Tag Archives: Princess Hisako

This Week’s Extras

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On Tuesday, the Prince of Wales visited the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles at Sir John Moore Barracks in Folkestone to celebrate the Battailion’s 25th anniversary and present operational medals for their recent deployment to Afghanistan. His uniform and cap reflect his ranking of Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment.
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Princess Mako in a white silk covered bowler hat with blue stitched hatband on Wednesday for her arrival in Peru. The finishing on this hat is impeccable- not a pucker or stray stitch in sight
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Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria in traditional folk head scarves on Thursday to present the Öland Inhabitant of the Year Award at Solliden Palace.
On Thursday, Princess Alexandra wore her new-ish hat to the Thrive Flower Show in Reading. In almond textured straw, the classic design features a cartwheel brim and twisted bow at the side. It’s nice to see Alexandra in a hat without an elevated crown!
Also on Thursday, Crown Princess Kiko attended the 55th Blood Donation Promotion National Convention in Kanazawa in a pale blue silk jacquard covered hat with layered hatband and kettle brim.
The final hat on Thursday (busy day!) was on Princess Hisako. She attended the annual Innovation Awards for Advanced Technology ceremony in a pale lime textured suit with hat covered in the same fabric and a stitched white kettle brim with trilby-style higher upturn around the back.
You might have noticed this week that Royal Hats is now found on Instagram here. Don’t worry- there’s nothing there that isn’t already here on the blog!
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Incredible statement hat with ombre hand dyed feather stars by Australian milliner Kate Ghedina
Stunning colour gradients on this sinamay hugger with handpainted lotus flower by Dutch milliner Mirjam de Rijke 
Natural straw boater with wonderful black vintage lace printed with stars by UK brand Mind Your Bonce
Charming Wimbledon-inspired strawberries and cream swirled design by British milliner Anne Tomlin
Such interesting colour pattern on this teal straw boater by Australian milliner Stephanie Spencer
Fascinatingly organic (and rustic!) texture on this hat by Parisienne milliner Veronica Marucci
Lovely movement on this raspberry pink headpiece by Italian millinery brand Gallia and Peter
Gold beaded ivory silk cap with pleated crin soaring swirl by French milliner Sylvia Martinez
Navy kokoshnik bandeau with geometric cutouts by Australian milliner Lauren Ritchie
Such interesting texture on this gold braided straw and leather percher by British milliner Karen Henriksen
Pink straw bandeau wrapped in diamond veil with lavish floral trim by Australian brand Locopa Designs
Another 3D carved wonder, this time in brilliant red, gold and purple, from Australian brand Taboo Millinery
Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit keeps knocking it out of the park with new designs, including this beautiful pink straw picture hat with a fantastic brim shape, beautiful trimming and impeccably finished silk binding. Utter perfection.

Wonderful family shot of the Belgian royal family, taken to celebrate King Albert and Queen Paola’s diamond wedding anniversary
Relaxed shots of Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid and Prince Sverre who are enjoying their annual summer vacation on the Norwegian island of Dvergsøya
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Photos from Getty and social media as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Princess Alexandra repeated a grey straw hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan on Wednesday for a visit to Leeds Castle in Kent to celebrate its 900th anniversary
On Thursday, Princess Benedikte attended the opening of the Jacob A. Riis Museum the Southwest Jutland city of Ribe in her repeated navy textured straw picture hat with curving, sideweeping brim.

Queen Mathilde and Princess Elisabeth were in Africa this week, visiting several UNICEF projects. After meeting with the Maasai in Kenya, they came away gifted with names “Namayiana” (blessed one) and “Nasieku” (first born) and these traditional headdresses

On Friday, Queen Margrethe presented a military award, repeating her new terra cotta orange straw hat with navy hatband. Yesterday, she took part in events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the execution of a Danish resistance group in her refined pink straw hat with white trim.
Princess Hisako and Princess Tsuguko took part in American Independence Day celebrations today at the Tokyo American Club. Princess Hisako wore a biscuit straw hat with very short, rolled brim while Princess Tsuguko topped her floral dress with a lovely wider brimmed hat trimmed with flowers.

