Tag Archives: Duke of Kent

Remembrance Sunday 2020

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Members of the British royal family attended the National Service Of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Westminster today. The Prince of Wales, Princess Royal, Dukes of Cambridge and Kent, and Earl of Wessex took part in the ceremony, which was considerably scaled back from years past (26 former service men and women took part in stark contrast to the more than 10,000 veterans usually included in this event).

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The Queen, Duchesses of Cornwall and Cambridge, and the Countess of Wessex looked on from balconies above the Cenotaph.

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Queen Elizabeth wore a new black hat with slightly angled stovepipe crown and cartwheel brim, edged in a wide stripe of black binding. The hat is trimmed with a spray of overlapping stitched leaves and a small side bow.

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Designer: unconfirmed
Previously Worn: this hat is new

The Duchess of Cornwall repeated a black felt beret hugger percher wonderfully trimmed with black felt and jinsin twists sweeping over the hat, studded on the side with a large black silk bloom.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Dress and Coat by Bruce Oldfield.
Previously Worn: Mar 13, 2014

The Duchess of Cambridge wore a new percher hat with saddle shaped velvet felt base, embellished with a beautifully proportioned multi-looped silk bow.

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Designer: Philip Treacy “OC 784” from AW 2020. Coat by Catherine Walker
Previously Worn: this hat is new

The Countess of Wessex was also in a new hat, her fur felt pillbox trimmed with a sweeping embroidered feather applique.

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Designer:  Jane Taylor “Felt Pillbox with Embroidered Feather Trim” from AW 2020. Cape by Zara.
Previously Worn: this hat is new

While the hats at such events are secondary, this quartet really is stellar.

Photos from Getty as indicated 

British Royals Commemorate Remembrance Sunday

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Members of the British Royal Family joined veterans, military servicepeople, members of government and civilians for a Remembrance Ceremony held yesterday morning at The Cenotaph, in Whitehall.

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The Prince of Wales, who placed wreaths on The Cenotaph of behalf of his mother, was joined by the Princess Royal, the Dukes of Cambridge, Sussex, York, and Kent and the Earl of Wessex, all in military uniform.

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Queen Elizabeth, who watched the service from a Whitehall balcony for the third year, repeated a black straw hat with silk crepe covered crown and binds the upturned kettle brim. The hat is simply trimmed with a stripe of black silk which circles the crown, anchored by two covered buttons in the font.

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Designer: Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren
Previously Worn: June 27, 2017; Nov 8, 2015

The Duchess of Cornwall wore a new, brimless hat. The design follows an oversize helmet (or mushroom top?) shape with gently rounded edges. The curved lines of the hat are dramatically accentuated with a mass of overlapping black feathers that circle around it.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The Duchess of Cambridge also wore a new, brimless hat, her design built on a formed teardrop beret base with gentle crease down the center which gives it a gentle curve. The hat is beautifully trimmed with black braid ‘frog’ fasteners and corresponding beaded buttons which, along with the embroidered and tassel trimmed swags on her coat, give a thoughtful military nod to the day.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Coat by Catherine Walker
Previously Worn: this hat is new

The Duchess of Sussex wore a streamlined black felt hat with wide cartwheel brim. The straight sides of the hat’s crown elevate its sophistication, as does its slim hatband, tied in front in an elegantly austere bow.

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Designer: Stephen Jones’ ‘Facetime’ from AW 2019 Miss Jones Collection. Coat by Stella McCartney. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The Countess of Wessex wore a black felt perching saucer hat trimmed with a large bow. A subtle swirl on the inside of the saucer (created through hand shaping) gives lovely movement to the design.

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Designer: Jane Taylor. It is the ‘Black Felt Hat With Bow’ from AW 2019. 
Previously Worn: this hat is new

Princess Alexandra and the Duchess of Gloucester usually attend this event but so far, do not appear in any photographs (I’ll update the post if they do). In the meantime, there are some beautiful new hats here to admire.

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Royal Ascot Day 1: Wrap Up

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The Duke of Kent, Earl and Countess of St. Andrews also attended the races today. The Duke of Kent repeated his grey felt top hat and Princess Alexandra repeated her pale pink straw picture hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan with silk twists and masses of mini feathers. Sylvanna looks to have repeated the pale grey straw hat with pleated white crin overlay and pink trim she recently wore to Lady Gabriella Windsor’s wedding. I’ve not been able to locate any photos of George but he would have worn a top hat.

