Tag Archives: Prince of Wales

This Week’s Extras

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The Prince of Wales attended the Graduation Ceremony of the Queen’s Squadron as the Reviewing Officer at RAFC Cranwell on Thursday in his role of Marshal of The Royal Air Force.
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Two housekeeping items- The Index of Royal Milliners has been reorganized by country (the country each milliner currently works from). The Retrospectives page has been updated with all of our recent Ascot posts- I suspect Queen Mathilde will debut a new hat on Tuesday for Belgian National Day and some of you might want to look back at all of her past National Day looks in anticipation of this. 
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Fun pink straw hat with grey-bound split brim and explosion of curled biot feathers by British milliner Katie Vale

For our dear gents, a beaver felt trilby in the most handsome deep teal by Danish brand Hornskov København
Statement wide brimmed hat in vibrant woven buntal and crin with fringes by US milliner Amy Fowler
Romantic straw picture hat covered in layered rings of pastel crin by British brand Lomax & Skinner
Wonderful 1940s inspired natural straw bandeau with crimson feather flowers by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit
Black fabric-covered mushroom brimmed statement hat trimmed with handmade wire sculptures adorned with lace by Australian milliner Souri Sengdara

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A better look at “The Enchantress”. She’s a Dior-inspired design consisting of a fabric covered sinamay brim and a sculpture made from metres and metres of hand wrapped wire which was twisted into shape then adorned with French lace. I was after a classic look with a contemporary twist with this design. It’s taken many hours and patience to create, as with all great designs! At times I was frustrated, which meant that I had to walk away from it for a few days and approach it again with a fresh mind. Thankfully my creative juices flowed again and I was able to achieve something I’m really proud of. Creating millinery at the moment is a form of meditation for me. I’m creating works of art which is so satisfying! This creation was spurred on by @torbandreinermillinerysupplies and @hat_blocks_australia for their #backyardascot challenge. Hope it inspires you to create as well 🖤#millinery #milliner #millinerycouture #hat #diorstyle #design #designerhat #designer #racewear #racingfashion #designinspiration #black #fashion #fashionstyle #portrait #creative

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Stephen Jones’ characteristically out-of-the-box take on a classic ecru boater hat
Oversize scarlet straw disc with looped bows, feathers and magenta roses by French brand A Hat at Auteuil
Charming grey straw cloche with black ribbon binding and lace applique by German brand Maliné
A very whimsical and sunny green and yellow daffodil headpiece by UK milliner Marie-anne Talbott
Pyramid-peaked pillbox in black parasisal straw by Russian milliner Lia Gureeva
Ivory straw brimmed hat with the most fantastic woven ribbon trim by British milliner Bundle MacLaren

Such a fun headpiece of magenta, turquoise and yellow silk ranunculus flowers by British milliner Anne Tomlin
Shallow-crowned bridal hat with ethereal overlay of white crin and silver veil by London-based milliner Elena Shvab
Chic black and white woven straw hat with slim hatband by French milliner Béatrice de Beauvoir
Parasisal button percher with soaring jinsin trim in the loveliest shade of lilac by UK brand Rebecca Couture Millinery
Oversize vibrant yellow straw saucer with flying silk abaca bow and jeweled trim by Irish milliner Caithriona King
Textured mini top hat percher in woven grosgrain and rubber by British milliner Stephen Jones

Two new photos of wee Prince Charles and his doting parents released by the Cour grand-ducale Luxembourg
Arthur Chatto is part of a 4-man rookie rowing team attempting to row non-stop unsupported around the UK (breaking 4 world records in the process) to raise money and awareness for JustOneOcean and the Red Cross. Off to a rough start, they seem to be back on track- read more info and track their progress here or at Arthur’s instagram page.
Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a lively Zoom conversation with those serving in the armed forces, including Able Rate Sophie Levy on RFA Argus and Lance Corporal Shanwayne Stephens.
Lovely, relaxed photos of the Princess Royal, taken for her 70th birthday
The Dutch royal family welcomed photographers to Palace Huis ten Bosch yesterday for their annual summer photocall; Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit did the same with their family while at their summer vacation home on the island of Dvergsoya near Kristiansand.