Make sure to cast your vote in the 2019 Millinery Association of Australia Design Award People’s Choice category– there are some truly astounding hats

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:

Orange parsisal button percher with peach blossom vine by American milliner Karen Morris
Kokoshnik bandeau headpiece covered in pink pearls by British milliner Jane Taylor
Black and white straw design with flying bow by Czech milliner Jolana Kotabova
Blue straw percher with crimson silk floral trim by Australian brand Felicity Northeast Millinery
Fanciful maribou-edged brim on this grey, pink & white ombre design by Danish milliner Mathilde Thoe Førster
Green leaf shaped disc hat with gold quills by Irish milliner Teresa Nugent
Striking stripes! Trio of eye catching striped hats by American milliner Behida Dolić
Slate blue saucer embroidered with tropical birds by Australian brand Amanda Lynn Millinery
Chic pink and cream straw fedoras with slim silver hatbands from French milliner Laurence Bossion
Stunning transparent brim on this navy and marine blue picture hat by Dutch milliner Myra van de Korput
Dusky pink straw percher with flying bow and chenille rosebud veil by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Lovely textured sage green Florentine stitched straw summer hat by British milliner Siana Yewdall
And two hats that made me catch my breath- first is this natural straw beret percher with exquisitely ethereal handmade silk iris flowers and leaves by Leicester-based milliner Guilia Mio
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I'm so proud of finally share this little beauty I've made for a lovely #motherofthegroom! 💜💜💜 She came to me with a stunning dress, we start talking about flowers and for some reason I told her I can see irises on her hat...she looked at me and she said that irises are her favourite flower and she has a lot I her garden!!!! It was meant to be!!! . . For enquiries about #bespoke hats visit my website (#linkinbio👈 ) or PM me . . @giulia.mio.millinery #couturehats #couturemillinery #millinery #bespokemillinery #giuliamiomillinery #weddingseason #summerwedding #specialoccasion #gardenwedding #silkflowers #irises #handmade #madeinleicester #madetomatch #motherofthebride #weddingguest #leicester #supportleicesterlocal

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and second is this stunning turquoise design with parasisal crown, two-toned double layer sinamay brim, hand rolled flying bow and turquoise guipure lace applique by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit. Truly- this hat caught my eye before I realized who made it!

A possible answer to widespread questions about Princess Haya’s absence at Royal Ascot. Whatever is going on in this situation, I’m sure you all join me in wishing her and her children safety and peace.

Photos from social media as indicated

Imperial Royals Host and Embark on Foreign Visits

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Numerous world leaders were in Japan this week for the G20 Summit- on Thursday, the emperor and empress welcomed French President and Mrs. Macron to the Imperial Palace for a luncheon in their honour. While the empress, as hostess, did not wear a hat, the Imperial princesses in attendance did.

Princess Mako and Princess Kako both wore silk covered bumper hats trimmed with bows at the back. It’s difficult to tell- I think Mako’s hat and suit is an almond beige while Kako’s looks to be a blush pink.


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Princess Nobuko of Mikasa wore a grey hat with Pork pie crown and rolled brim trimmed with a darker grey hatband and bow at the back. Princess Hisako of Takamado topped her blue and grey floral print suit with a repeated ivory saucer. The hat features an ivory windowpane crin inverted binding around the brim and is trimmed with pale blue silk ruffled flowers on the side.

The most interesting hats of the day were on Princess Yoko of Mikasa, who wore a white hat with wide, curved brim and tall pinched crown, trimmed with a pale turquoise hatband and Princess Tsuguko of Takamado, whose hat featured a navy crown with ivory wrap and ivory brim with a stripe of navy binding. With her navy and cream ensemble, the hat topped a crisp and very summery look.

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This year marks 100 years of Polish-Japanese diplomatic relations, a centennary being celebrated with a visit by Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko to the Eastern European nation. For their arrival yesterday at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Princess Kiko wore a cream bumper hat with upfolded brim. Polish first lady Agata Duda’s fuchsia straw button percher with straw loops and feathers is a small hat but an eye-catching one!

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For a visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier later in the day, the Crown Princess wore a brimmed white hat with upturned kettle brim trimmed with a layered taupe hatband. Kiko wears so many brimless bumpers, it’s great to see her in a brimmed design for a change.

Following the visit to Poland, Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko will continue to Finland where we’ll no doubt see several more hats. What do you think of these designs at these foreign diplomatic relations events?

Photos from Getty and social media as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Here are some of the royal hats we missed during Ascot- we’ll look at the hats worn today for National Day in Luxembourg in a separate post, later tomorrow.

Last Sunday, Queen Margrethe attended a church service in Tallin, Estonia, in the jaunty boater hat with navy textured fabric crown and cream straw brim by Mathilde Thoe Førster she debuted last month. Love the jaunty angle!
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Efter Valdemar Sejrs erobring af det nuværende Tallinn i 1219 byggede kongens mænd en trækirke i byen på Toompeahøjen. Ti år senere erstattede danske munke fra Ribe kirken med en mere robust bygning i sten, som i dag er Tallinns Domkirke. Det var således 800-året for Domkirkens oprindelse, der i dag blev fejret med en festgudstjeneste, hvor H.M. Dronningen var til stede. Gudstjenesten var i dagens anledning både på dansk og estisk, ligesom Det Danske Drengekor og Københavns Kantatekor sang salmer undervejs. For nogle uger siden skænkede Danmarkssamfundet et dannebrogsflag til Domkirken, som får en permanent placering i kirkerummet. Inden dagens gudstjeneste afslørede Dronningen en mindeplade i kirken for Dronningens deltagelse i festgudstjenesten. 📸 Keld Navntoft, Ritzau Scanpix ©️

