Even when he was in jail after participating  in the 1895 Wilcox Rebellion to take back Hawai`i after the illegal overthrow of the monarchy, he was photographed in a hat!. Kūhiō’s wife, Elizabeth Kahanu Kalanianaʻole, also wore many hats as the wife of a government official in the early part of the 20th Century. Prior to serving as Delegate, Kūhiō and Elizabeth visited Europe, where they were treated as visiting royalty, and he served in the Second Boer War with the British Army.

Prince David Kawānanakoa, considered heir to the Hawaiian throne after the death of Crown Princess Ka‘iulani based on King Kalākaua’s order of succession, supported the monarchy’s restoration. He was also arrested for treason after the Wilcox Rebellion but released as there was no evidence against him. You will recall that Princess Ka‘iulani tragically died during their engagement; David later married Abigail Campbell.

Abigail Campbell’s mother, Abigail Kuaihelani Bright was part of the Hawaiian nobility.  

Interestingly, while Prince David Kawānanakoa helped found the Hawaiian Democratic Party, his wife Princess Abigail Campbell Kawānanakoa was a leader in the Republican Party. In 1920, Abigail met the Prince of Wales (future Edward VIII) and the future Earl Mountbatten of Burma when they visited Hawai‘i in a portrait hat that wouldn’t look completely out of place today.