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Photos from social media as indicated

British Royals Commemorate Remembrance Sunday

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Members of the British Royal Family joined veterans, military servicepeople, members of government and civilians for a Remembrance Ceremony held yesterday morning at The Cenotaph, in Whitehall.

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The Prince of Wales, who placed wreaths on The Cenotaph of behalf of his mother, was joined by the Princess Royal, the Dukes of Cambridge, Sussex, York, and Kent and the Earl of Wessex, all in military uniform.

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Queen Elizabeth, who watched the service from a Whitehall balcony for the third year, repeated a black straw hat with silk crepe covered crown and binds the upturned kettle brim. The hat is simply trimmed with a stripe of black silk which circles the crown, anchored by two covered buttons in the font.

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Designer: Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren
Previously Worn: June 27, 2017; Nov 8, 2015

The Duchess of Cornwall wore a new, brimless hat. The design follows an oversize helmet (or mushroom top?) shape with gently rounded edges. The curved lines of the hat are dramatically accentuated with a mass of overlapping black feathers that circle around it.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The Duchess of Cambridge also wore a new, brimless hat, her design built on a formed teardrop beret base with gentle crease down the center which gives it a gentle curve. The hat is beautifully trimmed with black braid ‘frog’ fasteners and corresponding beaded buttons which, along with the embroidered and tassel trimmed swags on her coat, give a thoughtful military nod to the day.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Coat by Catherine Walker
Previously Worn: this hat is new

The Duchess of Sussex wore a streamlined black felt hat with wide cartwheel brim. The straight sides of the hat’s crown elevate its sophistication, as does its slim hatband, tied in front in an elegantly austere bow.

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Designer: Stephen Jones’ ‘Facetime’ from AW 2019 Miss Jones Collection. Coat by Stella McCartney. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The Countess of Wessex wore a black felt perching saucer hat trimmed with a large bow. A subtle swirl on the inside of the saucer (created through hand shaping) gives lovely movement to the design.

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Designer: Jane Taylor. It is the ‘Black Felt Hat With Bow’ from AW 2019. 
Previously Worn: this hat is new

Princess Alexandra and the Duchess of Gloucester usually attend this event but so far, do not appear in any photographs (I’ll update the post if they do). In the meantime, there are some beautiful new hats here to admire.

