographed a young chap’s arm cast.

Lovely mother-daughter moments shared by Princess Madeleine from a recent working trip to New York with her mother and younger daughter, Princess Adrienne

Compelling words from the Duke of Cambridge at this week’s Illegal Wildlife Trade conference in London

Support for the Invictus games from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (no surprise there!) and the Danish Crown Prince and Princess along with their children


Lovely post by Flora Ogilvy sharing confirmation of her mother’s graduation from Harvard Divinity School. Julia has stayed on at the family’s home in Massachusetts to volunteer as a hospital chaplain.

The Duke and Duchess of Vendôme welcomed their fifth child, Princess Jacinthe of Orleans, earlier this week. She was baptised yesterday at Saint-Pierre church (no cause for alarm- the young princess is healthy and doing well!).

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Photos from Getty and social media as indicated