Tag Archives: Duchess of Cornwall

Trio of British Royals Attend Sunday Church

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Queen Elizabeth attended Sunday service yesterday morning at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk. For this outing, she repeated her deep purple felt hat with split crown and upturned kettle brim trimmed with a felt bow and trio of pompoms.

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Designer: Angela Kelly made by Stella McLaren
Previously Worn: Nov 6, 2019; April 12, 2018;  February 2, 2018

The Queen was joined by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, several of the Cambridge’s friends (Lucy Lanigan-O’Keeffe’s teal felt hat by Jane Taylor is a beauty) and the Duchess’ parents. Kate wore a new fedora in deep  blue felt trimmed with a hatband of pheasant feathers. Many of you will recognize it as the blue version of a hat worn frequently by the Countess of Wessex– a hat of excellent proportion, shape and trim that packs a great punch in this more saturated colour. Kate looks fantastic in blue and this hat pairs particularly well with her dark blue and orange wool coat.

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Designer: Hicks and Brown’s Suffolk Fedora in Navy. Coat by Roksanda
Previously Worn: this hat is new

Carole Middleton topped her tweed coat with what looks like Lecorine’s “Sumac” bumper hat in chocolate alpaca fur– a hat also owned by both of her daughters (see Kate’s version here and Pippa’s version here)

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Carole And Michael were here too #carolemiddleton

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The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were in Scotland and attended Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral, the Duchess in one of her faux fur brimmed tweed hats  (I think it was this one) from Lock and Co.

The standout hat for me in this trio is Kate’s new blue fedora- what are your thoughts?

Photos from Getty and social media as indicated 

British Royals Celebrate Christmas- Part I

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Members of the British Royal Family joined the Queen today, as they do each year, for Christmas Day Service at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene near Sandringham.

The Queen wore a new ensemble today in brilliant red, topped with a felt hat . The teardrop shape of this hat’s crown is one we’ve seen on previous hats; the design is completed with a side spray of black feathers and hatband of the same fine braid as is trimming her coat. .

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Several readers guessed the queen would be in red this year and you were spot on! The look is festive and the coat’s open collar, edged with that lovely braid, frames the hat and Her Majesty’s face really well. What’s less successful for me is the crown shape- its height and flared silhouette creates an awkward proportion that feels a bit clunky. While the colour is great, I’m not sure the shape flatters.

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Designer: Angela Kelly made by Stella McLaren
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The Duchess of Cornwall repeated her royal purple felt brimless hat in a gently rounded helmet shape, trimmed with a large spray of  purple goose biot feathers. It’s a bold shape that she carries off well despite it’s clunky (again!) mushroom shape – the colour is divine, the spiky feathers play down the helmet vibe well and Camilla’s soft hairstyle lightens the look. The modern hat pairs really well with Camilla’s traditionally cut velvet coat, the two pieces combining to create a rather regal statement.

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Designer: Philip Treacy Bruce Oldfield dress and coat.
Previously Worn: March 11, 2019

The Duchess of Cambridge repeated her dark green percher saucer hat trimmed with large, pleated flower on the back raised side of the design.

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Today is the first time we’ve seen this hat not worn with a green coat and despite its small scale, holds its own. The styling here, coordinated with a purse and shoes in the same colour against the neutral coat, allows the hat to stand out more than we’ve seen it before. Coordinating Charlotte’s green coat makes a particularly sweet connection.

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Designer: Silvia Fletcher for Lock and Co. Coat by Catherine Walker. 
Previously Worn: Mar 17, 2017; Dec 25, 2015

Princess Beatrice, who was joined for the first time by her fiance Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, wore a bandeau in forest green peachbloom felt accented with a beautiful pleated swirl motif. The design is a beautiful colour on her and the pleated detail gives such interest to the piece, making it much more special than a simple bandeau.

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Designer: Juliette Botterill. It is the Knotted Felt Band from AW 2019. Coat by The Fold London
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

Princess Eugenie wore a navy blue headpiece described by the designer as a “silk covered headband, adorned with cut feathers and a silk bow.” The colour is lovely on her and the layered cut feathers give some beautiful dimension, height and movement to the design.

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Designer: Juliette Botterill. It is the Silk Feather Bow Band from AW 2019
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

It’s a lovely parade of jewel-toned designs so far (we’ll look at remaining hats worn by the Wessex ladies, Princess Anne, the Countess of Snowdon and Lady Sarah Chatto tomorrow). For now, what are your thoughts on these first five designs? Enjoy the Queen’s Christmas message below.

Photos from Getty as indicated 

British Royals Attend Memorial At Westminster Abbey

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The Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke of Cambridge, Earl and Countess of Wessex, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and Prince Michael of Kent attended a service of thanksgiving today at Westminster Abbey, celebrating the life of Sir Donald Gosling. The Duchess of Cornwall wore a new hat for the occasion, a wide brimmed design in navy brushed felt with off-center peaked crown and gently sweeping upturn on one side. The hat is simply, but dramatically, trimmed with a wide navy ostrich feather wrapped around the crown.

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While it’s a millinery look we’ve seen on Camilla many times before, I think this design is elevated by the rich, deep nape of the felt (velour felt, I’m guessing), its wonderfully saturated hue and THAT feather, which has luxurious texture of its own.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new

For this memorial, the Countess repeated an impeccably made bumper-edged pillbox hat covered in dark blue crepe and trimmed with a net veil.