Photos from Getty as indicated 

This Week’s Extras

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On Tuesday, the Prince of Wales visited the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles at Sir John Moore Barracks in Folkestone to celebrate the Battailion’s 25th anniversary and present operational medals for their recent deployment to Afghanistan. His uniform and cap reflect his ranking of Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment.
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Princess Mako in a white silk covered bowler hat with blue stitched hatband on Wednesday for her arrival in Peru. The finishing on this hat is impeccable- not a pucker or stray stitch in sight
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Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria in traditional folk head scarves on Thursday to present the Öland Inhabitant of the Year Award at Solliden Palace.
On Thursday, Princess Alexandra wore her new-ish hat to the Thrive Flower Show in Reading. In almond textured straw, the classic design features a cartwheel brim and twisted bow at the side. It’s nice to see Alexandra in a hat without an elevated crown!
Also on Thursday, Crown Princess Kiko attended the 55th Blood Donation Promotion National Convention in Kanazawa in a pale blue silk jacquard covered hat with layered hatband and kettle brim.
The final hat on Thursday (busy day!) was on Princess Hisako. She attended the annual Innovation Awards for Advanced Technology ceremony in a pale lime textured suit with hat covered in the same fabric and a stitched white kettle brim with trilby-style higher upturn around the back.
You might have noticed this week that Royal Hats is now found on Instagram here. Don’t worry- there’s nothing there that isn’t already here on the blog!
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Incredible statement hat with ombre hand dyed feather stars by Australian milliner Kate Ghedina
Stunning colour gradients on this sinamay hugger with handpainted lotus flower by Dutch milliner Mirjam de Rijke 
Natural straw boater with wonderful black vintage lace printed with stars by UK brand Mind Your Bonce
Charming Wimbledon-inspired strawberries and cream swirled design by British milliner Anne Tomlin
Such interesting colour pattern on this teal straw boater by Australian milliner Stephanie Spencer
Fascinatingly organic (and rustic!) texture on this hat by Parisienne milliner Veronica Marucci
Lovely movement on this raspberry pink headpiece by Italian millinery brand Gallia and Peter
Gold beaded ivory silk cap with pleated crin soaring swirl by French milliner Sylvia Martinez
Navy kokoshnik bandeau with geometric cutouts by Australian milliner Lauren Ritchie
Such interesting texture on this gold braided straw and leather percher by British milliner Karen Henriksen
Pink straw bandeau wrapped in diamond veil with lavish floral trim by Australian brand Locopa Designs
Another 3D carved wonder, this time in brilliant red, gold and purple, from Australian brand Taboo Millinery
Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit keeps knocking it out of the park with new designs, including this beautiful pink straw picture hat with a fantastic brim shape, beautiful trimming and impeccably finished silk binding. Utter perfection.

Wonderful family shot of the Belgian royal family, taken to celebrate King Albert and Queen Paola’s diamond wedding anniversary
Relaxed shots of Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid and Prince Sverre who are enjoying their annual summer vacation on the Norwegian island of Dvergsøya
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Photos from Getty and social media as indicated

Royal Ascot Day 2: Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall

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I’m so pleased to be joined by  Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit, creator of  La plus belle! bespoke millinery in The Hague, to share her thoughts on today’s royal hats at Ascot!

The Duchess of Cornwall wore a new picture hat in pale aqua straw with angular, off-center peaked crown and sidesweeping brim. The hat is trimmed with a layered jinsin hatband and side twists.

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Royal Hats: COLOUR! No royal wears a cream/ecru straw picture hat as well as Camilla (or has as many!) and it’s GREAT to see her in other colours-  this pale turquoise is excellent on her. We see a lot of sidesweeping picture hats on Camilla but, as Jay reminded yesterday, it’s because the shape and scale suit her so well. This ensemble is well balanced and while it’s one-note in colour, details on the dress sleeves and neckline, jinsin twists on the hat and a showstopping necklace make it nuanced and interesting.

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Wies Mauduit: Such a pleasure to see the Duchess of Cornwall in pale turquoise – or mint green as it looks in some pictures. The dress is rather simple and with its collar with stitched ribs it has a somewhat sporty look that is well complemented by the neat jinsin curl trimming on the hat. Silk flowers or waving feathers would have been too much, this is just right.

An elegant, streamlined look for Camilla and I would have liked to add: an impeccable one, if it weren’t for the hemline of the dress. It makes me wonder if the fabric is synthetic. (In French couture houses a double folded bias strip of organdie, cotton or silk organza is inserted in the hemline to make it look polished and lay completely smooth. The devil is in the detail!

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The Prince of Wales repeated his antique black silk top hat (a hat that could really use a polish!).

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What do you think about Camilla’s new hat today?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

 

Order Of The Garter 2019

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Founded by Edward III in 1348, The Order of the Garter is the senior and oldest British Order of Chivalry awarded at the Sovereign’s pleasure as a personal gift. Twenty four recipients of the order, known each as a Knight or Lady,  meet each year for a grand ceremony held int St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on the Monday before Royal Ascot begins.

