Christening of Prince Christian: Royal Guests

Royal Hats When Prince Christian of Denmark was christened ten years ago, the event was attended by numerous royal relatives and close friends. After looking at the hats worn by his mother, grandparents and godparents, we now turn our attention to those worn by royal guests.

Queen Margrethe’s sisters, Queen Anne-Marie and Princess Benedikte, both wore vibrant hats. In bright red felt, Queen Anne-Marie’s hat featured an unusually tall crown, a short, upturned brim; the piece was boldly embellished with a large knotted bow and curling black feather spines. Princess Benedikte topped her grey fur coat with a large beret-style design in raspberry felt. We have seen Princess Benedikte in numerous hats in this hue and the colour is fantastic on her.

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Princess Marie-Chantal wore a Philip Treacy designed fascinator of straw twists and several different varieties of gold feathers. While some might argue that the spiky design gave some textural contrast to her tweed coat and dress, I have always found the combination of classic clothing and modern headpiece to be jarring and disharmonious.

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Princess Alexia of Greece topped her grey fur jacket with a burgundy felt hat. With an indented crown and fluted, upturned brim, this hat is all about shape. I adore the grey and burgundy colour scheme of her ensemble but I’m afraid the stylised brim and crown shapes on her hat look rather dated today. Tatiana Blatnik (who would become Princess Tatiana of Greece and Denmark in 2010) wore a simple fascinator of navy feathers. The lightness of the piece, which feels better suited to a summer wedding or garden party, feels off balance against her winter coat

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Princess Theodora wore an interesting loden green beret variation with high peaked side trimmed with a felt rose in the same colour. Princess Benedikte’s daughter, Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg topped her gold bouclé coat with a purple fascinator. The headpiece, consisting of a purple silk rose and feathers that swept around the top of her head, provided a spot of colour and textural contrast to her ensemble.

Princess Theodora, January 21, 2006 | Royal Hats   Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, January 21, 2006 | Royal Hats

The Countess of Frederiksborg, who arrived with her young sons Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix, wore in an ecru felt hat with asymmetrical upfolded brim. The hat was trimmed in a pleated sash of the same fabric as her coat, drawing the two pieces together in a unified winter white ensemble. Some of you might recognize the hat as the same one worn for Prince Felix’s christening (the last christening to have taken place in the Danish royal family at the time) in 2002- an interesting choice but a hat that Alexandra wore very well.

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Princess Mathilde (as was her title in 2006) topped her beautiful red coat dress and cape with a large matching hat. With a squared crown and upfolded brim, the hat was simply trimmed with a wide ribbon around the base of the crown. It’s a strong look for Mathilde but she carried it well. It’s a classic piece that I would love to see trotted out again.

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Dutch Princess Laurentien also wore an exaggerated hat- made of the same brown plaid as her tailored jacket, the piece featured a tall, indented crown and oval shaped brim. Unfortunately, the stylised fedora overwhelmed Laurentien and looked to be swallowing her up.

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Princess Märtha Louise of Norway wore a 1940s inspired hat by Anja Irgens. With a close fitting crown and diamond brooch detail, the star of this hat was its upfolded brim that swept around the hat in fluted waves. Märtha Louise has long been known for her quirky style and while this hat fits that style brief, the colour and shape are exquisite. Ten years later, it is still one of my favourite hats in her wardrobe.

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It is only once in a generation that a royal house christens a future king or queen and the scale of this event reflects its importance. Looking back, I’m surprised at how many hats withstand the test of time and could successfully (and stylishly) be repeated today. Which hats stand out most here to you?
Photo from Getty as indicated; CHRISTIAN CHARISIUS/Reuters/Corbis; CHRISTIAN CHARISIUS/Reuters/Corbis; Birger Storm / Billed Bladet;   

Greek Royal Wedding 20 Years On: Families

Prince Pavlos and Marie-Chantal Miller, July 1, 1995 | Royal HatsRoyal Hats

When Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, Prince of Denmark, married Marie-Chantal Miller on July 1, 1995, the event was a family affair. Because of the Greek royal family’s close relations to several other royal houses, that also made it a major royal event. Here is a look at the hats worn at this wedding by members of the couple’s families.

Queen Anne-Marie topped her sea foam green silk coat with a straw headpiece in the same hue. With an open top, the headpiece wrapped in a circle around her head and was trimmed with a wide straw ribbon tails on the side.

