Tag Archives: Empress Masako

Imperial Enthronement: Morning Court Rituals

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On Tuesday, the Enthronement of Emperor Naruhito took place with a series of ceremonies at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Empress Masako was spotted arriving at the palace early in the morning in a sleek,  unembellished bumper hat covered in a warm shade of ivory silk.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: uncertain. I think it may be same hat was worn May 7, 2019; Mar 20, 2019; Jan 7, 2019; Dec 27, 2018

The day began with the ‘Sokuirei-Tojitsu-Kashikodokoro-Omae-no-Gi’ ceremony held at the Kashikodokoro Shrine within the Imperial Sanctuaries where Emperor Naruhito ceremonially announced the enthronement ceremony, which would shortly follow. For this event, the emperor wore traditional sokutai robes in white linen specifically cultivated for this event and a tall, black kanmuri hat.


Empress Masako wore a white and peach jūnihitoe, a formal ancient kimono, with multiple (at least 12) complex layers. The traditional costume includes a specific and rather distinctive hairstyle and triple pronged silver headpiece, worn just over the forehead.

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This ceremony was attended by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, select government officials and members of the Imperial royal family. The imperial princesses followed a traditional court dress code of gowns with ivory hats.

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Princess Kiko, Princess Mako, and Princess Kako all chose bumper designs with slightly different brim shapes and trimming.

While Princess Yoko was also in a cream silk bumper hat, her sister, Princess Akiko made a slightly different statement in a pillbox with textured vertical pinstripes, trimmed with a slim band around the middle of the hat that tried in a bow at the back.

The most interesting hats were, again, worn by the Takamado princesses. Princess Hisako’s bumper variation featured less structured sides that draped into some lovely movement. Princess Tsuguko was the only one to wear a brimmed design, trimmed with a slim bow at the front.

While I understand that a string of ivory hats might not seem exciting to western fashion sensibilities, I think there’s something serenely compelling and regal about it.

Photos from Getty as indicated and Sankei News

This Week’s Extras

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On Friday, members of the Imperial royal family were spotted arriving to rehearse the enthronement ceremony. Empress Masako wore a buff silk bumper hat; the Mikasa princesses were in hats as well.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge donned vibrant regional headwear on Wednesday during a visit to to the Bumburate Valley in Pakistan’s northern Chitral District
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Yesterday, the remains of Queen Elena of Romania were brought from Switzerland and re-interred in Romania. For this ceremony, her granddaughters wore black and grey hats- Her Majesty Margareta in a grey angular bandeau with black trim, Princess Sophia in a black cuffed bumper and Princess Marie in a black calot.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Classic navy felt hat with mushroom brim and black trim by French milliner Clothilde Toussaint
Natural straw bandeau with statement bow and black hexagon veil by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Love the personalized zodiac constellation trim embroidered on this hat by US brand Jennifer Hoertz Millinery
Jaunty bright pink straw design with wonderful offset brim worn and made by Aussie milliner Chris Mullane
For our dear gents, a beige felt fedora with stitched hatband and brim edge by German milliner Nicki Marquardt
Teal veiled bandeau with wonderful leather flowers by Australian brand Felicity Northeast millinery
Stylish take on a rain hat in layered pink and black cut-out fabric by Canadian milliner David Dunkley
Luxe burgundy velvet halo bandeau with flowers and shooting crystals by British milliner Justine Bradley-Hill
Wonderful black coiled crown hat with Spirograph statement brim by Dutch milliner Eugenie van Oirschot
Pale blue tall-crowned hat with wide brim and trailing silk hatband by Australian milliner Nerida Winter
Royal blue felt wide-brimmed homburg with emerald trim from British milliner Nicola de Selincourt
Statement gold-trimmed percher hats in pink & blue with soaring trim by Australian brand Millinery By Mel
Crimson silk covered bumper with pleated crin ruffle and silk rose by British milliner Bundle MacLaren

And from Australian milliner Jill Humphries who works under the Millinery Jill label, this black and white diamond print wrapped turban that gives such a modern feel to a retro shape.

