Tag Archives: Princess Akiko

Imperial Royals Mark Passing of Princes

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June 6 marked the fifth anniversary of the death of Prince Tomohito of Mikasa. As per tradition, a ‘grave festival’ was held at Toshima Oka cemetery in Tokyo. The Imperial family was led at this event by the late Prince Tomohito and Princess Nobuko’s daughters Princess Akiko and Princess Yoko; their grandmother, Princess Yuriko of Mikasa, Crown Prince Naruhito, Prince and Princess Akishino were also in attendance with the women in veiled black bumper hats and the men in morning dress, carrying silk top hats.

Princess Akiko and Princess Yoko, June 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Princess Akiko and Princess Yoko, June 6, 2017 | Royal Hats Princess Yurko of Mikasa, June 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Prince Naruhito, June 6, 2017 | Royal Hats Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko, June 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

The event was also attended by former princesses Mrs. Sayako Kuroda (Prince Naruhito’s sister, the former Princess Nori) and Mrs. Noriko Senge (former Princess Noriko of Takamado) who repeated the dress code of pale grey dresses topped with black veiled bumper hats.

Mrs. Sayako Kuroda and Mrs. Noriko Senge, June 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Today, a similar event was held at the same cemetery and shrine, this time to mark the third anniversary of the passing of Yoshihito, Prince Katsura. Similar black, veiled bumper hats were worn again for this event by Princess Yoriko of Mikasa (Prince Katura’s mother), Princess Kiko and Mrs. Sayako Kuroda. Again, Crown Prince Naruhito attended in morning dress, carrying a black silk top hat.

 Princess Yuriko of Mikasa, June 6, 2017 | Royal Hats Crown Prince Naruhito, June 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

 Princess Kiko, June 8, 2017 | Royal Hats Princess Kiko, June 8, 2017 | Royal Hats

Mrs. Sayako Kuroda, June 8, 2017 | Royal Hats

The attendance of Sayako Kurado and Noriko Senge at these events feels noteworthy. Since the 1947 Imperial Household Law, Japanese princesses have lost their royal status upon marriage – until recently, former princesses did not attend royal events and appeared to be completely cut off from their royal relations. While these were family events (and as such, follow different rules than official Imperial ones), Princess Mako’s upcoming engagement announcement has started chatter about revising this law to allow Imperial princesses to retain some of their status (especially with a single male in the current young generation). I can’t help but hope that the appearance of Sayako and Noriko this week is a sign that, at the very least, the inpterpretation of this law is starting to change.

Catching Up With The Imperial Royals

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The Imperial royals have been busy over the past week, leaving us several hats to catch up. On April 20, Princess Akiko repeated her white cloche with upturned brim on a visit to the Mie Prefecture Museum. This design is a larger scale than many of Akiko’s other hats and works well on her.

Princess Akiko, April 20, 2017 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: July 22, 2015
Last Tuesday, April 26, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko commemorated the 100th anniversary of RIKEN, Japan’s largest research institute. The Empress repeated a pale blue saucer hat with raised rim around the back and a large, stacked, circular origami bow.
Empress Michiko, April 26, 2017 | Royal Hats
Empress Michiko, April 26, 2017 | Royal Hats
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: October 29, 2016; October 11, 2014; May 16, 2012
On Wednesday, April 27, Prince Masahito and Princess Hanako of Hitachi attended the 35th Ueno Royal Museum Grand Prize award ceremony in Tokyo. Princess Hanako repeated her sage green silk covered hat with cloche shaped crown  and mushroom brim with lace overlay.
Princess Hanako, April 27, 2017 | Royal Hats
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: November 13, 2015; August 5, 2015; June 26, 2015; May 19, 2015
And finally, On Thursday, April 28, the Emperor and Empress presented the 11th Midori Academic Prize in Tokyo. Empress Michiko repeated her white saucer hat we first saw her wear during the Imperial couple’s tour of Vietnam in March this year. Like much of the Empress’ millinery, this hat is all about subtlety- a gently raised rim, transparent lattice underbrim, flat bow in ombre grey silk and monochrome silk anemone blossoms and leaves. On its own, the piece falls a little flat tonally but combined with Michiko’s ombre silk suit, it really works.
  Empress Michiko, April 28, 2017 | Royal Hats
Empress Michiko, April 28, 2017 | Royal Hats Empress Michiko, April 28, 2017 | Royal Hats
Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: March 3, 2017
Thoughts about this quartet of Imperial royal hats?
Photos from Line News, Asahi; Sankei; and The Asahi Shimbun via Getty

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

Queen Silvia in a simple black straw hat at an April 18 memorial for victims in the recent Stockholm terrorist attack (Svenskdam)

Duchess of Cornwall in her red beret with pheasant feather trim last Sunday in Scotland

In case you missed the updated post, Queen Elizabeth’s turquoise Easter hat was confirmed to be the design of Rachel Trevor Morgan while the Countess of Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor’s hat and headpiece were from Jane Taylor. 

Crown Princess Victoria in a pink costume jewelled hair ornament by Lanvin for H&M  for her arrival Tuesday in Japan (Svenskdam)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTBaNgRBBER/LINK

Crown Princess Mary in military uniform for this week’s visit to the Home Guard Command in Vordingborg (Danish Monarchy)

Princess Akiko opened the 27th National Confectionary Exposition in a brimless white hat (Imperial Family Of Japan)

The Duchess of Vendôme in a lovely straw hat by French milliner Marie d’Argent

Princess Charlene at the races today in South Africa in an interesting black newsboy cap, worn to the side (see more photos here and here)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTfyYAdhF3N/

Princess Josephine and Princess Athena of Denmark in sweet hair ornaments, clearly enjoying themselves last Sunday at their grandmother’s birthday celebrations

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

 Royal Hats

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have been been all over the news this week speaking about their “Heads Together” campaign in support of mental health issues. If you missed Prince Harry’s interview with the Telegraph’s Bryony Gordon for the first episode of her new podcast, Mad World or Prince William’s conversation with Lady Gaga about the same, do check them out. And don’t miss the great conversation between the three, below.