Queen Anne-Marie, July 1, 2015 | Royal Hats

Queen Anne-Marie, July 1, 2015 | Royal Hats  Queen Anne-Marie, July 1, 2015 | Royal Hats

Princess Alexia wore a wide brimmed hat in natural straw while Princess Theodora, as bridesmaid, wore a floral wreath in her hair. Both Alexia and and Queen Anne-Marie were dressed by London-based Austrian designer Inge Spronson.

Greek Royal Family, July 1, 2015 | Royal Hats

The mother of the bride, Chantal Miller, matched Queen Anne-Marie’s ensemble in a hat and dress in sea foam green topped by a pale peach hand embroidered and beaded Valentino couture coat. The hat followed the shape of a ruched turban at the back but was brimmed with a halo brim around the front that framed Mrs. Miller’s face. Trimmed with a stylized silk flower, the chic hat has a wonderful sense of movement that almost draws my attention away from her pearls.

Chantal Miller, June 1, 2015 | Royal Hats  Chantal Miller, June 1, 2015 | Royal Hats

Princess Marie-Chantal’s two sisters, Alexandra Miller and Pia Getty wore what I suspect were very fashion-forward hats for the time. Pia’s round burgundy percher hat was edged in scalloped pink ribbon and trimmed with a spray of pink and burgundy feathers at the back. While this hat shape is familiar to us now, it was a very avant garde millinery look 20 years ago that left me wondering at the time if she had stuck a cushion on her head.  Alexandra toped her blue suit with what can only be described as a pink headscarf, worn as a headband and loosely tied in a bow behind her ear. This headpiece (if you can call it that) has always left me scratching my own head.

Pia Getty and Alexandra Miller, July 1, 1995 | Royal Hats

Princess Benedikte, July 1, 1995 | Royal Hats

Looking at the groom’s extended family- Queen Anne-Marie’s sister, Princess Benedikte of Denmark (above, right) wore a large rose pink hat with high ‘slice’ brim that folded up over the square crown on one side. We see these ‘slice’ brim picture hats often these days but I suspect it turned heads at the time. Their mother, Queen Ingrid of Denmark, wore a memorable hat in sky blue. With a traditional round crown, the brim of the hat was wider around the front and folded up to frame Queen Ingrid’s face. The straw was light embroidered in monochrome blue vines and embellished with a small spray of flowers at the side. We seldom see patterned royal hats and this one still stands out in my mind as a unique piece.

Queen Ingrid, July 1, 1995 | Royal Hats   Queen Ingrid, July 1, 1995 | Royal Hats

Queen Margrethe, the eldest of Queen Ingrid’s three daughters, also wore an unusual and distinctive hat. Her headpiece, in steely blue straw,  featured a large disc atop a calot base. The disc was sliced to the radius at the top of the headpiece- a large bow was placed in the slice, leaving one side of the bow visible on top of the hat and the other, behind the back of it (which also curled up that side of the disc). A spray of silk violets completed the striking hat.

Queen Margrethe, July 1, 1995 | Royal Hats   Queen Margrethe, July 1, 1995 | Royal Hats

While King Constantine’s sister, Queen Sofia of Spain, did not wear a hat, her daughters  Infanta Elena and Infanta Christina both topped their dress suits with simple cream picture hats.

Infanta Elena, July 1, 1995 | Royal Hats   Infanta Cristina, July 1, 1995 | Royal Hats

Looking at these hats today, I am surprised how current many of them seem. Which ones stand out most to you?

Greek Royal wedding, July 1, 1995 | Royal Hats

Photos from The Greek Royal Family; The Royal Forums; and Lord Lichfield via Getty

Spanish Royal Wedding Ten Years On: Greek Royals

The Royal Hats Blog As Queen Sofia of Spain was born the daughter of King Paul of Greece, major royal events in Spain inevitably include the Greek royal family. The wedding of The Prince of Asturias and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano on May 22, 2004 was no exception.

Both Queen Anne-Marie and the Crown Princess chose very feathery hats for this event. Queen Anne-Marie topped her lilac printed dress and jacket with a toque hat entirely covered in purple feathers. I always thought this hat looked like it was plucked from the Queen Mum’s closet and unfortunately, looked outmoded and ageing on elegant Queen Anne-Marie.

