Catching-Up with the Imperial Royals

October 9, 2022: Princess Tsuguko in a dark green hat with short saddle brim and side spray of feathers to visit the Sakura City Museumย 

October 31, 2022: Princess Hisako toured a glamping site in Takanezawa in an ecru brimmed hat with side spray of burgundy feathers.ย 

November 2, 2022: Princess Nobuko attended a Red Cross convention in a streamlined ivory hat with upturned kettle brim. Later in November, she was diagnosed with the early stages of breast cancer and began treatment- we all wish her the very best and a full restoration of health.ย 

November 4, 2022: Princess Akiko attended a university’ anniversary celebration in an oatmeal hued hat with brim and diagonally striped hatband.

November 8, 2022: Empress Masako repeated a white silk covered brim hat for the anniversary of a national recreation program

November 12, 2022: Crown Princess Kiko arrived in Oita Prefecture in a dark burgundy bowler shaped hat trimmed with a rose made up of the same fabrics as the hat and her tweed suit.ย 

November 12, 2022: Princess Akiko wore a deep grey flared brim cloche with mulberry hatband for a health and welfare festival in Kanagawa.ย 

November 13, 2022: Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the 41st National Sea Enrichment Festival in Hyogo Prefecture. Empress Masako wore a cream brimmed hat with royal blue hatband whimsically trimmed in a wave shape. Brilliant!

November 13, 2022: Crown Princess Kiko attended the 45th National Tree Growing Festival in Oita in an oatmeal fabric covered bowler-style hat with tall, horizontally stitched hatband.ย 

November 21, 2022: Members of the Takamado family attended a ceremony at Toshimagaoka Cemetery to mark the 20th anniversary of Prince Takamado’s death. Princess Ayako, now Ayako Moriya, attended with her husband and elder son Jo. Former Princesses Yasuko and Masako also were in attendance.ย 

November 22, 2022: Princess Hisako attended a Red Cross event in a repeated ivory brimmed hat with pale lilac slim hatbands and a net veil wrapped crown.ย 

November 26, 2022: Empress Masako repeated a deep green hat with black hatband and high, upturned brim edged in braid to mark the centenary anniversary of the Japanese Scout Association.ย 

December 3, 2022: Princess Tsuguko wore an ivory hat with jaunty stitched brim for to open a youth forum.ย 

December 5, 2022: Empress Masako repeated a dark burgundy felt brimmed hat with wide diagonal striped hatband for an award ceremony for persons with disabilities.

December 9, 2022: Empress Masako repeated a pale blue silk covered pillbox for a visit to Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emeritus Michiko on her 59th birthday.

December 23, 2022: Empress Masako repeated an ice blue silk jacquard covered hat to visit Emperor Emeritus Akihito on his 89th birthday.

December 29, 2022: Princess Kako wore a vibrant red hat with floral trim to visit the Emperor and Empress and her grandparents, the Emeritus couple, on her birthday.ย 

 

Empress Masako’s hat with wave-shaped blue hatband is the standout here for me! Which hats here catch your eye?

Images from Getty as indicatedย ย 

Imperial Enthronement: Imperial Family Members

We finally wrap up our look at last week’s Imperial Enthronementย  with attention to the hats worn by members (and former members) of the Imperial royal family. Two familiar faces at Tuesday’s enthronement ceremony included Noriko Senge (former Princess Noriko of Takamado) and Sayako Kuroda (Emperor Naruhito’s younger sister, the former Princess Nori). While Noriko paired her gown with a delicate tiara borrowed from her mother (Princess Hisako usually wears it as a necklace), Sayako wore a calot hat covered in grey silk with what looks like hand folded pleats around the outside edge of the hat.

Ayako Moriya (former Princess Ayako of Takamado) , who is expecting a baby, and her husband Kei were also in attendance, Ayako in a tiara from her mother’s jewellery collection, usually worn as a necklace. Also in tiaras were former Mikasa princesses, Masako Sen andย Yasuko Konoeย as well as the emperor’s paternal aunt, Takako Shimazu (Emperor Emeritus Akihito’s sister).

While not royal, it feels important to include retired diplomat Hisashi and Owada and his wife Yumiko- Masako’s parents, who, it is understood, have been an unwavering source of support to her over the past two decades. Yumiko wore a silk covered bumper percher hat in the same muted lilac shade as her gown. The hat was placed at a perfect angle and shows how a hat of this shape and scale can look wonderful on any aged wearer.

