Christening of Princess Estelle, Nine Years On: Royal Guests & Extended Family

t’s no surprise that Princess Estelle’s christening on May 22, 2012 was also attended by numerous royal guests and extended members of the Swedish royal family.

Queen Margrethe wore a navy straw wide-brimmed picture hat. Navy dotted white tulle overlaid the open-weave straw brim and a large flower of white feathers adored the piece on the side. The scale of the piece is such a contrast from the brimless and short-brimmed hats we’re used to seeing on the Danish queen today and while the tulle looks overly fussy to me now, it links the hat well to Margrethe’s dotted ensemble.

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Queen Mathilde (was was Crown Princess at the time, wore a layered calot hat in the same taupe silk chiffon as her skirt. It’s not an terribly exciting hat but anything with more presence likely would have competed with her elaborate beaded jacket and the overall look is certainly festive, however subdued.

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Princess Máxima, who would become queen a year later, stood out in a red suit and Fabienne Delvigne ruched turban. The turban is beautifully draped and pairs well with the modern-vintage vibe of the suit, the vibrant colour giving some much needed pep at an event that, as we’ve seen, saw so many pale and neutral ensembles. Trust Máxima to liven things up.

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Princess Märtha Louise wore a pale straw pink hat with layered raw-edge brim. The jaunty angle provided by the brim’s sidesweeping shape gave it lovely lift and that unfinished edge, echoed on the hat’s wide hatband, contrasted well with the smooth silk of Märtha’s jacket. With diamond chandelier earrings and an ecru and blush striped dress, it was a great look for her.

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As this was Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy’s first major royal event (she and Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume would marry five months later), it wasn’t a surprise that she dipped into her future mother-in-law’s closet for a hat. This grey pleated silk abaca headpiece by Fabienne Delvigne requires some millinery courage to pull off and while I wasn’t thrilled about its pairing with this grey bouclé jacket, Stéphanie still wore it well.

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The King’s sisters were all in attendance, Princess Margaretha in a grey pillbox with side bow, Princess Birgitta in a white rose fascinator and Princess Désirée in a red Garbo hat with relaxed brim. Princess Christina wore a disc headpiece in navy straw painted with white Swiss dots, edged in white binding and trimmed with navy and white feathers (see a better view of it at Crown Princess Victoria’s 40th birthday celebration here).

Princess Christina’s daughter-in-laws, Emma Magnussen, Vicky Andren and Frida Bergström were all in attendance. Emma’s navy crin headpiece featured a birdcage-style transparent brim and was studded in slim feathers. Vicky’s taupe straw hat was trimmed in a triple stacked hatband with straw flower and goose feathers on the side.

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Frida Bergström (4th row, far left) wore a loden green pillbox hat swathed in a gold dotted net veil. Also seen in the photo above are Countess Marianne Bernadott (3rd row, far left in front of Frida) in a mint green brimmed hat (see a better view at a later wearing here) and Dagmar von Arbin (4th row, 4th from left) in a purple straw pillbox studded with silk flowers (see a better view at Prince Oscar’s christening here). After the palate of very pale neutrals we saw in the first post, the brighter spring hues seen in the photo above give some welcome vibrancy to this event!

Nearly a decade on, which hats stand out most to you from this event?  To see hats worn by Princess Estelle’s family members and godparents, jump over to this post. 

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Photos from Getty as indicated; SVT and the Swedish Monarchy

Christening of Prince Alexander: Extended Family & Guests

After reviewing the hats and headpieces worn by Princess Sofia and members of the Swedish royal family to Prince Alexander’s christening last Friday, it’s now time to turn our attention to those worn by extended family and royal guests. The only foreign royal guests at this event were Prince Leopold and Princess Ursula of Bavaria (Prince Leopold is Prince Carl Philip’s godfather). Princess Ursula followed the trend set by the Swedish royal family, opting for a triple silk bow fascinator with cascade of feathers in pale sky blue. The headpiece is fun but its whimsical feel was at odds with her more streamlined and formal coat. I really like both pieces… but not together.

Princess Ursula, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats   Princess Ursula, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats

The Haga princesses were represented by Princess Margaretha, who did not wear a hat. Frida Bergström, partner of Princess Christina’s son Victor Magnusson who was named as one of Prince Alexander’s godparents, was one of just two members of the extended Swedish royal family to wear a full-on hat. In pale oyster grey straw, the large saucer hat features a gently sloped pyramid at the crown that extends to a slight point on the bottom brim; the hat is simply trimmed with a straw double bow with centre knot embellished with crystals. The scale of this piece works well on Friday and while the colour is not best for her, I like the hat simply because it stands out amidst all the other headbands and fascinators at this event.

Frida Bergström, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats Frida Bergström, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats Frida Bergström, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats Frida Bergström, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats

Countess Marianne Bernadotte of Wisborg repeated the silk flower and arrow trimmed gold feather headpiece she wore to King Carl Gustaf’s 70th birthday celebrations on April 30.  Mrs. Dagmar von Arbin (granddaughter of Prince Oscar Bernadotte) who at 100 years old is currently the eldest member of the Swedish royal family, topped her coral suit with a small black silk bow and net fascinator.

