Tag Archives: late Duke of Edinburgh

British Royals Host Garden Party

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Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh hosted the second Buckingham Palace garden party of the season (see the first one here, hosted by Princess Alexandra). The Queen repeated a vibrant hat I am always happy to see make a return. In bright pink straw, this piece features a squared crown, upturned brim on one side and is trimmed with a trio of silk peonies. Such shades of pink can easily read as childish but the crisp lines and restrained trim of this design make it work. I have always thought it to be a marvellous hat on Her Majesty and I adore that she matched her lipstick to it.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: May 28, 2014; July 4, 2012; October 25, 2011

The Countess of Wessex repeated a hat we first saw at Ascot last year. Today’s photo gives a better view of the piece, showing a cream straw beret base with striped crin brim folded up into flutes at the back. With grey and cream crin curls and a pair of black feathers for trim, the hat is a lavish piece that remains incredibly sophisticated thanks to a streamlined colour palate. Sophie has become such a force when it comes to royal millinery and this piece illustrates why.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: June 17, 2015

Princess Alexandra repeated the turquoise suit and matching hat she first wore at the Epsom races last summer. With a gently upswept brim on one side, a swath of net tulle resting on the brim, dark blue feather trim and a lower crown than most of her other hats, this remains a fantastic design for Alexandra and she wears it beautifully.

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Designer: Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: June 6, 2015

The Duchess of Gloucester joined in today’s rainy festivities in her much loved navy straw beret. While I would love to see a few new pieces make their way into Brigitte’s closet, the streamlined design of this piece looks great on her and allows her jewellery to take centre stage.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 16, 2015; March 26, 2015; June 29, 2013; June 17, 2013; June 4, 2013

Not to be outdone, the Duke of Edinburgh and Duke of Gloucester looked most handsome in grey felt top hats while the Duke of York looked to be braving the bad weather in a black silk design.

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The start of Buckingham Palace garden parties not only showcases wonderful hats, but indicates how close we are to the biggest of all royal hat events in mid June. What did you think of these repeated hats in London today?
Photos from Getty as indicated

Day Four of Royal Ascot, Part 2

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Royal HatsI am still pinching myself to welcome Irish milliner Fiona Mangan, American milliner Jill Courtemanche and Australian milliner Christie Murray here for the entire week of Royal Ascot! Thank you all for sharing your incredible millinery expertise with us this week! Now for the second group of royal hats we saw at the Ascot Racecourse today:

Princess Beatrice in a new hat by Juliette Botterill

Jill: While I very much like the texture and height of this hat with Princess Beatrice’s outfit (which is one of my favorite of the week) I am not a huge fan of the exaggerated angle on her face, it feels a little hard to me. That said he finish on the hat is flawless and her overall outfit is fabulous.

Christie: I really quite like Princess Beatrice’s dress sense, she’s tends to be more adventurous with her looks than any of the other Royal’s that I’ve seen so far.  In saying that, I think her headpiece lets her down this time. For such a modern look, it nearly looks like her headpiece was an afterthought. It’s just a bit too heavy for me, I would have loved her to bring some of that colour out of her skirt, to work with the youthful playfulness of her outfit.

Fiona: I love how Beatrice plays with so many different hat shapes and again this is a winner for me. The hat colour could have looked too dark but she played it up with a neutral Ivory top. I do think however, she could have gone with a plainer top to work with the beautifully patterned  skirt but overall I am loving this whole outfit.

Royal Hats: I wasn’t a fan of this outfit but now you’re all making me take a second look and I think it might be growing on me…

Princess Eugenie in a repeated hat by Nerida Fraiman

Christie: What a gorgeous statement Nerida. Bravo! It just looks like something lovely has been swept up from her dress on to her head in the wind.  Beautifully colour balanced and just works so well with the feminine patterns in her dress. This is the epitome of less is more, she’s shown a lot of maturity and restraint in not trimming this piece ~ just gorgeous!

Royal Hats: I’m realizing this week that Nerida Fraiman is a master with crin-  the crin edging around this hat is effortlessly beautiful. Princess Eugenie wore this hat for Ascot two years ago and I love it as much now as I did then. While I love the hat, I don’t love it with this dress (which I did love previously worn with a Sarah Cant hat).

Fiona: I am also not really a fan of the dress, I like the shape and cut but I think the pattern is a little bit frumpy for her. I do like the design of this Nerida Fraiman hat but I am not too sure the colour combo works too well.

Jill: Simple, sweet and age appropriate, this is a lovely fascinator for Princess Eugenie. The look is soft enough for her feminine dress and timeless. I think she could have a gone a little heavier with the trim but it’s a very classic look an her overall look is lovely.