    

The only other royal guest at the races today was Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, in his black silk antique top hat (Princess Haya and the couple’s children did not attend)

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The first day of Royal Ascot also saw a few hatted noble heads:

Lady Carolyn Warren (daughter of the late Earl of Carnarvon, Queen Elizabeth’s former racing manager and wife of John Warren, the current one) in a monochrome blush pink straw disc hat with windowpane lattice brim, trimmed with straw twists, silk flowers and a windowpane lattice crin ruffle

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Lady Kitty Spencer in a white Philip Treacy percher with deep crease, trimmed with a black quill

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Lady Laura Cathcart in a pink vertical straw saucer with black bow and ostrich feathers of her own design

Joining today’s carriage procession were Master of the Horse Lord de Lauley (shown below with the Earl of Wessex), the Queen’s Private Secretary, Edward Young and Master of the Royal Household, Vice Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt, all in black top hats.

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The following additional hats caught the attention of our guest milliner, Jay Cheng:

Very interesting Victorian look
Lady Kitty Spencer’s eccentric beret by Philip Treacy
Blue and gold hat with very unusual back view
Flora Johnson in something different- a beach hat by Lock & Co.
Rosie Tapner’s whimsical pink crin hat by Stephen Jones 

And finally- all non-royal hats that caught my eye at the races today:

Jodie Kidd in a stack of colourful straw hats. Bonkers but such fun!
Nazer Bullen in a sidesweeping hat covered in pink ostrich feathers by William Chambers
Julia Lundin in a tall black straw brimless stovepipe with patent leather hatband
Valerie Stark in a white Philip Treacy percher with black crin veil
Milliner Lisa Tan in a purple triple brimmed hat of her own design
Yellow crin hat with burgundy flowers on an unidentified racegoer (see the back here)
Black cutwork disc hat with white bow by Australian milliner Danica Errard
Milliner Rachel Ellis Oates in a self made white straw halo bandeau with floral trim (see the back here)
Hatshop owner Lizzie Hughes in a deep green percher with lush trailing vine by Guibert Millinery
Unnamed racegoer in a bright pink saucer percher with roses
Bumble bee hat on an unidentified racegoer
Irish milliner Jennifer Wrynne in a classic black and white bergere boater of her own design

My sincere thanks to milliner Jay Cheng for joining us today to chat about all the royal hats at the first day of the races. Jay- it has been a long but very enjoyable day sharing all of these hats with you. THANK YOU!

Photos from Gettyand social media as indicated; Shutterstock, Robin Utrecht and Shutterstock via Shutterstock

Order Of The Garter 2019

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Founded by Edward III in 1348, The Order of the Garter is the senior and oldest British Order of Chivalry awarded at the Sovereign’s pleasure as a personal gift. Twenty four recipients of the order, known each as a Knight or Lady,  meet each year for a grand ceremony held int St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on the Monday before Royal Ascot begins.

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Members of the Garter wear elaborate robes and accessories for the Garter Service including a special hat. The hat, in the style of a Tudor bonnet, is made of black velvet with a voluminous, unstructured crown and flat brim. It is trimmed with the order insignia, white ostrich and black heron feathers, and slim cord wrapped around the base of the crown that extends to a pair of gold and royal blue tassels hanging down the side. British royal family members belonging to the order include Queen Elizabeth, who is Sovereign of the Garter, The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge, Duke of York, Earl of Wessex, Princess Royal, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra. The Duke of Edinburgh, who is also a member, did not attend the service today.

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King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands and King Philippe of Spain were appointed as Supernumerary Knights of the Garter during state visits to the UK in 2018 and 2017; their attendance at today’s ceremony saw them officially installed in these roles and they wore the full garter regalia.

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Queen Máxima wore a tall, verical saucer hat in dusky pink straw trimmed with a mass of silk flowers and curling pheasant feathers on the underside of the raised brim.

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It’s a great look for the Dutch Queen. I really the slightly darker shade of pink on the hat and adore how its lines and lush trimming play so well off Máxima’s sleek caped coat dress- the pairing of the two items is fantastic. I’d like, however to change two things about the hat- first is the angle of placement on the head (tilt the top edge down a bit so it sweeps slightly more diagonally that so vertical) and the second is to tidy up the brim binding edge. Tweak these two things and a great hat would become a complete knockout.

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Designer: unconfirmed. My guess is Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Claes Iversen.
Previously Worn: This hat is new. Some suggest it is a reworked version of this Prinsjesdag hat but the straw bases are different shapes and colours.

Queen Letizia wore a kokoshnik-style bandeau headpiece in formed black straw, trimmed with black feathers and veil. It’s the first headpiece in this style we’ve seen on the Spanish queen and it suits her petite frame so well (not leaving the hat looking like it’s wearing her, as unfortunately is often the case). With her black and white printed dress, the headpiece tops an elegant ensemble that’s fantastic on Letizia.

