Tag Archives: Princess Alexandra of Kent

Hat From the Past

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Royal Hats Next Saturday, all eyes will be on the Buckingham Palace balcony to see the hats and faces that gather for Trooping the Colour this year. The balcony has hosted all kinds of interesting hats for Trooping the colour over the years and I can’t remember two that delighted me more than the pair of pillboxes in this photo, generously sent to me yesterday by reader Jake. It’s June 14, 1969 and shows a wonderful bias striped design on Princess Alexandra (in the same fabric as her jacket) while a youthful Princess Anne is in one covered in giant daisies. How brilliantly of the times are they both?!

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Thanks for sharing this, Jake!

Photo from Getty as indicated

British Royals Attend Epsom Races

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Queen Elizabeth attended the second day of the Epsom Derby Festival in Surrey today, as is her tradition the first weekend in June each year. For this day at the races, the Queen repeated a very familiar hat covered in the same paisley silk/wool cloqué fabric as on this outfit’s matching coat. The design features a straight-sided, flat crown and upturned kettle brim and is simply trimmed with a double bow on the side.

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On the eve of the US state visit, it’s an interesting choice of hat to wear today, with it’s close association to the President’s last visit and the famous first wearing to Open Parliament- both political events. Perhaps that’s why today’s repeat happened, the choice of a leisure event being as far from politics as they come. I still find this hat to be a bit heavy (oh, how I wish it had a straw brim to lighten it up) but the colour is lovely and it was great to see it with the coat removed today. This hat has taken a more interesting path than most and I’m curious to see where it appears next!

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Designer: Angela Kelly. Made by Stella McLaren.
Previously Worn: July 13, 2018;  June 21, 2017

The queen was joined by her cousin, Princess Alexandra, who repeated her dove grey straw hat with tall, flat crown and cartwheel brim. The hat is trimmed with large straw flower and knotted, multi-looped bow which are studded with slim grey feathers.

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On its own, the hat is a fairly simple one and the colour doesn’t stand out. However, the pairing of hat with Alexandra’s impeccably tailored mint jacket and printed silk dress is a beautiful one that comes together as an exceptionally elegant summer look. Not all hats need to make a focal statement and this one is perfect for this ensemble.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: November 1, 2017;  July 2, 2003; and others

Judging by the Queen’s animated expressions, an enjoyable day was had. What do you think of these two hats? Were there other hats at the Epsom Derby today that jumped out to you?

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Photos from Getty as indicated 

British Royals Attend Garden Party

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This afternoon under sunny, blue skies, Queen Elizabeth hosted the second Buckingham Palace garden party of this spring/summer season.

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For this event, she repeated her pale blue straw hat with tall, slightly flared and sloped crown and flat brim. The hat is beautifully trimmed with a layered silk hatband and handmade silk peonies and rose buds in ombre shades of pink. It’s a lovely hat and the floral motif, both on the hat and on the print of the silk dress, feels right at home at such an event as this.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan. Coat and dress by Stewart Parvin
Previously Worn: June 20, 2018

The Duke of Cambridge carried his black silk top hat while the Duchess wore a new saucer percher in pale pink straw. The hat is trimmed with a pale pink rose, feather and silk abacca ruffles both on top and below the raised edge of the hat.

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Juliette Botterill’s work is beautiful, as evidenced by this design. The scale is great on Kate and the mix of straw, abacca, silk and feathers on the hat makes it work with the monochrome outfit. It’s a very pretty look for Kate.

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Designer: Juliette Botterill. Coat dress by Alexander McQueen
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The Countess of Wessex repeated the pink straw waved disc hat she debuted last year at Ascot. Bound in a wide stripe of black lattice, the design features a high upsweep at the back, sandwiched in folded ruffles of pink and black lattice crin. I admire the unexpected colour scheme (which looks great on Sophie) and the zip of playfulness the exuberant trim brings to the design. It’s good on many levels and I’m so glad it hasn’t been relegated to the depths of her closet like so many of her other past Ascot hats.

Designer: Jane Taylor. Emilia Wickstead dress 
Previously Worn: June 19, 2018

The Duchess of Gloucester brought back her ecru straw, wide brimmed boater hat with appliqued leaves around the brim (see them in better detail here). It’s a classic, streamlined and elegant design that defies its age and I’m glad to see back in rotation. Brigitte has been reaching into the depths of her millinery closet recently and bringing out some interesting pieces!

