With news yesterday that the British royal family will celebrate Christmas Day privately, in small groups, and not make any public appearances (as to not draw a crowd), we won’t be seeing any December 25 hats this year. So instead, let’s look back at hats worn for Christmas past, beginning today with Princess Beatrice:

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Velvet hats in jewel tones for Christmases 1994 through 2001

Embed from Getty Images  Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Electric blue Philip Treacy percher with feather flower in 2002; Black trilby in 2003 and 2004

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Purple felt Philip Treacy cloche in 2005; Ecru percher with bow and feathers in 2006: Repeated blue percher in 2007

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Grey beret percher with bow in 2008; Taupe felt Whitely beret with blue sequins in 2009;
Black percher with bow and white rose in 2010

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Black felt button percher with flying bow by Rachel Black in 2011; Black Rosie Olivia beret with folded bow in 2012;
Black Nerida Fraiman button percher with blue flower in 2013

Embed from Getty Images    Embed from Getty Images
Repeat of the 2011 Rachel Black percher in 2014; Black velvet beaded pillbox by Juliette Botterill in 2015;
Black and white houndstooth headpiece with red silk rose by Juliette Botterill in 2016

Juliette Botterill ryal blue percher with roses and bow in 2017; Navy felt fedora in 2018;
Emerald knotted bandeau headpiece by Juliette Botterill in 2019

It’s an eclectic mix that, unsurprisingly, closely follows millinery style trends. While have soft spots for the taupe beret in 2009 and the black button with fantastic blue flower in 2013, I think she’s really hit her stride with recent designs by Juliette Botterill- especially the stunning royal blue rose trimmed design in 2017. I can’t think of a shade of blue that suits her better.

What do you notice about this evolution of Christmas hats on Princess Beatrice? Which designs stand out most to you?

Photos by Chris Jackson, Paul Ellis / AFP and UK Press Pool/UK Press via Getty

Princess Beatrice celebrated her 32nd birthday on Saturday. To celebrate this, I thought it was high time we dove into her millinery closet for an inventory. Surprisingly, she has publicly worn 20 different blue designs:

1.Embed from Getty Images  2.Embed from Getty Images  3.Embed from Getty Images 
Designer: All are Philip Treacy
Introduced: December 25, 2002; June 12, 2010; June 17, 2010

4.Embed from Getty Images  5.Embed from Getty Images  6.
Designer: unknown; Angela Kelly (made by Stella McLaren); Stephen Jones
Introduced: June 16, 2011; July 30, 2011; June 5, 2012

7.Embed from Getty Images  8.  9.
Designer: Sarah Cant; unknown; Sarah Cant
Introduced: June 4, 2013; August 11, 2013; June 17, 2014

10. 11.Embed from Getty Images 
Designer: unknown; Laura Apsit Livens
Introduced: November 19, 2014; June 18, 2015

12.Embed from Getty Images 13.Embed from Getty Images 14.Embed from Getty Images
Designer: Juliette Botterill; unknown; Laura Apsit Livens
Introduced: June 19, 2015; May 26, 2016; June 16, 2016

 15. 16. 17.
Designer: Gina Foster; Emily London; Juliette Botterill
Introduced:  June 18, 2016; June 17, 2017; December 25, 2017;

 18. 19. 20.
Designer: Stephen Jones;Juliette Botterill; Bundle MacLaren
Introduced: May 19, 2018; June 19, 2018, June 18, 2019

There’s considerable diversity of shade and shape here- saucers, boaters, fedora, bandeau, pillbox, teardrop and button perchers and brims of all sizes. Seeing this collection reminds me how well Beatrice wears hats, how much we underestimate her millinery sophistication and how wearing the work of numerous milliners (at least nine here) pushes her style and saves her from falling into a single signature look. The wide brimmed Sarah Cant and Gina Foster designs (#9 and #15) remain long held favourites for me because they are just so beautiful, along with the wonderful blue embroidered Bundle MacLaren Matador (#20). I also have a soft spot for the pair of blue and orange Laura Apsit Livens designs (#11 and #14) that were punchy, bold, and very unexpected choices that certainly stood out in the crowd. And you know, I love a hat that stands out!

Which blue hats in Princess Beatrice’s hat closet are your favourites?

Photos from Max Mumby/Indigo; RMA Sandhurst; Max Mumby/Indigo, Paul Ellis / AFP, Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse, Samir Hussein/WireImage, Gareth Fuller – WPA Pool, Chris Jackson and Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty and Getty as indicated

One of my favourite hats in Princess Beatrice’s closet is an architectural, wide brimmed green straw design with navy starburst stitching on the brim and a navy hatband and bow. She has paired this eye-catching hat with two ensembles:

Look #1: With a teal A-line lace dress with three quarter length sleeves worn at Royal Ascot on June 17, 2014

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images

Look #2: With a pale green beaded collar silk dress and navy tuxedo jacket worn two years later on June 17, 2016 also to Royal Ascot

Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images