Tag Archives: Princess Madeleine

Christening of Princess Estelle, Nine Years On

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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

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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

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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 

Dutch Royal Wedding 17 Years On: Royal Guests Part 1

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When Crown Prince Willem-Alexander married Máxima Zorreguieta seventeen years ago, his status as heir to the Dutch throne made the wedding a state occasion and as such, a large number of royal guests attended. We now look at some of these royal hats.

Queen Margrethe’s hat linked with her fur trimmed coat, the domed crown covered in the same textured blue wool fabric. The denim blue inverse brim made this design unique, hugging the bottom of the crown tightly before opening horizontally, the shape punctuated by a slim lighter blue hatband on the under side. the brim’s front brim vent was further highlighted with a pearl brooch. Despite its small footprint, this hat packs a lot of punch- perhaps too much in combination with the fur collar and cuffs on the coat?

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Princess Benedikte wore a silver tweed coat and hat with fur trim on the bumper brim (and collar and dress hem). The scale of fur trim is just right here and the dark colour contrasts AND coordinates beautifully with the fabric. The fur hem of the dress is a little odd but the hat works really well.

Benedikte’s eldest daughter,  Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, topped her lilac dress and coat with a magenta felt brimless hat trimmed with a tall spray of feathers. The pieces are all individually attractive but I’m just not sure they combine well together. Photos of Alexandra’s younger sister, Princess Nathalie, who also attended, elude me.

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Queen Silvia’s midnight blue hat combined straw and velvet- not a combination we often see. The hat’s wide, upturned kettle brim was edged in a wide stripe of velvet which was repeated on the crown. A ruched hatband of light straw added softness, volume and textural contrast between the crown and brim.

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Crown Princess Victoria topped her tailored chocolate suit with a matching straw hat. It’s a hat I’m happy to leave in the past for Victoria, its unrefined finishing and awkward looking hatband making a less than flattering look for her.

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Princess Madeleine’s hat packed a little more style punch and finesse with its angular crown and upswept brim around the back. The sequinned hatband reads a little ‘glitzy cowgirl’ and the roughly woven straw feels slightly unmatched against Madeleine’s beautifully tailored dress and jacket but somehow, the look works for what it was.

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Queen Sonja topped her cantaloupe orange lace suit with a matching silk cloche hat. The upturned brim updated the traditional shape with some angular edge (a touch somewhat nullified by the wide, rather dowdy lace hatband) and a small spray of orange feathers and a canteloupe silk twist on the side attempted to liven the design. A matching canteloupe lace purse and fur stole completed the look- and a lot of canteloupe it was. Melon overkill, I’d say.

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Crown Princess Mette-Marit was barely six months into royal life at this point and her ensemble reflects some of this inexperience. Her navy silk cloche hat was embellished by a wide, ruched hatband and the same matchstick cream stitching around the outside of the brim edge as on the neckline of her dress and, in reverse, on her cream coat. All in all, it was rather bland.
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From bland and boring we move to brilliantly bizarre with Princess Märtha Louise’s hat. A fantastical design that combines a tall, olive green felt square-edged hourglass crown, a wide purple felt brim, purple roses and cobalt, orange and red feathers, the hat is unexpected, whimsical and… well, it’s just bonkers. Pairing this embellished purple suit with this hat was a gutsy move I’ve always admired and makes me smile, still.
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Well- there’s much to discuss here! Which hats stand out to you, most? Which hats have weathered the passage of time, best?
Photos from Getty as indicated

Christening of Princess Adrienne

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Princess Madeleine of Sweden and her husband Chris O’Neill, were joined by family and friends today at Drottningholm Palace Chapel for the christening of their daughter, Princess Adrienne.

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For the event, held on the couple’s fifth anniversary, Princess Madeleine topped her cream silk floral dress with a bandeau headpiece of silk flowers in the same pink and coral shades as the flowers on her dress.

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It’s a pretty headpiece that has the feel of a folk floral headdress. Madeleine has worn headpieces for each of her children’s christenings (most of those in attendance wore small headpieces) so it’s not surprising she went this route today. I can’t help wondering, however, if a small, embellished straw percher hat might have coordinated better with the dress and felt less ‘twee’ than this headpiece.

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Designer: unknown. Dress by Giambattista Valli
Previously Worn: this headpiece is new

Princess Leonore wore a small white flower trimmed barrette in her hair.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: this is new
What do you think of Princess Madeleine’s floral headpiece? Jump over to the following posts for: 
Photos from Getty as indicated; SVT; Stella Pictures / TT