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The colour and silhouette is lovely on Sophie and I like how she’s placed the veil a little higher around the center of her face than on its last outing. We don’t talk enough about how jewelry can set off a hat, as these angular amber earrings do here, their strong and sleek lines working so well against similar ones on the hat. It’s a strong, bold that still fits this reflective memorial occasion and Sophie wears it so well.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: June 20, 2019

What do you think of this hat today, on its second outing?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Prince of Wales Commissions Namesake Vessel

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The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall were in Portsmouth today to officially commission a new aircraft carrier in the British naval fleet,  HMS Prince of Wales.

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For this occasion, the Duchess wore a new hat in pale slate blue felt with a wide upturned bumper brim.

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A number of us have been wishing Camilla to experiment with some new hat shapes and she’s done that here. I wish, however, she’d taken this further with a more saturated colour or some contrast (or trim or texture- anything!) to break up the very smooth lines of the hat and coat. For me, it falls a little flat.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new

As expected, the Prince of Wales wore the uniform and cap of his ranking as Admiral of the Fleet. Incidentally, today he was also granted the title of Honorary Commodore-in-Chief, Aircraft Carriers.

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What do you think of the Duchess’ new hat in Portsmouth today? And- do you think the baker of the official cake was tipped off on her ensemble’s colour or made a lucky guess?!

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Photos from Getty as indicated 

This Week’s Extras

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Infanta Elena took in Madrid Horse Week events last weekend in a chocolate fedora with smart striped hatband
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King Carl Gustaf was sported in his trusty brown fedora with Queen Silvia’s boarding a flight to India on Monday and, below, on Wednesday during the visit.


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Princess Marie Chantal of Greece and her eldest son Constantine (Tino) in wool caps in Gloucestershire.
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Peaky blinders

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Australian milliner Wendy Louise Diggles shared this great index on different styles of top hats.
The ornaments on the Christmas Tree in the workroom of John Boyd’s millinery studio in London make me smile!
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Grey straw boater with hand-dyed blue guipure lace hatband by Scottish milliner Stephanie Gallen
Teal velvet bandeau with beautifully draped silk abaca and sparkling buckle by British milliner Dorothy Morant
From Australian brand The Essential Hat, gorgeous Panama straw fedoras in two colour ways (see here and here)
Pink satin covered pillbox with braided edge detail by British milliner Laura Cathcart
Scottish milliner Sally-Anne Provan’s felt fedora with metallic, angular hatband in my favourite colour- peacock blue
Copper silk turban with faux fur pouf from Parisienne milliner Clothilde Toussaint
Plum felt percher with flying bow and beautiful silk poppies by British milliner William Chambers
Stunning movement on British milliner Sarah Cant’s blue halo bandeau with black leather stylized lilies
Adore the geometric printed hatband on this angular trilby by London-based brand Sahar Millinery

And from Australian milliner Lisa Alexander, this black straw saucer with incredible exploding fireworks trim.


Lovely new pictures of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde released for their 20th wedding anniversary.
New official portrait from the Monaco royal family
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🇲🇨 2019 🇲🇨

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Lovely portrait of Princess Amalia released this week for her 16th birthday.
And from a beaming Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie, the happy news that they are expecting their first child in May.

Photos from social media as indicated

Prince and Duchess of Cornwall Kick Off Kiwi Visit

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The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall kicked off an 8-day tour of New Zealand this morning with a welcome ceremony at Government House in Auckland.

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For this first event of the tour, the Duchess repeated her natural straw hat with upturned brim with high sidesweep, trimmed with a slim, knotted hatband in the same straw.

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The gentle curves and textured straw on this design set it apart from all other natural straw sun hats but there’s no two ways about it- it’s a very simple design. The hat seems to reflect the informality of theistour- the rest of today’s programme, which included walking around the waterfront, meeting Team New Zealand America’s Cup team, and a Prince’s Trust Tea, all of which Camilla attended without the hat at all.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Suit by Anna Valentine
Previously Worn: Jul 9, 2018; Nov 9, 2012

The Duchess of Cornwall has taken to wearing hats less and less and foreign tours, I think we’re lucky to have seen one today at all. What do you think of this streamlined straw design?

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Photos from Getty as indicated 

Duchess of Cornwall’s Christmas Hats

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Over the next six weeks, we’re going to fill quiet days with a series that takes us back through royal hats worn on Christmas Day. Today, we start with the Duchess of Cornwall:

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Navy felt crown and straw brimmed hat with blue moire silk tafetta brim binding & hatband with statement flower in 2005; Leopard print felt beret with feather pinwheel trim in 2006, both by Philip Treacy

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Black straw sidwsweep with velvet hatband and flying bow in 2007; Navy blue felt beret percher with silk rose in 2008, both by Philip Treacy

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Dark blue faux fur papakha in 2009 and its chocolate twin in 2010, both by Philip Treacy

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A slouchy wool Lock & Co hat with faux fur cuff brim in 2011

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Flat crowned designs in jewel tones from Philip Treacy- purple in 2012 and navy in 2013

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Dramatic black felt upsweep with wide ribbon binding by Philip Treacy in 20015 and 2016


Red wool hat with ruched crown and faux fur cuff brim from Lock and Co in 2017

Update- since this post was published, the Duchess has worn the following hats on Christmas Day:

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Royal purple felt helmet with feathers by Philip Treacy in 2019

I thought there would be more repeated designs in this group, and I’m also surprised by how Camilla’s hats have become more streamlined over the past decade- those early hats make major statements! What do you think of this millinery progression, dearest readers?

Photos from Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock; and Getty as indicated