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On Monday, June 17, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the 109th Japan Academy Prize ceremony in Taito. Empress Masako wore a white hat with short brim and wide hatband embellished with the same decorative braid as is on the lapels of her matching jacket. Interestingly, the hatband has been turned upside down since its last outing. The Akishino family joined the emperor and empress to host a tea party at the Imperial Palace for prize winners. Crown Princess Kiko and Princess Mako repeated aqua and white bumper hats while and Princess Kako repeated a blue silk covered bowler with bow on the side


On Wednesday (the day after her spectacular debut at Ascot), Queen Máxima officially opened the renovated Military Hospital in Utrecht. She repeated her raspberry straw picture hat with mushroom brim by Fabienne Delvigne.
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Queen Margrethe in a white floppy sun hat on Wednesday to watch the Danish army’s 2nd brigade in Oksbøl go through exercises before the departing to Iraq.
The Duchess of York in a colorful, feathered Jess Collett bandeau while in Italy this week
Princess Hisako attended the Japanese National Wheelchair Twin Basketball Championship yesterday in a repeated cafe au laid hued straw hat with triple layered, twisted hatband
Queen Elizabeth attended The Royal Windsor Cup Final at Guards Polo Club today in a repeated magenta hat by Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren.
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It’s already Monday in Japan- on this day, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attend the Japan Art Academy award ceremony in Tokyo. The Empress is looking so polished these days- today she topped a beautifully tailored ice blue suit with a matching short brimmed hat with multi layered silk organza hatband.
We saw a number rather unattractive and unflattering felt top hats at Royal Ascot this week. Since the silk used to make the gleaming antique top hats we all admire (thanks ChicagoChuck!) is no longer produced, what do you think of Stephen Jones’ summery, sustainable and smartly stylish alternative in straw?! This is a hat that greatly intrigues me.

Photos from Getty and social media as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Queen Silvia celebrated Swedish National Day, along with the king, in Ludvika last Thursday in a repeated ivory felt calot hat with silk flower and brown feather trim. Festivities later in the day saw the Queen and adult princesses in folk costume with traditional white cotton folded hats.

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Also on Thursday, Prince Harry was in uniform to preside over the annual Founder’s Day Parade at the Royal Hospital Chelsea (a retirement and nursing home for former members of the British Army). Royal Hospital residents, known as Chelsea Pensioners, wore their distinctive tri-corn hats.
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On Thursday, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko conducted rites related to the abdication at the Musashi Imperial Graveyard in Tokyo. The empress emerita repeated a slate grey veiled saucer with knotted bow.
On Saturday, members of the Imperial royal family attended the 5th anniversary memorial ceremony for Prince Katsura. The Imperial royal women, who included the Empress, the late Prince’s mother, Princess Yoriko and sister,  Yasuko Konoe (formerly Princess Yasuko of Mikasa) all wore black hats.


Infanta Elena and her father, King Juan Carlos, attended the men’s singles final match yesterday at the French Open Tennis tournament in Paris in summery straw fedora hats
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The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Wonderful dusky pink embellished bandeau (see the detail!) by Scottish label Angels and Insects Edinburgh
Exquisite veil on this black button percher with white silk flowers from British brand Lock & Co.
Elegant coral sinamay teardrop with crin layered bow by Irish milliner Edel Black
Fantastic pink straw boater with animated bow & hand-dyed pheasant feathers from British milliner Ian Bennett
Adore the shape and movement on this royal blue straw veiled headpiece by Irish brand Marc Millinery
Wonderful black percher with white oversize pinwheel flower by London-based Spanish milliner Rafa Peinador
Prettiest textured straw button percher with ombre straw ruffle by British milliner Ellie Vallerini
Trios of lovely lilac and pale grey designs by Italian milliner Guiliana Mio
Love the unique swirling curves this denim blue straw design from British label John Boyd
Cream straw button percher with amazing ombre fuchsia & aubergine crin trim by British milliner Tracy Miller
White and yellow marabou feather fluff hat by London-based milliner Awon Golding

Great family photo released by the Danish court on the occasion of Prince Joachim’s 50th birthday

The Duke of Edinburgh celebrates an incredible 98th birthday today and I’m sure you join me in wishing him the happiest of birthdays.
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And finally, Royal Ascot is only a week away…

 

Photos from social media as indicated

Closer Look At Princess Hisako’s Hats

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Princess Hisako recently wore two hats that I think, require a closer look because of their interesting detail. So, I’m going to do something I don’t usually do and bring them forward for discussion! The first was worn back on May 22 to an exhibition at the Finish Embassy in Tokyo celebrating 100 years of Finish-Japanese diplomatic relations. If you open the photos below, both show good views of the scalloped brim of her hat, a design feature we don’t often see but is executed beautifully on this piece.

