Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi braved rainy weather today to attend the final day of racing this week at Ascot Racecourse today.

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Princess Beatrice wore a hat pulled from the depths of her closet, a small black straw button percher trimmed with black looped bow, trimmed feather and a cream silk rose.

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Percher bases have, on average, grown in size in the twelve years since Princess Beatrice first wore this hat and I think it’s a trend for the better. This one feels an awkwardly small scale for a mature royal woman and while the trim is has stood up well and the graphic black and white scheme is timeless, I think a hat with a larger base would simply suit Beatrice better. She has numerous other black and white design in her closet, several of which I think would have made a better choice today.

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Designer:  Philip Treacy. Dress by Saloni
Previously Worn: Jun 22, 2013; Dec 25, 2010

Edoardo repeated his black antique silk top hat.

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Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi were included in today’s royal carriage procession, Princess Beatrice in a repeated a white sinamay boater hat with wide stripes of navy sinamay binding, hatband and ring around the top of the crown.

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At a time when fashion sustainability is only growing in importance, it’s lovely to see any royal pull something out of their closet that has not been much worn, especially when it’s as sharp and chic a hat as this! The pairing of hat with streamlined cream dress and sleek ponytail works so well and the hat’s colour and scale suits Beatrice very well. Whoever is styling her this week deserves applause!

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Designer:  Laura Apsit Livens
Previously Worn: May 16, 2017

Edoardo looked very dapper indeed in his black antique silk top hat. It’s lovely to see young spouses embracing traditional hats like this, isn’t it?!

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Princess Beatrice topped a floral maxi dress with a halo bandeau headpiece in natural straw trimmed with pink silk abaca bows and silk flowers.

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The lightness of the woven straw base and delicate flowers is enchanting on Beatrice, the smaller scale balancing the dress well and warm colour of the natural straw suits her so well. The overall look is  fresh, youthful and oh so pretty for a hot summer’s day.

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Designer:  Floral Straw Headband by Juliette Botterill. Zimmerman dress. 
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new.