Crown Princess Victoria wore a vintage dress from her mother’s closet during her trip to Japan this week.

Beautiful portraits of Princess Isabella of Denmark released for her 10th birthday (Danish Monarchy)

And finally, the Imperial royals held their first spring garden party this week. We usually see the ladies in suits and hats for this event but this year, they all wore kimonos and the sight is magnificent.

Embed from Getty Images

 Photo from The Asahi Shimbun via Getty

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

Queen Silvia in black straw hat with lovely twisted hat band detail at yesterday’s funeral of Carl Adam “Noppe” Lewenhaupt, a very close friend of the King since childhood (Svenskdam)

Queen Silvia, Mar 30, 2017 | Royal Hats

On March 22, members of the Imperial family joined the Emperor and Empress a concert by music college graduates at the Imperial Palace. Princess Kiko wore a blue bumper hat, Princess Kako a white bowler, Princess Nobuko a large white toque and Princess Akiko, a white trilby with sea foam green hatband. The same day, Princess Hanako attended the 75th Award Ceremony of All Japan Youth Invention and Innovation Exhibition. She wore a pale blue felt hat with jauntily upturned short brim. (Imperial Family Of Japan)

Princess Kiko, Mar 22, 2017 | Royal Hats Princess Kako, Mar 22, 2017 | Royal Hats Princess Nobuko, Mar 22, 2017 | Royal Hats Princess Akiko, Mar 22, 2017 | Royal Hats Princess Hanako, Mar 22, 2017 | Royal Hats

On March 29, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko offered prayers for Emperors Showa and Kojun at the Imperial Musashi Mausoleum in Hachiōji, Tokyo. The Empress wore a grey saucer with raised rim around the back and a folded bow at the side. 

 King Carl Gustaf opened a ski resort on Monday in his trusty brown fedora.

I absolutely adore these very happy, bouncing pink polka dots on this John Boyd design. If I was going to Ascot, this would be my pick because I can’t imagine a happier hat to wear.

Don’t worry- I haven’t forgotten Prince Felix’s confirmation in Denmark yesterday. We’ll look at the hat and headpieces from this event in a full feature post tomorrow.

Royal Hats

Adorable snap of wee Prince Jigme Namgyel of Bhutan enjoying the snow with his father King Jigme Khesar and grandfather King Jigme Singye

We enjoyed the hats from this week’s two state visits- here’s a peek at the formal fashion

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

 

Photos from IBL; The Asahi Shimbun and The Asahi Shimbun via Getty; Biglobe

Wrapping Up Imperial Royal Tour

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In the midst of a busy schedule of royal events over the past two weeks, I completely forgot to wrap up the Imperial visit to Thailand. My apologies!

On Sunday, March 5, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko arrived in Thailand (see their departure from Vietnam earlier that day at this post). The Empress disembarked the flight in a new grey saucer hat with flat bow across the front, trimmed with a dotted black net tulle veil. The addition of the net veil is a trimming departure for the empress, one that gives a bit of textural contrast to the hat.

Empress Michiko, Mar 5, 2017 | Royal Hats

Empress Michiko, Mar 5, 2017 | Royal Hats  Empress Michiko, Mar 5, 2017 | Royal Hats

After a quick 24-hour visit, the Imperial couple departed on Monday, March 6 to return home. For their departure, Empress Michiko wore her ninth new hat of the tour. The pale grey rimmed saucer hat is trimmed with a double looped half bow in the same darker grey silk as her dress. This design is not a departure from anything else we’ve seen on the Empress, although the balance between the saucer brim and the side bow is particularly pretty in this piece.

Empress Michiko, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

The royal couple arrived home on the evening of Monday, March 6. The Empress disembarked the Japan airways jet in a repeated saucer hat in the same tiny black and white check as her coat, trimmed with a large curved bow.

Empress Michiko, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Empress Michiko, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats  Empress Michiko, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Empress Michiko, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Designer: Designer: unknown
Previously Worn:March 18, 2016; January 19, 2015

Most of the extended Imperial royal family greeted the Emperor and Empress at the airport. Crown Princess Masako wore a new black (or navy?) hat with upfolded velvet brim, edged in braid trim. Some of you may recall that she wore a green version of this same for the Emperor and Empress’ departure.

 Crown Princess Masako, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Crown Princess Masako, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Princess Kiko,  Princess Kako both wore variations on bowler hats while Princess Mako repeated a navy cloche with upturned, short trim trimmed with a bow on the side. 

Imperial Royal Family, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Imperial Royal Family, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Princess Hanako repeated a white cloche variation with short mushroom brim and wide grey ruched hatband. Princess Nobuko looked to be wearing a large navy saucer hat (worn at a wonderfully jaunty angle) while her daughters Princess Akiko wore a grey trilby with navy hatband and Princess Yoko sported a white design with short brim and tall crown. Princess Tsuguko of Takamado looked to be wearing her navy indented pillbox with back bow and Princess Ayako topped her camel coat with a matching hat that appears to be trimmed in a Lady Amherst pheasant feather.

Imperial Royal Family, Mar 6, 2017 | Royal Hats

Several of you have commented about the tradition for extended Imperial family members to greet the Emperor and Empress at their departure and arrivals home- it is a lovely tradition and one that allows us to see lots of hats! Which designs here stand out most to you?

The Imperial Household Agency announced last week that the gruelling pace of this tour caused sickness for the Empress, who has now suspended engagements in order to recover. We wish her the very best in her return to health.