 Countess Marianne Bernadotte, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats   Dagmar von Arbin, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats

Countess Marianne Bernadotte and Dagmar von Arbin, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats

Countess Jill Bernadotte (wife of Count Bertil Bernadotte af Wisborg) topped her honeycomb suit with a natty navy straw hat trimmed in feathers. The shape of this piece is a little unusual but it works with Jill’s short hairstyle and fits well with the informality of this event.

Countess Jill Bernadotte, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats    Countess Jill Bernadotte, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats

Several members of Queen Silvia’s extended family were also in attendance. Bettina Aussems (wife of Silvia’s nephew Thomas Sommerlath) wore one of my favourite pieces of millinery at this event. Built on a base of transparent black straw, this cocktail hat is all about its central mass of striped feathers. The overall flower shape of the piece is so lovely and the gentle sense of movement provided by the swaying feathers (which were beautifully caught by even the slightest breeze) made me smile. I think this is a great example of how to do a hat at an informal event… and the royals could take note!

Bettina Aussems, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats Bettina Aussems, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats Bettina Aussems, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats

The other Sommerlath family members in attendance were Queen Silvia’s nephew Patrick, his wife Maline and their family. Maline wore a simple navy fascinator attached to a headband while the couple’s twin daughters Chloe and Anais wore darling floral trimmed headbands.

Maline Sommerlath & Family, September 9, 2016 | Royal Hats

And that wraps up the hats and headpieces at this christening. Several of you have commented about the wide use of headbands and fascinators at this event and wondered if this is  a permanent millinery future direction the Swedish royal family. While the Swedish royal princesses have favoured smaller headpieces for several years, the King’s 70th birthday celebration in April showed that when royal hat ‘A game’ is required, the Swedish royals deliver. Prince Alexander is fifth in line to the throne and as such, his christening was a less formal event than those of Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar. I think the informal headpieces we saw here were simply a reflection of the overall informality of the event and not a permanent eschewing of hats.
Now that we’ve seen all the millinery worn for this occasion, are you able to choose your stand out favourites?
Photos from Olle Sporrong, Meli Petersson Ellafi, Anders Wiklund/TT, Jonas Ekstromer/TT, Henrik Montgomery and Claudio Besciani/TT via IBL and TT News Agency

Christening of Prince Oscar: Extended Swedish Royal Family

With the whole Swedish extended royal family gathering less than a month ago for the King’s 70th birthday, today’s christening of Prince Oscar was an understandably smaller affair. While Princess Birgitta and Princess Désirée did not make another trip to Stockholm, Princess Margaretha popped over from her home in the UK for the event. She wore a dark taupey-grey fascinator of straw bow loops and leaves with coordinating feathers that was an excellent colour match for her printed dress. It’s not the most exciting of headpieces but it worked well for her.

 Princess Margaretha, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats  Princess Margaretha, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Princess Margaretha, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Princess Christina repeated her infamous black helicopter hat. After being voted our least favourite royal hat of the year three years ago, I hoped not to see this one again. I’m all for creative expression in millinery but this design simply defies good sense.

Princess Christina, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats  Princess Christina, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Princess Christina, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats  Princess Christina, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: September 15, 2013

Vicky Magnuson, wife of Princess Christina’s oldest son Gustaf, topped her yellow lace suit with a black headpiece. In very light black straw, the large tear-drop shaped piece is trimmed by a black feather pinwheel in front and a black feather spray at the back. I like the sense of movement in this piece provided by the feather trim and the way the wide edging creates a sharp finish and contrasts with the transparent straw. It’s an interesting piece that Vicky wore well but I wished it had been paired with almost anything except this yellow suit.

Vicky Magnuson, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats Vicky Magnuson, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Vicky Magnuson, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Emma Magnuson, who is married to Princess Christina’s middle son Oscar (one of Prince Oscar’s godparents), topped her pale blue lace dress with a matching straw hat. The disk shaped straw hat is trimmed with a large bow which is edged in white stripes. I want to like this piece- Emma looks great in blue- but the stripes on that bow have me seeing only Adidas.

Emma Magnuson, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats Emma Magnuson, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Emma Magnuson, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats   Emma Magnuson, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Frida Bergström, partner of Princess Christina’s youngest son Victor, topped her navy and white ensemble with a taupe straw fascinator of multiple bow loops, straw leaves and feathers. From close view, the neutral headpiece was a good match for Frida’s navy and white ensemble but from a distance her jacket reads much more grey than blue and I’m afraid the ensemble suffered from competing neutrals. I certainly don’t expect more distant royal cousins to keep up with latest millinery styles but I’m so done with this style of straw fascinator and really want to see something different.

Frida Bergström, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats Frida Bergström, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Frida Bergström, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats Frida Bergström, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

One of my favourite ensembles of the day was worn by Countess Jill Bernadotte (wife of Count Bertil Bernadotte af Wisborg). Jill topped her striking taupe and cream silk suit with a calot-based cocktail hat covered in taupe silk that is trimmed lavishly with feathers and net tulle veil. It’s a fun ensemble and I loved how the purple undertones in the hat’s feather trim coordinated with her necklace. Matching feathers to jewels is always a good thing.

