Tag Archives: Prince of Wales

Ascot 2022 Day 2: Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall

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The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall led the royal carriage procession again today for the second day of Royal Ascot. The Duchess wore a new hat, in fine cream straw with angular crown and gently sidesweeping brim. The sleek design is trimmed simply with a monochrome cream silk padded hatband.

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Thanks to reader Jake Short for the reminder this hat was worn first for the opening of parliament last year- Camilla has so many hats in this same shape it’s difficult to keep them straight.  This one is fine… but with so many other cream hats in her wardrobe, I’m curious about why another has been added.

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Designer:  Philip Treacy. Dress by Bruce Oldfield. 
Previously Worn: May 11, 2021

Prince Charles repeated his black antique silk top hat.

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What do you think of the Duchess’ new hat today?

mages from Getty as indicated  

Ascot 2022 Day 1: Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall

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And we are off to the races again! The royal carriage procession was led today by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. Camilla wore a new hat in a Garbo shape with rounded crown and extended brim. This design has a diagonal pleated straw wrap around the crown and the hat is trimmed with a layered double silk hatband and multi-looped bow with flying pointed tails and a beautiful silk rose with trailing vine of silk leaves.

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We see Camilla in so many sidesweeping brims, it’s a nice change to see an entirely downward facing one. This hat is so beautifully balanced between the elevated crown wrap and bow and the colour is magnificent. It’s exquisite.

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Designer:  bespoke version of OC-917 from Philip Treacy SS 2022. The silk leaves of the rose were made by Svetlana Faulkner 
Previously Worn:  This hat is new

The Prince of Wales repeated his antique black silk top hat.

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Let’s get to the hat chat- thoughts about the Duchess’ new hat?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Order of the Garter Service 2022

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Today saw the return of the Most Noble Order of the Garter Ceremony at St. George’s Chapel. Held every year on the Monday before Royal Ascot, the The Order of the Garter is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain, established by King Edward III nearly 700 years ago as a personal gift of thanks from the sovereign for those who have held public office, made a significant contribution to national life or been of personal service. After lunch at Windsor Castle, the twenty-four Knights and Ladies of the order process down the hill to St. George’s Chapel, each dressed in elaborate regalia, velvet robes and Tudor-style hats with tall white ostrich plumes. It’s quite a spectacle.

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The Prince of Wales, Princess Royal, Earl of Wessex, Duke of Cambridge, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of York, Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra are all royal members of the order.

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They were joined for the first time by the Duchess of Cornwall, who was appointed to the order today.

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Several royal spouses attended the service as well. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a new hat described by the designer as a “Beautiful teardrop hat. Woven straw base. Adorned with an array of silk roses, rosebuds, leaves, and silk abaca bow.”

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The beret has a lovely shape and this periwinkle blue shade is just splendid. Kate often uses the coat dress + percher hat formula and while I’m always up for experimentation, I can’t argue that it remains a great look on her.

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Designer: Floral Leaf Teardrop by Juliette Botterill. 
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The Countess of Wessex repeated an ecru straw, oval saucer hat with sharp sidesweep trimmed with white, cream and ecru feathers placed on both sides of the raised brim.

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Photos today hint at a lovely sparkling sheen in the straw, which I suspect brings the hat to life when seen in person. I’m still on the fence about the feather placement, which has never seemed quite right to me.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: Jul 5, 2018; June 22, 2017

The Duchess of Gloucester repeated the blue sinamay hat with wide pleated brim she has worn several times recently. Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence repeated his black silk top hat.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn:  Jun 3, 2022;  March 29, 2022

This is always a lovely kick-off to Ascot week and after a two-year hiatus, it’s so great to see the full event return. What do you think of the hats today at Windsor?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Platinum Jubilee: Trooping the Colour Part 2

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The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Princess Royal all took part in Trooping the Colour today.

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The Prince of Wales’ hat (traditionally made of bearskin, these hats are now made of synthetic faux fur) holds the green and white striped feather plume of the Welsh Guards, of which he is Colonel. Prince William’s blue plume relates to his role of Colonel of the Irish Guards. Princess Anne is Colonel of the Blues and Royals and wore the distinctive black bicorne hat of this regiment with upright red feather plume.

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The Duchess of Cornwall repeated her pale aqua blue hat with parabuntal straw domed crown and sinamay sidesweeping brim. The hat is decorated with a padded silk hatband and knotted bow at the side, secured with a blue covered button.

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What to say- it’s a beautiful scale, shape and colour on Camilla, with just the right balance of embellishment, drama and presence. It also pairs so well with her ribbon coat.

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Designer: Philip Treacy. Ribbon trimmed coat and cream dress by Bruce Oldfield. 
Previously Worn: Sep 19, 2021; Jun 15, 2021

The Duchess of Cambridge wore a layered straw saucer hat in crisp navy and white straw. The hat is simply trimmed with a thick white cut quill that appears to hover over the design.

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We don’t often see such high contrast on Kate’s hats and it’s so great to see this bolder design on her today. The scale is spot on and with her coat dress, forms an overall look that is wonderfully chic.

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Designer: Philip Treacy OC 915 from SS2022. Dress by Alexander McQueen.
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence wore his black silk antique top hat.

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What do you think about these hats today?

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Return of Buckingham Palace Garden Parties

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After a two year pandemic hiatus, Buckingham Palace garden parties resumed this week! The first one, on Wednesday, was hosted by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and attended by Princess Anne who all braved less than ideal weather.

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At first glance, I thought the Duchess of Cornwall had finally granted your wishes and repeated the much admired blue hat worn to this same event back in 2015. A closer look below (new hat on the left, 2015 hat on the right) confirms these hats are a slightly different colour with different brim finishes and trimming:

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The hat making its debut this week follows the same shape with wide bias brim that grandly sweeps up over the design’s rounded crown. An extra wide stripe binding the brim accentuates its shape as does the streamlined trim- just a hatband that crosses over in an X on the back of the brim. The hat and embroidered coat are clearly custom designed to compliment each other, which they do. Yes, we’ve seen this shape many times on Camilla but it clearly works for her and the colour is magnificent.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Prince Charles repeated his antique black silk top hat.

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Princess Anne repeated her muted teal sinamay hat with rounded crown and high, sidesweeping brim embellished with a darker teal slim silk hatband and curling, multi-looped straw bow interspersed with trimmed feathers. If it doesn’t look familiar, don’t worry- Anne’s dark green umbrella casted a grassy- hue over it!  This time out, she paired it with a patterned red coat instead of the matching muted teal one we’ve always seen with it in the past.

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Designer: Amy Morris-Adams
Previously Worn: Apr 9, 2022; Jul 3, 2019; June 20, 2019

On Thursday, Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence hosted the annual Garden Party for The Not Forgotten charity, of which the Princess Royal is patron.

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For the event, she wore a new lilac sinamay hat with brim slightly raised around the back. The hat is trimmed with a ruched lavender silk hatband. The colour is pretty, as is the scale. The hatband falls short for me and I wish we could see the hat’s trim around the back.  I suspect this is a ready-to-wear produced piece, as it lacks the finesse of Anne’s other handmade hats, such as the one above.

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How wonderful is it to see garden party hats again?! What do you think of this quartet of hats worn this week?

Images from Getty as indicated