 

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 15, 2011; June 20, 2000 and likely others

Princess Alexandra a picture hat with rounded crown and flat brim in textured natural straw, trimmed with a hatband of silk flowers and a swath of widely woven cream net veil. The quintessential garden hat both coordinates and counterpoints very well with  Alexandra’s patterned Chinoiserie silk jacket and fits right in at a garden party

 

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 2, 2015; June 20, 2012; June 1995

Finally, the Duke of York repeated his black silk top hat while the Duke of Gloucester and Duke of Kent both repeated top hats in dove grey felt (scroll through galleries above and below). While not photographed wearing a hat, it looks like the Earl of Wessex carried his black silk top hat in hand.

These garden parties are always great fun- what hats stood out to you most today?

Photos from Getty and social media as indicated 

Kent Wedding at Windsor: Kent Family

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Today’s wedding at Windsor Castle of Lady Gabriella Windsor and Thomas Kingston was clearly a family affair, with numerous members of Ella’s Kent family in attendance. Her mother, Princess Michael of Kent, topped her lilac ensemble with her repeated bumper hat covered in pearlescent light grey silk.  The hat, which until this outing appeared to be a pillbox, is dramatically trimmed with a streaming ostrich feather plume around the back.

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It’s a signature look for Marie-Christine and while I was a little surprised not to see her in a new hat today, this pale grey design coordinates well with her grey and lilac patterned jacket. And organza scarves. And multiple strands of beads. And brooch. It’s not a minimalist look, this one.

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Designer: John Boyd
Previously Worn: October 12, 2018; June 13, 2015;  Oct 18, 2014; Jun 16, 2014

Lady Frederick Windsor paired her pale blue feather trimmed coat with a cream wide brimmed saucer hat adorned in pale blue dotted tulle, silk crepe bow loops and more feathers.

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Catherine Walker, the brand that designed the hat and coat, has recently ventured into the millinery world and I think some inexperience is visible here. The execution of the bow loops is a bit lumpy and lacks crisply turned corners and there are visible ripples in the silk covering the underside of the hat. While I really like the scale of this hat on Sophie, I’d like to see feathers on either the coat or the hat- but not both.

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Designer: both hat and coat are the “Bliss” designs by Catherine Walker
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Lady Gabriella’s aunt, Princess Alexandra wore a new hat in beautiful teal felt, trimmed with a wide hatband and purple and teal burnt feathers anchored at the front with a jeweled multi-loop bow. The Countess of St. Andrews (daughter-in-law of the Duke and Duchess of Kent) topped her pink suit with a wide brimmed straw hat in pale blue-grey with pleated crin in the same colour folded around the hat’s brim. The design is completed with pink sinamay ribbon loosely wound around the hat that finishes in a looping bow at the front, studded with two pink quills. I wish better views of Sylvanna’s hat were visible because it looks like a beaty.

Sylvanna’s elder daughter, Lady Marina Windsor, wore a wide folded disc hat in red straw. The hat is a brave one in terms of scale and simplicity but paired well with Marina’s floral dress. We’ve talked about finishing issues from this milliner several times recently and if you look at the lumpy brim edge, they’re present again. Disappointing.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Lady Amelia Windsor topped her puple daisy printed frock with a cream buntal straw teardrop percher, trimmed with a knotted buntal flying bow. The hat has beautiful balance and movement and it’s fantastic… but I think it could do much better paired with something other than this dress.

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Designer: Philip Treacy OC 470 from SS 2018. Dress by Gül Hürgel
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Lady Helen Taylor wore a black straw beret percher trimmed with swathed navy veil and triangle tufts of puple and royal blue crin. A sparkling crescent hatpin completed the millinery look.

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Designer: Likely Stephen Jones. Dress by Amanda Wakely
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Helen’s younger daughter, Estella Taylor, was an attendant (or assistant), helping wrangle the young bridesmaids. She wore a black and white headpiece that looks to be made of silk flowers and straw leaves. As far as youthful headpieces go, this one is great.