Sarah, Duchess of York in a new hat by Philip Treacy

Jill: How lovely, to see Sarah Ferguson included in the festivities! She has chosen a lovely dress and hat ensemble, a classic look for Royal Ascot. This Philip Treacy hat is flawless and this soft rolled trim we have been seeing all week works particularly well in the fascinator incarnation. The only thing I am not a fan of here is her jewellery, it feels a little casual to me.

Fiona: Very nice. Black and electric blue are wonderful colours together. And Philip Treacy hats are always perfect! Sarah’s dress looks really good on her and I love her patent shoes. Well done Sarah!

Christie: The hat itself is incredibly masterful, not that I would expect any less of the Millinery King. I actually don’t particularly like this outfit on the Duchess of York though. I think the black is a bit too heavy on her? I’m not quite sure that this particular shade of royal blue works with her hair colouring either? Something’s just not quite right for me with this look.

Royal Hats: Interesting- I thought the exact opposite!  I think the black hat worked with the primarily blue dress and the inclusion of both colours in both pieces made provided balance. This colour combination is particularly striking on the hat. It’s a bold millinery choice for Sarah and I admire her bravery! It’s lovely to see her again.

Day four at Ascot today was a wonderful day for royal hats! Not to be forgotten, both the Duke of York and Mike Tindall looked very dapper in antique silk top hats. I sign off tonight with a wave from the most handsome of top hat wearers, the Duke of Edinburgh. Thanks to guests Fiona Mangan, Jill Courtemanche and Christie Murray for joining me today- we will all be back tomorrow to chat about the hats worn on the final day of Royal Ascot 2015.

Prince Philip, June 19, 2015 | Royal Hats

Photos from via Mirrorpix / Splash News via Corbis; and Getty as indicated

Ladies’ Day at Royal Ascot, Part Two

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Royal Hats After looking at the hats worn by Queen Elizabeth, Princess Anne and Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, we now turn to the hats worn by the Countess of Wessex and York Princesses. Joining this conversation are three milliners whose work has graced royal heads –  Christie Murray, Jill Courtemanche and  Fiona Mangan.  I’m thrilled to have these ladies join for Ladies’ Day at Ascot today!

Countess of Wessex in a revised hat by Jane Taylor

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Christie:  How lovely is the Countess’ dress! I love the detailing at the bottom.  Jane’s done a lovely job with this bias, mesh sinamay brim.  The patterning works beautifully with her outfit, as well as the colours and  textures of the vintage-style veiling. For me, I don’t think that the trim is quite balanced. I can see what she was going for, but I think it’s just missed the mark. Otherwise, it’s a beautiful look. I’m loving that everyone so far hasn’t gone for the traditional ‘lace and floral’ for Ladies Day!  More paired back, chic and minimalist elegance. It’s modern femininity and I just love it.

Jill: Thank goodness for Sophie this week, she really has been the vision. Another beautiful, classic, ladylike outfit topped with a gorgeous hat. I really like the pattern on the straw with the detail in her dress and that the feather trim on the hat extends above and below the brim, that is quite nice. I do think the design on the trim is a little too harsh next to the face, the veiling adds a little softness but it seems a bit unfinished. Overall though I think this look is a winner and with the earrings and broach it’s stunning!

Fiona: Love the dove grey colour in the dress but feel the style is suited to someone a little older. Sophie looks so much more elegant in a tailored outfit so to be honest, this dress is a little disappointing. I quite like the hat shape but the trimming is too wild for my taste with the feathers looking like they were dropped out of the sky without much thought on how they were arranged. Again, the veiling is not properly trimmed!

Royal Hats: I believe this is the same hat Sophie wore to Ascot in 2012 but with different feather trim. The previous feathers had a larger and more natural sense of movement which I think I might prefer. Feathers aside, for me the star of this hat is the brim and the use of the lattice weave is absolutely brilliant.

Princess Beatrice in Laura Apsit Livens

Royal Hats: I adore this hat! I love the contrast between the traditional shape and the modern colour blocking and love that while it is completely unembellished, it is anything but boring! Hats at Ladies’ Day are famous for being trimmed to death (or into complete absurdity) and I adore that Princess Beatrice caught everyone’s eye today with this very streamlined piece.

Fiona: Love her whole ensemble. Her dress is so classic, so simple and against the bold colours of the hat and shoes this is a winner for me in a lot of respects. I do however feel the hat would have been really nice if she had tilted it, though sitting straight across her head adds a bit of the unexpected and quirkiness to her look. The hat itself is beautifully finished. I keep thinking there should be some other trimming on it but the boldness of the design approach is like that of when you walk out the door all dressed up for an occasion, which is to remove one accessory piece– the Less is More Concept! A Bold and Brave hat I would say!