 Queen Anne-Marie, May 22, 2014 | Royal Hats  Queen Anne-Marie, May 22, 2014 | Royal Hats

Princess Marie-Chantal wore a dramatic ecru picture hat with the brim entirely covered in burnt ostrich feather fringe. It is an exceptionally dramatic hat that could have been a disaster with the wrong outfit but with Marie-Chantal’s ecru dress and shimmering dove grey coat, it was exquisite.

 Crown Princess Marie Chantal, May 22, 2014 | Royal Hats  Crown Princess Marie Chantal, May 22, 2014 | Royal Hats

Greek Royal Family, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

Princess Irene of Greece looked to be wearing a royal blue headpiece around her chignon (below, right).

Greek Royal Family, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

One of my favourite hats at this wedding was worn by Princess Alexia. This natural straw picture hat is rather plain in shape and colour; when paired with a peacock blue silk jacket and skirt and trimmed with a spray of trailing peacock and mint green ombre feathers, it became spectacular.

Princess Alexia of Greece, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

Princess Alexia of Greece, May 22, 2004 | Royal Hats

What do you think of this trio of feathered hats? Stay tuned later today for the hats worn by the Belgian royal family.

Photos from  A. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, Tim GrahamA. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert, Tim Graham,  Tim GrahamA. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. CuthbertA. Jones/J. Whatling/J. Parker/M. Cuthbert and Tim Graham via Getty

Dutch Princesses Serve as Bridesmaid Trio

Our favourite trio of petite princesses carried out an important job yesterday as the bridesmaids at their uncle’s wedding in Vienna. Princess Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane looked adorable in pink floral wreaths in their hair (matched to their adorable pink ballet flats) for the wedding of Queen Máxima’s brother, Juan Zorreguieta and Andrea Wolf. Princess Amalia certainly has grown up, hasn’t she?

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If you haven’t already seen it, you really should view the exquisite ball gown and cape Queen Máxima wore to this wedding. It’s absolutely breathtaking.

Photo from Getty as indicated

Guests at the Bourbon Parma Wedding

When the groom is the grandson, nephew and cousin to three monarchs, there’s bound to be a few hats at his wedding! Such was the case for Prince Jaime of Bourbon Parma and Viktória Cservenyák’s intimate family wedding today (you can see the bride, groom and their immediate families here).

Queen Maxima wore another one of her felt picture hats with a sharply upturned front brim. I believe this particular hat, in dark charcoal grey, is a new one for her, albeit a familiar shape. It worked well with her tunic, covered in purple paillet sequins.

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Princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane were also sweetly coordinated with silver sequined bow bands in their hair.

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Princess Beatrix looked quite smashing in a salmon pink hat with diagonal upturned brim and modern looped bow on the side.

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Princess Mabel also attended (her daughter Zaria was one of the bridesmaids) and wore, quite understandably, a black dress, jacket and hat. The hat featured a wave style brim in multiple layers of fine straw and a white rose on the side. While I was not a big fan of this hat, I was so pleased to see Mabel at this wedding. (Update- several of you recognized this hat as the same one Mabel wore to Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien’s wedding back in May 2001).

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Princess Laurentien repeated the grey hat she wore to Prinsjesdag in 2011. This ‘flat hat’ (my nickname for a hat where the crown and the brim flow together without the crown raising out of the brim) designed by Fabienne Delvigne features a mass of wispy grey feathers on the crown. It’s a great hat for the fashion-forward Laurentien. Countess Eloise, eldest daughter of Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien, made her hat debut with this stylish mini-fascinator of black feathers. Well done, Eloise!

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Princess Margriet and Princess Aimée did not wear hats and Princess Annette and Prince Bernhard did not attend the wedding. Princess Anita, however, wore a light sea foam green fascinator of feathered flowers. Little Emma Von Vollenhoven wore a magenta pink carnation-style ribbon bow.

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Princess Marilène wore a vibrant purple fascinator of large leaves and small trailing feathers. In a day filled with fascinators, this is one of two that I thought stood out best. Brilliant!

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My other favourite fascinator of the day was worn by Juliana Guillermo, daughter of Princess Christina. Her mass of scarlet blooms contrasted so beautifully with her black and white dress and looked fantastic on her. Princess Christina also looked very happy and relaxed in a spiky feathered fascinator in shades of green and aqua.

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All in all, it was a wedding filled with fascinators! Some were more successful than others but in the end, it was just lovely to see the Dutch extended royal family all together for a much happier occasion than when we saw them last. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Photos from Getty as indicated