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Designer: It is the “Black Peony” design from Spanish brand Cherubina
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

The Duchess of Cornwall repeated a hat in almond straw with off-center, peaked crown and side sweeping brim. A beaded straw hatband and side twists studded with ecru silk flowers complete the design. The beaded embellishment on the hatband and side twists add a subtle but welcome bit of sparkle to the design and while the colour is quiet, the scale and style make a great signature look for Camilla.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: June 19, 2018

The Duchess of Cambridge repeated a black sinamay hat with upturned flyaway brim in windowpane lattice straw, trimmed with a curled black an ostrich feather. The brim shape on this piece gives the design a wonderfully light and airy feel and the hat was beautifully paired with Kate’s white coat dress with black trim.

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Designer: Silvia Fletcher for Lock & Co. It is the Lion Tamer design. Coat dress by Catherine Walker.
Previously Worn: July 1, 2016;  June 11, 2011

The Countess of Wessex repeated her natural straw saucer hat with lattice open woven brim  trimmed with a large coral feathers and tan twists. The hat’s shape, reminiscent of Dior hats in the 1950s, pairs so well with her full skirted ensemble. Bright coral is not an easy hue to wear and this ensemble is beautifully balanced between the vibrant skirt and the hat’s feathers.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: May 15, 2018 (it was also your favourite repeated royal hat in 2018!);  Oct 5, 2017; June 20, 2017 i

The Duchess of Gloucester repeated her slate grey straw veiled pillbox hat. It’s a quietly classic design we’ve seen on Brigitte more than a few times but one she wears well.

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 18, 2018; May 19, 2018; Jun 17, 2017; Jun 1, 2017; Jul 1, 2016; Jun 12, 2016; Jun 10, 2016

Zenouska Mowatt, on the far left below, topped her blue and yellow patterned dress with a navy silk bandeau trimmed with a folded silk bow.


 

Designer: Laura Cathcart’s Arizona hatband
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

The Order of the Garter service this year brought us a wonderful parade of hats to kick off Ascot week with a fanfare. What do you think of these hats in Windsor today? Which designs stand out most to you?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

British Royals Host Third Palace Garden Party

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Queen Elizabeth was joined by members of her family yesterday under grey skies for the third and final Buckingham Palace garden party of this summer season.

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Despite the rain, the Queen looked very summery in her repeated pale pink straw hat with hourglass shaped crown, trimmed with white straw twists and brim binding and pale pink winter berries.

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There’s lots to like here between the delicate colour, the well detailed white trim and those unique berries- how I adore those berries as a welcome change from the flowers and feathers we so often see! However- I’m afraid that the extreme shape of the crown is neither attractive nor flattering. There’s a fine line between creative and caricature when it comes to fashion and this hat doesn’t land on the right side.

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Designer: Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren. Coat and dress by Stewart Parvin.
Previously Worn: June 15, 2016

While the Duke of Sussex wore his silk top hat (or more accurately, carried it for most of the event), the York Princesses joined the bandeau trend that has globally swept through millinery fashion.

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Princess Beatrice wore a maroon felt bandeau covered in individually cut felt leaves (a design that caught my eye here back in March!). These photos don’t show the design detail off very well but it’s a great piece with texture that livens up the bandeau shape. I think Beatrice wears it well and the colour is divine on her.

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Designer: Laura Cathcart. It’s the “Tess” design. Dress by The Vampire’s Wife
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

Princess Eugenie topped her champagne pleated dress with a cream velour felt bandeau wrapped in diamond widely woven veil. Cream duck and goose feathers studded in the veil complete the design. Like her sister’s bandeau, I think this one works thanks to the texture provided by the feathers and veil. It’s not my favourite colour on Eugenie (I’d prefer it with a more vibrant dress) but the scale and design is really lovely.

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Designer: Maggie Mowbray. It’s the “Helena” design. Dress by Sandro Paris.
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

The Duchess of Gloucester repeated the same look we saw her wear at last week’s garden party- her blue straw pillbox with recently added veil paired with a blue floral dress and cream jacket. There’s not much to add except say that for better views of the hat, hop over to last week’s post which has recently been  with better photos.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: May 23, 2019;  May 31, 2018

The Dukes of Gloucester and Kent both repeated their grey felt top hats while Princess Michael of Kent repeated her rounded  white silk covered pillbox (all are visible in the gallery below). I find the exaggerated, bulbous shape of this one over the top but those words are often ones I use to describe Marie Christine’s style so it’s on point for her.

Designer: I suspect John Boyd
Previously Worn: June 12, 2016; June 2, 2016; June 15, 2013; June 11, 2011; June 20, 2008

Interestingly, the only hats I’ve praised here are the two bandeaux- a critique I stand behind. They’re both interesting, textural designs that flatter their wears, which is not something I can say about the more extreme hat shapes also seen here. I found the hats at this last Buckingham Palace garden party of this season rather hit and miss- what do you think?

Photos from Getty as indicated