Jill: There are a couple things I like about this hat, the turquoise is a lovely color on Princess Beatrice, very flattering to her coloring and I like the very wide straw edge on the brim but that is where it ends for me. The shape is too flat and I am not a fan of the orange / turquoise combination. Her dress is a lovely, classic silhouette and really an open canvas as far as hats go. The only way I could see this working is if she added a statement necklace which picked up on the turquoise but even then the hat could benefit from some trim (and less orange).

Christie: The colour choice is really youthful, I love how Princess Beatrice and worked it in with her shoes. And I love the chic minimalism of her white outfit, just gorgeous! For me, the shape of the crown and the depth really doesn’t work with the brim though. It looks far too large for her head, and squashes the look. I would have love to have seen and smaller and slightly taller crown, or more angular, to really work with this outfit. I do love that they’ve let the colours do the talking and haven’t killed the hat with a trim. Perhaps, if it was sitting further back on the head, it would work even better? Great idea but just hasn’t quite been pulled off, in my opinion.

Royal Princess Eugenie in Nerida Fraiman

Jill: Princess Eugenie’s hat is youthful and fun, very nice on her. The deep green is flattering and the lightness and movement of the crin trim is very pretty. I particularly like this look in the photo above when she has her jacket off, it’s a terrific match with her fun dress and really makes her eyes pop. I am not a huge fan of the brooch trim but it does brighten the whole look and is a modern, young way to add jewelry to her ensemble.

Christie: I think this headpiece is really gorgeous! Porkpie hats are difficult to block in sinamay and I think it’s hard to make crinoline not look tacky. Nerida’s done a wonderful job. The colour of the headpiece looks beautiful with Princess Eugenie’s eyes and hair colour. From a styling perspective, I would have been more likely to pull out that pastel, flamingo pink in to the body of the hat, which would have balanced the pattern on the bottom of her dress, stood out against her hair colour, and been more age-appropriate than the green. But I do think she looks gorgeous.

Royal Hats: This hat is one of my favourite colours- a colour that looks beautiful on Eugenie. While the colour scheme on this hat is certainly dark, I think her summery dress balances it and makes it work.

Fiona: Another beautiful look from one of the younger Royals. Her dress with the graphic print is age appropriate and fun. The petrol blue hat has a great shape and her placement is perfect. I love using crin myself but in a more structured way – this is a very typical Nerida Fraiman application of crin, where she sculpts it which works to soften the structure of the hat.

While it was officially Ladies’ Day, a number of very dapper royal men in top hats were spotted as well:

Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece

Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and the Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York

I adored Countess Spencer’s beautiful teal blue saucer below, trimmed in what I suspect are handmade silk roses. And my favourite non-royal hat of the day?  This beautiful Rachel Trevor Morgan design worn by none other than the designer herself.

Numerous members of the British royal family who usually attend Ascot instead took part in events commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. We will look at hats worn at these events along with all those worn on the fourth day of Ascot later today. Until then, what did you think about these and the other royal hats worn today for Ladies’ Day at Ascot Racecourse?

Ascot Day 1: The Monarchs

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Royal Hats I am thrilled to be joined by three royal milliners, Christie Murray, Fiona Mangan and Jill Courtemanche, to review the royal hats appearing at Royal Ascot 2015! Let’s get right to our first pair of hats.
Queen Elizabeth  in a new hat designed by Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren. Coat and dress by Peter Enrione.

Christie: How lovely does Queen Elizabeth look! I love how her milliner has gone for a mixed medium piece – fur felt crown and brim bind with a sinamay brim.  The fur felt works with her coat, yet the sinamay keeps it summer-racing appropriate and light.  It’s a very interesting detail in her crown block, which frames those incredible silk flowers beautifully. It also balances the neckline in her jacket and the colour is just divine on her.

Jill: Not really unexpected, but this classic silhouette looks lovely on her and the color is a lively shade of fuchsia (a nod to the new princess perhaps) which is very flattering on her. I also like the combination of open straw with the fabric crown and edge, it’s finished seamlessly and the flowers are a perfect compliment to her ensemble.

Royal Hats: It’s another one of Angela Kelly’s Split Crown hats (the best one we’ve seen in this style, I think). I also love the colour and the use of the straw brim to keep the hat light. I’m thrilled to see more restrained embellishment than many other Kelly hats and agree that the flower trim is perfect.

Fiona: The Queen is one of the few people that seems to be able to pull off any colour and what a beautiful fuchsia bright colour she has on today! Her simple, safe hat with the classic style that she always gravitates to, works so well especially with the split in the crown at the front. And a floral dress, very nice! Very classy – she takes no chances, but she is the Queen and can’t afford to take risks at her age!

Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein in Philip Treacy OC 867. Dress by Dior.  

Jill:  I love that Princess Haya is always all in with her outfits, if this is where her week is starting, it’s going to be fabulous! That said, this is not may favorite hat, the detail work is amazing, all those individual flowers hand sewn with crystal centers are dreamy but the exaggerated back is not my thing, the profile looks a bit like it is going to take flight but to me this is an Ascot hat, it’s big, it’s gorgeous and just the right side of overdone.

Fiona:  I love that hat shape, quite quirky the way the brim swells at the back. The texture of the little flowers is very cute and works well with the whole outfit. A little unsure of the sparkly feather and flower, think they are a little fussy and plainer would have sufficed. Overall beautiful hat and a nice overall ensemble.

Christie: It’s difficult to comment on this hat as I’m not sure it’s on quite properly? I can see the look she was going for, but I think, for me, there’s just a bit too much going on.  I think you’d probably be able to get away with something this textural in a different colour but, in black, and with it’s size, I find it to be too heavy paired with a black jacket and her colouring. I would have loved to have seen this in a deep red or brighter colour, to colour-clash with her outfit.  It would be quite a striking hat with either no trim, or something clean and chic to break it up, like some simple, sculpted ostrich spines. With the encrusted ostrich spine and flower, I just feel like there are too many heros in this piece.

Royal Hats: Jill- Princess Haya IS always all in with her fashion, isn’t she?! I adore that. She has a long history of choosing the most dramatic hats in Philip Treacy’s collections and here she goes again! The diamanté studded flowers covering the brim prove that simple trims in vast numbers make a huge impact but I think the bath bath pouf on the side really needs to go.  While I adore the Ikat skirt, it seems at odds with the hat. Put this hat with a a tailored red Dior suit and I suspect we would all swoon.

Let’s not forget the handsome royal men- Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in an antique silk top hat above and the Duke of Edinburgh in a grey felt top hat below. The quirky brim shape on Prince Philip’s hat always makes me smile.

Prince Philip, June 16, 2015 | Royal Hats

What do you think of these first two Royal Ascot hats of 2015?
Photos from Steve Finn/Splashnews via Corbis; and Getty as indicated

British Royals Celebrate Order Of the Garter

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As they do each year on the day before the start of Royal Ascot, members of the British royal family and distinguished guests gathered at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, for the annual Garter Service. This service, which celebrates The Order of the Garter (the highest order of chivalry and one of the most prestigious honours in the United Kingdom awarded at the Sovereign’s pleasure as a personal gift) dates back to 1348 and remains a highlight on the royal calendar each year.

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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 and trimmed with a glorious plume of white ostrich and black heron feathers. Queen Elizabeth, who is Sovereign of the Garter, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is a Royal Knight of the Garter, and the Prince of Wales, who is Knight Companion of the Garter, all appeared today in the procession to St. George’s Chapel in this regalia and hat.

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Numerous other members of the British Royal Family have been welcomed into the Order as Royal Knights and Ladies – they also attended the service in Garter robes and hats.

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The Duchess of Cornwall repeated another one of her cream picture hats with wide, curving up-swept brims. This piece, in sparkling metallic straw, is trimmed with a large ruched band that circles around the perimeter of the hat. It’s a lovely piece, particularly with Camilla’s streamlined gold and cream jacket, but she has several hats in this shape she as worn in the past few weeks and I am more than ready to see something different.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Dress and coat by Bruce Oldfield.
Previously Worn: June 15, 2013; September 16, 2012; June 19, 2012; June 3, 2012; 

The Countess of Wessex repeated her black velour cocktail hat with draped silk twisted bow. The hat coordinated beautifully with her other black accessories to provide the perfect contrast to her green silk dress. I adore this dress on Sophie and thought the hat was paired very well to it.

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Designer: Jane Taylor. Dress by Suzannah.
Previously Worn: March 26, 2015

The Duchess of Gloucester repeated a grey straw beret hat. While I have oft’ mentioned my desire to remove the hat’s “stem”, this piece is well matched to Brigitte’s grey and blue dress and she wears it well.

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Designer: unconfirmed. My guess is Lock & Co.
Previously Worn: November 6, 2013; June 19, 2013; June 5, 2012

It is always wonderful to see the British royals enjoying an event together and such seems to be the case today. One of my favourite parts of the Garter Service is that it heralds the coming of Royal Ascot, which starts tomorrow! Stay tuned early Tuesday morning for a review of the hats seen at the first day of the races.

Photos from Getty as indicated