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I think it’s new

The second hat first appeared last summer. It’s a wide-brimmed straw design with pork pie indented crown. At its first outing the hat was trimmed with a green twist in the same fabric as Hisako’s suit and appeared to have a wide stripe of white crin around the brim.

The hat made another appearance on May 25 this year at an African Festival in Yokohama.


Better views (and a helpful guest of wind!) showed that the white crin actually forms a second brim that overlays the black straw. The overlay is just attached at the intersection of brim and crown (where the hatband sits) which allows the crin to gently move on the overhanging edge.


Views of the back (open up the gallery below to see large-size photos) show great views not only of the crin overbrim, but of the indented crown and this hat’s new trim- a slim white hatband that ties in a bow at the back and a spray of black silk flowers. It’s sometimes difficult to tell when Imperial royal hats are renovated but this change is clear and interesting to look at in closer detail.

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: August 6, 2018

Both hats have some unique features we don’t usually see on royal hats (much less Imperial ones)- what do you think, after seeing these improved views?

Photos from social media as indicated 

This Week’s Extras

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Infanta Elena in a floppy hat last weekend at the Longines Global Champions Tour Equestrian and in a natural straw fedora at the San Isidro Fair, both in Madrid
Princess Michael of Kent last Monday at the Chelsea Flower show in a tan duckbill brimmed cap
On Wednesday, the Earl of Wessex donned his dapper natural straw panama hat to present the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards in the garden of Buckingham Palace. The Duke of Kent also donned a panama hat in Greece, where he traveled to celebrate the 200th anniversary of The Order of St Michael and George
Also on Wednesday, Queen Sonja of Norway opened the Bergen Festival in a cream straw cloche hat
The Thai monarchy released official photos of Queen Suthida- there are lots of military hats and soft focus filters


Princess Hisako attended the ‘Now Africa’ festival today in Yokohama in a great black and white wide-brimmed hat.

Two events with fantastic floral headpieces, both in honour of the Chelsey Flower show. The first is a display in Covent Garden, photographed below by Princess Miriam of Bulgaria. The second is the 4th annual “Flower Walk” outdoor fashion show in Chelsea created by the Catherine Walker brand with astounding floral headpieces topping their dresses.



Here’s what other new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
From Rachel Trevor Morgan, four stunning hats with handmade flowers in red, pink, purple and blush
Romantic mint straw button with lattice brim,  bow and flowers from London-based brand Bea and Evie
Curving pink straw headpiece with handmade peony by Spanish milliner Eugenia Jiménez
Winter white felt raised beret percher with pearl-trimmed bow from Australian brand Hats By Zarbella
Pink lattice-brimmed picture hat with wonderful lace trim from London-based milliner Vivien Sheriff
Trio of stunning black perchers: straw with leather flowers & soaring twists from British milliner Justine Bradley-Hill; sequins with veil & bow from Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit; leather with flowers & leaves from Aussie brand Crazy Teapot
Wide brimmed cream straw hat covered in lemon silk orchids by Scottish milliner William Chambers
Simple but SO pretty! Sky blue straw saucer with cream rose trim from British brand Atelier Millinery
Fantastic digital knitwear design (with British Museum ceiling-like brim) from Dutch milliner Eugenie van Oirschot
Magenta straw statement hat with sharp lines and oversize hydrangea trim by British milliner Amanda Denton
Sleek silver grey brimmed hat with ethereal, smoky flower from British brand Layla Leigh Millinery
The prettiest watermelon pink straw stacked bandeau with floating vine from Scottish milliner Sally-Ann Provan
Cream straw teardrop percher with twists and wonderful lime and cream flowers from Irish-born milliner Philip Treacy (flowers made by Russian artisan Anfisa Korelova)

And from Australian brand Murley and Co., designed by milliner Carla Murley, this spectacular garden of floral trimmed percher hats.

Prince Albert was joined by Prince Jacques, Princess Gabriella and their cousin Kaia Wittstock today at qualifying rounds of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco
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Prince Dushan of Serbia was married to Valerie De Muzio in Topola, Serbia today. Prince Dushan is the son of the late Prince Alexander and his second wife, Princess Barbara of Liechtenstein. Princess Barbara wore a wide brimmed, natural straw hat for the wedding.
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Photos from Getty and social media as indicated