Last Wednesday, on the day following the enthronement, Imperial family members attended a court banquet. While the empress, as hostess, did not wear a hat, Crown Princess Kiko wore a tan silk covered bumper design. Her daughters opted for more new bandeau headpieces making more vibrant statements, Princess Mako in pale pink trimmed with pink gerbera daisies and Princess Kako in deep scarlet with delicate flowers and leaves.

Princess Nobuko topped her deep raisin purple velvet gown with a silk covered bumper hat in the same hue with split bumper brim embroidered with beads. Princess Akiko repeated a lemon yellow hat with white silk organza wrapped bumper brim, trimmed with a spray of silk flowers at the back. Princess Yoko repeated a salmon pink pillbox hat trimmed in wispy feathers that give it distinct texture.

Princess Hisako wore a boater hat variation in what looks like cream and peach crin. The hat’s shallow peach crown is accentuated with a with cream hatband and its focal point, a gently fluted brim, in transparent overlapping layers of the two shades. The left side of the hat is trimmed with leaf cutouts and applique lace studded with pearls. Princess Tsuguko repeated her blue and green silk jacquard percher hat with layered sash and trailing spray of blossoms on the side- a spray that has received a trim since its first outing.

Former Takamado princesses Noriko Senge and Ayako Moriya were also spotted at the banquet in a pair of bumper hats, Noriko in a veiled white design with ostrich feather trim and Ayako in forest green with a dark spray of feathers on the side.

Empress Masko’s parents, Hisashi and Yumiko Owada, attended again, Yumiko in a small, angular pillbox in the same pale avocado shade as her ensemble.

Excellent footage of this court banquet can be seen below. This post concludes our look at hats worn to the Japanese enthronement, dearest readers. Which designs here stand out most to you?

Photos from social media as indicatedย 

This Week’s Extras

On Monday, Princess Nobuko wore a white hat to attend the 130th anniversary of the Japanese Red Cross Societyโ€™sย  Branch inย Gunma.
Princess Hisako started out this week in Aichi attending an annual conference on nutrition and dietary improvement. For this event, she wore a cream hat with square crown and curved brim, trimmed with lichen green hatbands and side embellishment.
On Tuesday,ย Princess Hanako wore a yellow pillbox with embellished sides for the 30th anniversary of the Praemium Imperiale Arts Prize.

On Wednesday, the Duke of Sussex was in military uniform and cap again to layย a wreath at the National War Memorial in Fiji.
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Also on Wednesday, Princess Mako celebrated her 27th birthday and was spotted arriving at the Imperial Royal Palace in Tokyo to visit her grandparents in a bumper hat covered in beige-pink patterned silk

Yesterday, Princess Ayako worshipped at the Three Palace Sanctuaries in advance of her wedding next week. While She was in traditional dress (and hairstyle), her mother, Princess Hisako, sisters Noriko Senge and Princess Tsuguko and cousin Sayako Kurada all wore white hats.


Today, members of the Takamado and Mikasa families donned brimless black hats to commemorate the second anniversary since Prince Mikasa’s death (Sankei)
Princess Margriet in a red pouf fascinator today to christen aย reconstructed expedition ship

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Amazing gravity-defying ombre turban from London-based Awon Golding
Winter white felt angular cloche with exuberant pheasant feathers from British milliner Annabel Allen
Turquoise and tan feather headpiece with net veil from Australian milliner Neil Grigg
Red silk ruched bandeau with pearl trim from British milliner Laura Cathcart
Pale percher with statement sunburst spiky trim from Irish milliner Laura Hanlon
Navy wide brimmed design with red jin sin twists from Australian brand Millinery Jill
Two designs from British milliner Bundle McLaren- aย wonderfully modern take on a pillbox in oxblood
with a flying bow
ย and a chic black beret percher with silver dipped curling quills
Pale grey sculpted French lace bandeau tiara with dotted net veil from British label Catherine Walker & Co.
Navy straw percher with copper-tipped navy goose feathers from Irish milliner Theresa Nugent
Dramatic, 1950s-inspired blocked straw saucer covered in velvet on top and silk and graphic,
Art-Deco patterned lace on the bottom fromย from Texan milliner Milli Starr
And from Melbourne-based milliner Louise MacDonald, these wonderfully vibrant and textural bandeau headpieces of woven ribbon.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit shared this week that she has been diagnosed with chronic pulmonary fibrosis. While she is optimistic about treatment and the future, the illness will undoubtedly continue to impact her and her royal role. Living with chronic disease is not easy and as such, I request that all future comments about the Crown Princess’ millinery choices be framed with compassion.
This week had an abundance of state banquets (in Portugal, Fiji and the UK) with some stunning royal looks – including Queen Mathilde here and here,ย the Norwegian royals, the Danish Royals and Princess Ayako atย the formal Choken-no-Gi ceremony- likely the last time we’ll see her in a tiara.
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This Week’s Extras

Princess Anne looking great in a casual straw hat to present prizes at an eventing circuit competition held on her estate, Gatcomb Park, last Monday. She and Vice Admiral Laurence were spotted in casual sun hats, enjoying the event on Sunday.