Countess Jill Bernadotte, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats Countess Jill Bernadotte, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Countess Marianne Bernadotte also wore a matched hat and suit combination. Made of pale yellow silk covered in ivory lace, her beret-base cocktail hat is trimmed in a large bow. In this case, I much prefer the exquisite coat dress to the hat (which feels overly twee to me) but the use of the same fabric and lace create a very unified ensemble.

Countess Marianne Bernadotte, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Countess Marianne was seated with Mrs. Dagmar von Arbin (granddaughter of Prince Oscar Bernadotte) who just celebrated her 100th birthday and is currently the oldest member of the Swedish extended royal family. Her pillbox hat is covered in pink and purple silk blooms and wrapped with a net tulle veil. It is a perfect spring hat that I thought Dagmar wore, beautifully.

Mrs. Dagmar von Arbin and Countess Marianne Bernadotte, May 27, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: May 22, 2012

Almost no information was released about these Swedish royal hats, leaving me to guess that most of them were new for this event. There are some beauties here to be sure (and one I wish was retired to its helicopter hangar) so as I draw coverage of this wonderful event to a close, I can only ask which millinery designs today in Sweden were your favourites?

Jump over to this post to see the hats worn by royal guests and this post for those worn by the Swedish royals.

Photos from Getty as indicated; Rex Features; Jonas Ekstromer, Olle Sporung, Maja Suslin, Pontus Lundahl and Anna-Karin Nilsson via TT News Agency

Christening of Prince Nicolas

Princess Madeleine of Sweden and her husband, Christopher O’Neill, brought their son Prince Nicolas to be christened today at the Drottningholm Palace Church. For this happy family occasion, Princess Madeleine wore a large headpiece of magenta silk flowers with a coordinating straw ribbon twist that threaded through the piece.

Princess Madeleine, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Princess Madeleine, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats    Princess Madeleine, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

 

Designer: Philip Treacy. Coat by Valentino
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

Princess Leonore was dressed up for her little brother’s big day in a headband with double side bow which coordinated with her lace trimmed grey linen dress.

Queen Silvia celebrated her first grandson with an all blue ensemble. Her exquisite coat and dress in cornflower blue silk  was topped with a silk-covered calot hat in the same hue. The hat is trimmed in monochrome feathers and a multi looped bow. While Queen Silvia has worn numerous calot hats this year, the colour of this piece is particularly beautiful on her and she looked wonderful in it.

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Designer: Kerstin Carlefalk
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Princess Victoria topped her royal purple 1960s cut dress with an equally retro pillbox hat. The shape, scale and colour of this piece are so fantastic on the crown princess that I’m left hoping that she adds a few more pillboxes to her millinery closet, soon.

Crown Princess Victoria, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats    Crown Princess Victoria, October 11, 2015 in Philip Treacy | Royal Hats

Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Princess Sofia unveiled another new fascinator for this event to top her magenta dress. In pale pink felt, this double bow was wrapped in dotted burgundy net veil. On its own, the headpiece leans toward twee but paired with this dress and her hair in ringlets, it’s an overload in pink sweetness.

Princess Sofia, October 11, 2015 in Malinda Damgaard | Royal Hats    Princess Sofia, October 11, 2015 in Malinda Damgaard | Royal Hats

 

Designer: Malinda Damgaard
Previously Worn: This fascinator is new.

Chris O’Neill’s mother Eva wore a grey felt percher cocktail hat trimmed in a mass of felt and silk curls. The base of the hat has exaggerated pinches that form it into a triangular shape that reminds me of a military cap. I thought the hat was shown off exceptionally well against Eva’s sleek blue coat, grey dress and charcoal accessories.

Eva O'Neill, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats    Eva O'Neill, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats

Chris’ sister, Countess Natascha Abensperg und Traun, who is one of Prince Nicolas’ godmothers, wore a large red floral headpiece that was anchored to her head with a band across her forehead. Natascha has worn dramatic hats to previous royal events (see here) but this one is several steps too far over the top for me. Chris’ other sister, Tatjana D’Abo, attended the event but photos of her have been difficult to find (feel free to post links in the comments, please!)

Countess Natascha Abensperg und Traun, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats Countess Natascha Abensperg und Traun, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats

Countess Marianne Bernadotte wore a natty little cream bowler hat trimmed with a golden brown ribbon around the base of the crown and a tulle veil. While simple, this small piece looked so stylish on the Countes, thanks to the rakish angle placed it on her head.

Countess Marianne Bernadotte, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats

And finally, Princess Christina’s daughter-in-laws Vicky Magnuson and Frida Bergström were both spotted in interesting millinery. Vicky wore a white disk saucer hat trimmed with white flowers and ribbons and navy edging around the piece. Frida wore a sage green flat headpiece of overlapping leaves, trimmed with faux jewels at the side.

Viky Magnuson and Frida Bergström, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats Frida Bergström, October 11, 2015 | Royal Hats