This Week’s Extras

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On Thursday, the Prince of Wales visited the Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth to preside over the Lord High Admiral’s Divisions.
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The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Wonderful confetti woven fedora by American milliner Laura Hubka
Charming read bandeau with flying bows in felt and perspex by Scottish milliner Maggie Mowbray
Very fun felt oversize rose and feathers on this green hat by Norwegian milliner Mona Strand
Charcoal pork pie hat with silk jacquard hatband and side bow by Danish brand Hornskov Hats
Gorgeous upcycled amber straw fedora with striped brim binding by Australian milliner Louise Macdonald
Fantastic sheen and matched stripes on this newsboy cap by Russian milliner Elena Ushakova
Lovely vintage straw braid bonnet made for Claire Foy to wear in an upcoming film by British milliner Jo Willis
Adore the streamlined drama from the cream stripe across this black fedora by Dutch milliner Koos van der Wal
A top hat… entirely in gingerbread! By London-based milliner Iona Ames
Jaunty red felt fedora with sparkling butterflies by American brand Kokin NY
Black beret with crystal-studded veil and beaded side tassel by British milliner Victoria Grant
Classic green felt fedora with peacock feather trim by Finish brand Brevetar Hats
Wonderful midnight blue veiled bandeau with cream silk abaca side bow by British milliner Ellie Vandenbrekel
Petrol blue felt fedora with jaunty sideswept brim and knotted hatband by American milliner Wayne Wichern
Dove grey stitched fez with flying bow by British milliner Sarah Cant
Acid green felt fedora with purple brim binding and fantastic layered hatband by British milliner Louise Pocock

The Duke of Cambridge took part in a charming Christmas conversation with Radio Marsden’s Barry Alston, during which he answered some questions from young patients of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and shared some of his favourite Christmas traditions. Listen to it here. 
Queen Jetsun visited her ancestral village, Tangsbji, with young Prince Jigme Namgyel and Prince Jigme Ugyen in tow

And we end this week with Christmas greetings from Clarence House, Her Majesty Margareta, and the royal families of Jordan, Spain,

Images from Getty and social media as indicated 

Hat From the Past

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Royal Hats59 years to December 19, 1962 when King Leopold III of Belgium returned home from a trip to Brazil and was met by his wife, Princess Liliane, in a chic leopard print turban and matching muff. Leopard print for Leopold?! Am I the only one smelling a romantic private message here?!

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Images from Getty as indicated

Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas Day Hats Part 1

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With news that the Queen is expected to attend church publicly this year on Christmas Day, I thought it would be fun to look back at her past “Chapeaux de Noel.”

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1968, 1970, 1975 and 1980

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1982,1983, 1984, 1985 (see 1986 here) and 1987

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1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, and 1993

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1994, (see 1995 here) 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999

It’s a mostly jewel-toned choice with a few orange ensembles thrown in to spice things up and the unexpected pink beret in 1982. The earlier designs follow her preferred shapes in different decades- brimless through the 1960s and 1970s and a sprinkling of a few short brims in the 1980s. The larger brims of the 1990s, like the green one chosen in both 1995 and 1999, are all swept off the face.

For sheer fun, the first group of hats are my sentimental favourite for their bolder scale, texture and pattern (that red floral in 1970 is all kinds of fantastic!). Next week, we’ll look at all the Christmas Day hats from this century. For now, which one of these earlier designs stand out most to you?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Hat From the Past

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Royal Hatsto this day in 1990 when the Princess of Wales attended the passing out parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in a wide-brimmed Philip Sommerville hat. The addition of hatband stripes on the brim is a great touch.

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Images from Getty as indicated

Hats From the Past

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Royal Hats 110 years to this week in December 1911 when the last of three Delhi Durbars took place and King George V and Queen Mary were crowned Emperor and Empress of India. While the coronation took place on December 12, the king in the Imperial State crown and Queen Mary in the tiara we now refer to as the Delhi Durbar as it was assembled from several other pieces specifically for this event, the celebration lasted a week. The third photo below shows the new Emperor and Empress at another parade, both in hats.

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Images from Getty and social media as indicated