The Danish monarchy released two new photos of Prince Christian to celebrate his 14th birthday
Lovely to see Sayako Kuroda at last week’s “Kanname-sai” festival at Ise Grand Shrine. I suspect we’ll see her at her brother’s enthronement ceremony tomorrow.
For a little over-the-top royal entertainment, we have the Bourbon Two Sicilies princesses sharing themselves making an entrance.
We end this week with a great montage shared by Kensington Palace of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s visit to Pakistan last week. The documentary Harry and Meghan: An African Journey airs in North America Wednesday night (and is, for the moment, available here). It’s authenticity and candid sharing is compelling.

Photos from social media as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Back in September, Princess Hisako opened an exhibition at the Yokohama Museum of Art in a hat with cream straw crown and olive straw brim with interesting hatband of flattened vertical straw loops.
On Monday, Empress Masako attended the 70th anniversary of the National Rehabilitation System in a sleek, pale grey suit with matching short-brimmed hat
On Tuesday, Princess Akiko presided over national self defense awards in a repeated ecru silk-covered cloche hat with upturned kettle brim and wide hatband. The same day, Princess Mako attended the closing ceremony of the 74th National Sports Festival in Ibaraki in an ivory bowler hat variation with pale blue hatband tied in a side bow.
Prince Albert’s daughter, Jazmin Grimaldi, shared several portraits this week wearing an orange fedora.
The Duke of Gloucester sported a dapper green fedora during his visit to  Morocco last week. Today, the Duchess of Gloucester repeated a cuffed black velvet hat with silk bow and the Countess of Ulster wore a veiled pillbox for the opening of parliament today (the Earl and Countess’ son, Lord Culloden, was one of the Queen’s four pages).


Queen Elizabeth arrived for the opening of Parliament in the incredible diamond and pearl George IV Diadem she wears for this event each year (read more about it over at The Royal Collection). She chose not to wear the Imperial State Crown this year- understandable, given its heavy weight. The Duchess of Cornwall sparkled in her go-to Greville tiara (sometimes known as the Boucheron Honeycomb tiara. You can read an excellent history of this tiara here).
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The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Wonderfully trimmed fedoras in camel, yellow and mustard from British brand John Boyd Millinery

Bold black and cream striped waved discs by Spanish-based British milliner Donna Hartley
Emerald button percher with statement pheasant feather trim by British brand Rebecca Couture Millinery
Beautiful hand draping on this camel felt design (proof beige isn’t always boring!) by British milliner Jane Taylor
Magenta straw bowler with silk brim and ombre ruffled trim by Australian milliner Rachel Henry
Stunning gold beaded halo bandeau headpiece with twist from Australian milliner Marilyn Van den Berg

And from Irish milliner Carol Kennelly, this utterly fantastic black percher with shooting stars.

After last Monday’s announcement that children of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine have been removed from the Royal House of Sweden (along with their HRH titles) and will be free to pursue private lives, was endorsed by both the prince and princess with sharing of new family photos.
Turns out the lovely new photos of Princess Elisabeth, one which was turned into a stamp released on her 18th birthday, were taken by her dad.

Photos from social media as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Last Sunday, Queen Elizabeth repeated her cornflower blue hat with black trim and spiky grey feather flower to attend Sunday morning service at Crathie Kirk. The Duchess of Cornwall repeated her tan beret with pheasant feather trim.

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Princess Hisako attended the Japan Sports Masters Tournament (for athletes over age 35) on Monday and Tuesday. Monday, she repeated a white hat with pork pie crown and wide brim edged in a black stripe with floral trim on the side. Tuesday, she wore a black straw hat with trilby-style raised back brim and wide, ecru-striped hatband. On Thursday, she repeated her ivory small brimmed, lace-covered hat with side bow for the 130th anniversary of the Japanese Red Cross Society in Gifu.. Yesterday, she wore this brimmed design to attend the Regional Traditional Performing Arts National Convention in Nara.

The Imperial emperor and empress attended the 74th National Sports Festival’s opening ceremony in Hitachinaka yesterday. Empress Masako repeated a white brimmed hat with wide royal blue silk hatband.

