Norwegian Royal Wedding 20 Years On: Scandinavian Royals

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit;s late afternoon wedding on August 25, 2001 carried a formal dress code. We don’t often cover tiaras here but any daytime diamonds are fair game here at Royal Hats so we’re going to sparkle up the rest of this week and look at the jewels and gowns worn by royal guests to this event (I’ll leave discussion about the jewels to expert Lauren Kiehna and link to her comprehensive history of each diadem).

Queen Sonja topped her jade gown with the very grand diamond and emerald tiara from the Norwegian Emerald Parure

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Princess Märtha Louise wore the modern tiara her grandfather King Olav gifted her in 1989 with diamond ears of wheat and pearls.

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Princess Astrid wore Queen Maud’s Turquoise Circlet tiara, beautifully paired with her pale blue gown.

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Princess Ragnhild wore what is known as Princess Ingebog’s Boucheron Circle Tiara

Queen Margrethe topped her purple ensemble with the romantic heart-shaped Baden Palmette Tiara

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Princess Benedikte wore her Star and Pearl Tiara. Her eldest daughter, Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, wore her mother’s wonderful floral tiara; her younger daughter, Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, is shown below in coral, in an open design tiara I’ve not been able to identify.

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Queen Anne-Marie of Greece wore the beautiful scrolled diamond Khedive of Egypt Tiara

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Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark wore her diamond tiara with lovely halo shape.

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Queen Silvia wore one of her larger tiaras, Queen Sofia’s Tiara with central starburst and diamond swags.

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Crown Princess Victoria wore her graphic diamond Baden Fringe Tiara

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Princess Madeleine wore the Modern Fringe Tiara, a gift from her parents which she would later wear at her own wedding.

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We don’t chat tiaras much here but like hats, a tiara’s shape or scale can suit (or not suit!) their wearers and the ensembles with which they are paired. Which ones here stand out to you most?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Christening of Prince Julian

Prince Julian, the third son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, was christened this morning at the Drottningholm Palace Chapel in Stockholm.

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For this event, Princess Sofia wore an ivory velvet bandeau headpiece with large bow at the back.

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The shape is a great christening choice- the bow frames Sofia’s face and leaves an open view to sweet Prince Julian while the scale gives the look some gravitas. Sofia wears ivory well, the colour contrasting with her dark hair and linking with her floral dress, which is the real statement here. While I’ve got some construction quibbles about the bow, the scale and balance of the piece is on point.

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Designer: Headpieces By M (Matthias Lavesson). Dress is the Etro “Santa Barbara Floral A-Line Long Puff-Sleeve Maxi Dress”
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

Queen Silvia wore a new brimless hat in pale aqua, trimmed simply with a folded bow along one edge of the design.

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The off-the-face style pairs well with the funnel neck on Silvia’s jacket and while the ensemble is in one colour, the textured crepe used on the hat bow and jacket give enough contract to keep the ensemble from falling flat. While It’s another elegant look for Queen Silvia, I’m a bit curious about placement – the amusing photo below shows a good view of the hat’s shape, albeit mid-air. It looks to me that it is blocked as an oval percher beret and I wonder if it might have worked better worn as such with the bow on top instead of a calot, with bow on one side. Thoughts?

Designer: Hat and suit by Georg et Arend
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Crown Princess Victoria repeated her lilac ribbon flower headpiece. It’s a beautiful design that certainly deserves another outing and while I’m not a great fan of the fussy dress, the headpiece pairs well with it.

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Designer: Parant Parant (Örjan Jackobsson). By Malina ‘Adele’ dress.
Previously Worn: August 31, 2019

Princess Estelle wore a pink dress her mother wore in 1986, topped with a darling white multi-looped hair bow.

Princess Madeleine paired her painterly blue and white dress with cascading headpiece of white silk blossoms tucked behind her right ear. While I hear some of you calling for a hat, I think the delicacy of both the headpiece and dress make them good companions.

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Designer: unknown. Dress is the ‘Luminous Frayed Edge Midi’ by Zimmerman
Previously Worn: This headpiece is new

Finally, Princess  Leonore and Princess Adrienne wore a sweet blue hair bows.

The Swedish royals do these family milestone events so well, even in a pandemic-mandated reduced capacity. What do you think of thesehats and headpieces today?

Images from Getty and social media as indicated  

Christening of Princess Estelle, Nine Years On

On May 22, 2012, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel brought their daughter, Princess Estelle, to the Royal Chapel in Stockholm’s Royal Palace to be christened.

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Crown Princess Victoria wore cocktail hat with triangular base covered in the same nude pink fabric as her dress. Lace from her dress’ neckline was cut out into three dimensional applique trim along with rolled roses. A spray of the lace and floral trim was additionally tucked into Victoria’s chignon, just below the hat.

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It’s a beautifully trimmed hat, the scale perfect for an event where all eyes were on Estelle. The addition of that second spray of  lace applique roses is a unique one, adding greater presence to the piece and linking it in a lovely way to Victoria’s updo. We don’t often see accompaniment milliner pieces in such a way.

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Designer: Malinda Damgaard. Dress by Elie Saab. 
Previously Worn: This hat was new

Queen Silvia repeated a blush straw turban with twisted side rose. For this occasion, small pink silk flowers, feathers and a scattering of pearls were added to the design, giving it texture that beautifully complimented her blush lace peplum jacket.

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Designer: unknown. Jacket by Valentino. 
Previously Worn: April 30, 2004

Princess Madeleine wore a pale grey feather crescent shaped headpiece with lavender net birdcage veil. At the time, it seemed like such an elegant and classic choice for her.