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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 with a voluminous, unstructured crown and flat brim. It is trimmed with the order insignia, white ostrich and black heron feathers, and slim cord wrapped around the base of the crown that extends to a pair of gold and royal blue tassels hanging down the side. British royal family members belonging to the order include Queen Elizabeth, who is Sovereign of the Garter, The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge, Duke of York, Earl of Wessex, Princess Royal, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra. The Duke of Edinburgh, who is also a member, did not attend the service today.

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King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands and King Philippe of Spain were appointed as Supernumerary Knights of the Garter during state visits to the UK in 2018 and 2017; their attendance at today’s ceremony saw them officially installed in these roles and they wore the full garter regalia.

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Queen Máxima wore a tall, verical saucer hat in dusky pink straw trimmed with a mass of silk flowers and curling pheasant feathers on the underside of the raised brim.

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It’s a great look for the Dutch Queen. I really the slightly darker shade of pink on the hat and adore how its lines and lush trimming play so well off Máxima’s sleek caped coat dress- the pairing of the two items is fantastic. I’d like, however to change two things about the hat- first is the angle of placement on the head (tilt the top edge down a bit so it sweeps slightly more diagonally that so vertical) and the second is to tidy up the brim binding edge. Tweak these two things and a great hat would become a complete knockout.

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Designer: unconfirmed. My guess is Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Claes Iversen.
Previously Worn: This hat is new. Some suggest it is a reworked version of this Prinsjesdag hat but the straw bases are different shapes and colours.

Queen Letizia wore a kokoshnik-style bandeau headpiece in formed black straw, trimmed with black feathers and veil. It’s the first headpiece in this style we’ve seen on the Spanish queen and it suits her petite frame so well (not leaving the hat looking like it’s wearing her, as unfortunately is often the case). With her black and white printed dress, the headpiece tops an elegant ensemble that’s fantastic on Letizia.

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Designer: It is the “Black Peony” design from Spanish brand Cherubina
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

The Duchess of Cornwall repeated a hat in almond straw with off-center, peaked crown and side sweeping brim. A beaded straw hatband and side twists studded with ecru silk flowers complete the design. The beaded embellishment on the hatband and side twists add a subtle but welcome bit of sparkle to the design and while the colour is quiet, the scale and style make a great signature look for Camilla.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: June 19, 2018

The Duchess of Cambridge repeated a black sinamay hat with upturned flyaway brim in windowpane lattice straw, trimmed with a curled black an ostrich feather. The brim shape on this piece gives the design a wonderfully light and airy feel and the hat was beautifully paired with Kate’s white coat dress with black trim.

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Designer: Silvia Fletcher for Lock & Co. It is the Lion Tamer design. Coat dress by Catherine Walker.
Previously Worn: July 1, 2016;  June 11, 2011

The Countess of Wessex repeated her natural straw saucer hat with lattice open woven brim  trimmed with a large coral feathers and tan twists. The hat’s shape, reminiscent of Dior hats in the 1950s, pairs so well with her full skirted ensemble. Bright coral is not an easy hue to wear and this ensemble is beautifully balanced between the vibrant skirt and the hat’s feathers.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: May 15, 2018 (it was also your favourite repeated royal hat in 2018!);  Oct 5, 2017; June 20, 2017 i

The Duchess of Gloucester repeated her slate grey straw veiled pillbox hat. It’s a quietly classic design we’ve seen on Brigitte more than a few times but one she wears well.

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 18, 2018; May 19, 2018; Jun 17, 2017; Jun 1, 2017; Jul 1, 2016; Jun 12, 2016; Jun 10, 2016

Zenouska Mowatt, on the far left below, topped her blue and yellow patterned dress with a navy silk bandeau trimmed with a folded silk bow.


 

Designer: Laura Cathcart’s Arizona hatband
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

The Order of the Garter service this year brought us a wonderful parade of hats to kick off Ascot week with a fanfare. What do you think of these hats in Windsor today? Which designs stand out most to you?

Photos from Getty as indicated