Queen Elizabeth was joined for church this morning in Scotland by the Snowdon family. The Queen repeated an angular lime straw cloche with navy stripe around the brim and a mass of straw leaves in the two colours on the side. The Countess of Snowdon wore a sculpted beret in a fantastic shade of saffron felt, trimmed with a gold brooch while Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones donned a chic dark denim blue felt fedora with navy hatband.
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A new book by Angela Kelly was released today that will undoubtedly, be filled with many great looks at her designs (and hats made by Stella McLaren, the in-house milliner on Kelly’s design team). I now know what’s on the top of my Christmas wish list!

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Alpaca gives a cruelty-free and sustainable option for fur hats and this teal one from Peruvian Connection is wonderful
Red felt calot with wide ruffle and bling-y brooch trim from British brand Rebecca Couture Millinery
Very fun blue patterned pillbox hat with retro proportions by Australian milliner Karen Bailey
Loden green silk ribbon bandeau with veil from British milliner Rachel Trevor Morgan
Love unexpected coral and burgundy scheme of this straw brimmed design by Dutch milliner Myra van de Korput
Ivory felt sculpted hat with crown of folded swirls trimmed with crystals by Israeli milliner Orit Aviezer
From Stephen Jones’ new spring 2020 collection, this gravity-defying black hat with crisp white stripes

And these two green beauties from British milliners- first, from  Dorothy Morant, a hand blocked cloche in printed felt with extended brim and stunning pleated velvet ribbon trim (clearly, the Downton Abbey movie is on my mind) and second, from Carrie Jenkinson, this emerald felt saucer percher with amazing half pinwheel of statement twists.


It was so lovely to become better acquainted with this new, very sweet royal face this week
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Prince Harry took a poignant walk in Angola down the same path his mother walked, 22 years ago.

We end the week with the Dutch king, clearly enjoying his visit today to the Motocross of Nations at the TT Assen
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Photos from social media as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Weighing in on last week’s extras a bit late. Stay tuned later today for a separate post on the British royals at the Braemar Games and church this weekend.

On September 1, Princess Märtha Louise donned a fluffy pink organza and net fascinator for Derbyday at Øvrevoll Racecourse.
On August 31, Queen Margrethe wore a white straw hat with kettle brim and lace hatband to unveil a statue of Bernhard Arp Sindberg in Aarhus. The hat is so well paired with her blue and white dress.
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Crown Princess Mary repeated her black straw wide brimmed hat with pleated wave on one side of the brim last Thursday for Danish Flag Day. The hat, by Danish milliner Susanne Juul, had a newly added large black pleated flower on the side.

 

For Prince Hisahito’s 13th birthday last Friday, the Imperial Household Agency released photos taken on the private leg of his recent visit to Bhutan with his parents that show the young prince and Princess Kiko in informal cotton bucket hats. It’s fun to see the Akishinos looking so informal!
Princess Anne, Timothy Laurence and Mike Tindall in casual hats yesterday at the Burghley Horse Trials to watch Zara compete (she took a fall off her horse but reportedly, both were not injured)
Empress Masako in a white hat with double sky blue hatband and back bow yesterday at the 39th National Sea Enrichment Festival in Akita City.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye last week:
Black straw bumper with trio of large, rolled crin & straw flowers by New Zealand milliner Monika Neuhauser
Mustard yellow felt percher (in such a unique shape!) with bows by British milliner Rachel Trevor Morgan
Two-tone sinamay rolled disc hat with wonderful floral trim (see the back!) by Kenyan milliner Chloe Mitchell

And from Russian milliner Denis Gulyaev, this sculpted fedora in the most stunning shade of dark raspberry felt with a deep purple wrapped hatband.

Empress Emerita Michiko underwent surgery for breast cancer Saturday (Sunday in Japan). I’m sure you all join me in surrounding her with wishes for healing and wellness.
Interesting article in the New York Times about Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (Princess Beatrice’s boyfriend). Seems he’s much more than a handsome face.
Charming photos shared by the Belgian monarchy of Princess Elisabeth, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eléonore on their first day of school last week
Several royals came up against interesting doppelgangers last week- King Philippe and Queen Mathilde both faced their likenesses on canvas (the portrait of Queen Mathilde is wonderful!) while the Duchess of Cornwall met herself in this charming work in blackwork needlepoint (a type of embroidery using only black thread).
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Photos from social media as indicated