Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were in today’s royal carriage procession into the Ascot grounds, joined by Rupert Charles Ponsonby, 7th Baron de Mauley and his wife, Lucinda. Princess Michael repeated a hat we’ve not seen yet here at Royal Hats. In an interesting saddle shape, the hat is made of cream windowpane straw and is trimmed with a wide cream hatband around the crown and a mass of black silk roses under the raised left side of the brim. I’m not sure the saddle shape works successfully in this instance, where the oddly proportioned hatband makes the piece look like it has been badly flattened. It’s creative, yes, and the hat’s colour plalate coordinates nicely with Marie Christine’s printed silk dress but but I’m not sure the hat is particularly flattering.