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Designer: Malinda Damgaard. Dress and coat from Philosophy by Alberta Ferretti 
Previously Worn: This headpiece was new

Sofia Hellqvist, who was not yet a member of the Swedish royal family, wore an ecru multi-looped bow fascinator studded with trimmed feathers.

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Designer: unknown.  Dress by Tibi
Previously Worn: This headpiece was new

Prince Daniel’s mother, Ewa Westling, wore a fascinator of taupe twists and feathers. Danie’s sister Anna, who is one of Princess Estelle’s godparents, wore a simple brimmed hat in white straw trimmed with a flower and bow at the back.

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Estelle’s other godmother is Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, who repeated a golden wheat coloured straw saucer studded with tiny diamanté and trimmed with large ecru silk flowers and coque feathers on the underside of the raised brim. The neutral scheme of her ensemble kept Mary suitably in the background while the hat’s dramatic shape and bold trim gave it just the right amount of ‘statement’ in her significant role at this happy occasion.

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Designer: Jane Taylor.  Dress by Strenesse.
Previously Worn: July 2, 2011. It has since been repeated  on June 15, 2016 and June 15, 2019

There were numerous royal guests and members of the extended Swedish royal family at this christening- see their hats at this post.

Which designs from this group of immediate family and godparents stand out to you most these nine years on?

Photos from Getty and social media as indicated; Corbis

Monaco Royal Wedding: Scandinavian Royals

It’s not often that a monarch marries so it was no surprise that the religious ceremony of Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock on July 2, 2011 included lots of royal guests.

We start our tour of royal hats worn to this wedding with the last bride to marry a reigning monarch- Queen Silvia, who wore a wide brimmed parasisal straw picture hat in lilac pink. The design featured a crossover shape on the front of the crown, a gently sideswept brim and was simply trimmed with a double looped straw bow on the side. With her silk jacquard cloqué dress in the same colour, the hat topped a very coordinated look.

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Designer: unknown

Crown Princess Victoria’s aqua calot hat was clearly designed to match her silk chiffon embellished dress with the same curved iridescent paillettes on the dress’ sleeves completely covering the hat. It’s a very textural look in a colour that’s great for Victoria but that was let down by her limply styled hair. Victoria was in her first trimester of pregnancy with Princess Estelle at the time of this wedding, making me wonder if she was feeling her best or if the heat of the day simply got the best of her. It’s a fussier look than we usually see on Victoria, which makes me like it for her, and I wish we could see it worn again with a more successful hairstyle.

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Designer: unknown. Dress by Escada.

Princess Madeleine paired her almond silk dress with a large silk rose headpiece in a similar hue, with tall curving pheasant feather. As far as fascinators go, this one makes a statement… although the curve and height of that feather always felt a bit random to me.

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Designer: unknown. Dress by Dolce & Gabbana

Princess Mette-Marit also chose a monochrome look in a pale, neutral pink with a crescent headpiece of layered hand cut lace that circled around the back of her head. The multiple layers of lace created a wonderfully dimensional piece that contrasted against the smooth lines and asymmetrical neckline of her dress and beautifully framed her face. I usually am a stickler for impeccable finishes on royal millinery but the the slightly raw lace on this design gave it an edgy, rough beauty.

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Designer: unknown. Dress by Valentino.

Princess Mary wore one of my favourite looks at this wedding with a finely woven, wheat-hued straw saucer hat studded with tiny diamanté, trimmed with large ecru silk roses and flying coque feathers. While a neutral colour, the hat was anything but boring thanks to its dramatic shape and bold trim, elements that enabled it to stand up as the perfect counterpoint for Mary’s Mediterranean blue silk dress. With neutral shoes and a fun, patterned turquoise purse, this ensemble was perfectly styled and firmly got my vote for best dressed guest at this wedding. Nine years on, it’s still one of my favourites.

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Designer: Jane Taylor. Dress by Prada. 

Princess Marie went with a more monochrome approach, topping her pale peach silk wrap dress with a brimmed hat in the same shade. The hat’s brim was gently turned up around the front the hat was completed a spray of straw leaves in darker and lighter shades sweeping over the side.

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Designer: unknown. Dress by Rikke Gudnitz.

There’s no shortage of interesting milliner here- we’ve got colour, sparkle and drama! I’ve already tipped my hand as to my favourite, dearest readers but I’m curious- which looks here stand out most to you?

Jump to this post for an index of other royal hats that appeared at this wedding. 

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Greek Royal Wedding 20 Years On: Norwegian & Swedish Royal Guests

Continuing our look back at the July 9, 1999 wedding of Princess Alexia of Greece and Carlos Quintana, we turn our attention to hats worn by members of the Norwegian and Swedish royal families. Queen Sonja topped an iridescent lime suit with a picture hat in slightly darker green straw. The hat featured a shallow, rounded crown and a wide brim with dowturned edge and was trimmed with lovely lime silk orchids.

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Queen Silvia also wore a hat much larger than the styles we see her favour most often today. In dove grey straw, her picture hat’s round, flat crown topped an oversize mushroom brim. The hat was simply trimmed with a wide grey silk hat and and brim binding. With her grey ensemble, the overall look oozed elegance.

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Crown Princess Victoria was just 22 at the time of this wedding and, I suspect, not yet a customer of couture hats. Her slouchy brown stitched hat followed an hourglass shape (popular at the time) with upturned Kettle brim and bow on the side.

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Princess Madeleine wore a pink sinamay hat. The hat’s boater style crown was covered in pleated rows of crin and the cartwheel brim, in a relaxed crin ruffle overlay. The hat’s classic shape in light crin embellishment made a sweet and feminine choice for the teenage princess, even if the trailing bow down the back was a bit twee.

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Some of you have commented on the large number of picture hats at this wedding and the two added here were among my favourites. What do you think of these hats?

Photos from Getty as indicated