 

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Julia Ogilvy topped her pink, blue and green lace dress with a pink straw button percher trimmed in a mass of circular pink ruffles. It’s a lighthearted hat that tops a very pastel ensemble but it’s great fun.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 13, 2015;  June 5, 2012

Flora Ogilvy wore an ecru straw disc percher trimmed with a multi-looped bow and silk rose on the side. A great hat on its own, this piece was elevated with its pairing today with Flora’s orchid purple dress. Such a great look for her.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: 

Zenouska Mowatt paired her red lace dress with a red straw vertical saucer hat, trimmed with wide ruffles of layered red and peach crin. The scale is fantastic on her and the playful crin ruffles add such life to the hat (as do her bright yellow accessories!).

Designer: bespoke Jane Taylor. Dress by Mary Katrantzou
Previously Worn: This hat is new

The royal Kent relations can usually be counted on for some memorable millinery looks and today was no different. Which hats stand out here most to you?

Photos from Getty as indicated; Pool, Victoria Jones and Chris Jackson via Getty; Tim Rooke/Shutterstock; Stephen Lock/i Images;Stephen Lock/i Images;

This Week’s Extras

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Have a lovely Sunday- I’ll be back first thing tomorrow for focused coverage and discussion on hats worn for the Romanian national holiday and look at two (one new!) designs worn by Queen Elizabeth over the weekend at the Windsor Horse Show.

On Tuesday, Empress Masako was spotted arriving at the Imperial Palace with the emperor to rehearse their first court ritual which took place on Wednesday. She repeated her unembellished almond bumper hat.
Also on Tuesday, the Duke of York was spotted in uniform as Colonel of the Grenadier Guards (with cap) for the morning’s Changing of the Queen’s Life Guard at Horse Guards riding new Cavalry Black horse ‘Darby’, apparently practicing for the upcoming Trooping the Colour.
On Wednesday, King Carl Gustaf donned his trusty brown fedora for the World Wildlife Fund’s annual meeting, held this year at Huvudskär and Utö in the Stockholm archipelago. The same day, King Harald commemorated Norwegian Armed Forces Day and Liberation Day at Akurshus Fortress, predictably in military uniform with cap.
Infanta Elena donned a neutral straw fedora to watch her daughter, Victoria de Marichalar, open the Seville Fair in a traditional Spanish mantilla with tall peineta comb (see more photos and video here). And 20 years after meeting at this event, the Dutch King and Queen returned this week along with their three daughters… and a quartet of wonderfully vibrant floral headpieces.


On Wednesday, Princess Alexandra visited a life boat station in Shoreham. She repeated her ice blue straw hat with tall crown wrapped in coordinating net tulle, designed by Rachel Trevor Morgan.
Queen Margrethe unveiled a new statue of Denmark’s longest reigning monarch King Christian IV (1577 – 1648) in Copenhagen yesterday. She repeated a hat with ecru straw crown and grey straw double brim for the event.


The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Emerald straw button percher with vibrant ribbon trim and soaring quills by NY milliner Jennifer Hoertz
Pink felt wide brimmed hat with rose gold diamanté hatband from LA based milliner Gladys Tamez
VA VA VOOM red straw percher with the most fantastic curving trim by Australian brand Jill and Jack Millinery
Exquisite curving cream disc with pink handmade blooms and curving quills by Rachel Trevor Morgan
Navy beret percher with hand-beaded bow by Irish milliner Michelle Gleeson
Classic ivory straw picture hat with monochrome leaf printed brim by British milliner Bee Smith
Colourful red and green embroidered lace headpiece from German milliner Nicki Marquardt
Black and white patterned straw pyramid with crin and tassel trim by Italian brand Giulia Mio Millinery

Another interesting article on the Empress of Japan, written by someone with personal connection (The Asahi Shimbun)
King Hamad Of Bahrain and sons Sheikh Nasser and Sheikh Khaled were spotted out for a ride at Windsor Castle in between days spent enjoying the Royal Windsor Horse Show this week
Did you see this delightfully sweet exchange between Queen Elizabeth and former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien on Tuesday?

Princess Margriet presented the Duke of Sussex with an adorable gift during his quick visit to The Hague this week to official launch this year’s Invictus Games, to be held in The Netherlands.

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And finally- the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared this sweet photo of ten wee toes today, in honor of Mother’s Day (notice the background forget-me-not flowers, a favourite of the Duke’s late mother)

Photos from Getty and social media as indicated