The “nosai no gi” ceremony for Princess Ayako andย Kei Moriya took place today at Princess Hisako’s home in Tokyo. This ceremony, the highlight of engagement rituals followed by the Imperial royal family, includes the exchange of special betrothal gifts (including sea breams, sake and silk) by both families and officially seals the engagement. The young couple and their surviving parents were later spotted arriving at the Imperial Palace for a visit with the Emperor and Empress, Princess Ayako in a white jacquard silk bumper hat with rosettes, braided trim and a tufts of tulle veil. Princess Hisako wore an interesting hat covered in melon-hued silk with rolled brim wrapped in white organza.

ย  ย 

We can usually count on Princess Camilla of Bourbon Two-Sicilies to sport some interesting fashion during her family’s annual vacation in Saint-Tropez- while she didn’t disappoint this year, I really do like her sun hat.

Princess Yasmin Aga Khan speaking at a fundraiser for the American Alzheimer’s Association earlier this month in New York in an animal printed straw hat

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Queen Elizabeth was spotted en route to church in Scotland today in a new pale blue hat with black trim. She was joined by Princess Beatrice who looked very fashionable in a wide brimmed, dark Garbo hat. She also debuted a new cream and blue hat for church last Sunday that you won’t want to miss.

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:

Very happy yellow straw beret/calot from Danish milliner Susanne Juul with beautiful handmade irises
Lilac and lime statement oversize saucer with flowers from Irish milliner Carol Kennelly
Stunning black ringed headpiece with feathers from Australian brand Jill and Jack Millinery
Pink percher with impressive silk abaca trim from Liverpool milliner Tracy Miller
Lovely lace applique and flower embellishment on this red hat from Dutch milliner Maria Marcus
Beigey-pink straw boater with interesting cobweb brim from Irish milliner Edel Black
White wide brimmed straw saddle with black arrow trimmed feathers from British brand Bundle MacLaren
Textural magenta straw beret with twist from British-Australian milliner Louise Georgette
Gold lily-of-the-valley trim on a large button percher from Rachel Trevor Morgan
Watery blue and green ombre straw saucer from London-based Turkish milliner Merve Bayindir

And from Jane Fryers Millinery, this striking green and black beret base percher made of fish leather- leather made from fish skin, something that is usually discarded in the fishing industry.

 

ย Royal Hats

Princess Ayako andย Kei Moriya used the occasion of theirย “nosai no gi” engagement sealing ceremony today to release a series of sweet engagement photos (Imperial Family Of Japan)

Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary shared numerous snaps of their family’s visit to the Knuthenborg Safaripark.

Lovely vacation snaps from the Luxembourg royal family that include eldest and youngest family members

ย I’ve been on vacation this week and not tuned closely into royal news- I trust you will all fill in the gaps I’ve missed!

Takamado Princess Officially Announces Engagement

On Monday, Princess Ayako of Takamado and Kei Moriya held a press conference at the Imperial Household Agency in Tokyo to officially announce their engagement.

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Princess Ayoko wore a pink dress and coordinating hat for the event (matched adorably by her fiance’s striped tie!). The button based percher hat isย covered in woven fabric (or very finely woven straw?)ย that contrasts slightly with her crepe embroidered dress, a great use of different textures not often employed with Imperial royal hats. The hat is trimmed with a folded crepe silk bow, edged with a stripe of the shiny side of the fabric and embroidered with tiny pink seed pearls. We don’t see many percher hats on Imperial royals and this one is a great choice for Ayako, particularly for this joy-filled announcement.

July 2, 2017 | Royal Hats July 2, 2017 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Princess Hisako was on hand to support her daughter in a smart hat covered in the same wheat-coloured silk as her suit. The design features a short brim that turns up around the back, similar to a trilby, a flat crown. The hat is simply trimmed with a hatband and front bow in the same fabric.ย 
July 2, 2017 | Royal Hats
I thought this was a wonderful hat for Ayako- my only disappointment here is that after her October wedding, her public role will end. I’m sure you all join me in wishing the young couple much happiness- what do you think of this pink percher hat?
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Embed from Getty Images
Photos from Getty as indicated; Kyodo News, The Asahi Shimbun, and Kyodo News via Getty; FNN