Tag Archives: Princess Margriet

Princess Margriet Attends War Memorial

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On Friday, Princess Margriet was joined by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a memorial at the Canadian war cemetery in Bergen op Zoom.

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The Dutch princess repeated a black woven hat with domed crown and brim, upturned around the back. The monochrome design is trimmed with a wide black hatband and a layered double bow in the same textured straw as the hat body, placed at the back.

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Black hats for memorial events are a tricky thing to get right but the woven straw and tweaked shape of both the crown and brim on this design give it visual the interest we often see provided by a hat’s trim. The styling of the ensemble is great with wonderful monochrome contrast found between the patent leather boots, sleek lines of the suit, silky shine of the bow necktie and nubby weave of the hat.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: June 11, 2008; October 15, 2002 and likely others

What do you think about this hat?

Images from Getty as indicated  

This Week’s Extras

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On Monday, Princess Mako wore an ivory jacquard silk covered calot with folded brim and apricot silk trim for a farewell visit with her grandparents, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emeritus Michiko.

On Tuesday afternoon, Princess Beatrix opened the Prince Claus Bridge over the Dordrecht waterway in a dark blue sinamay brimmed hat.

On Friday, Queen Margrethe repeated her plaid trilby and matching suit at the “Children’s Nature and Science Festival 2021” in Hillerød.
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Light and whimsical headpiece of pleated crin cherries by Dutch milliner Josemieke Crebolder
Wonderful stitching in hues of pink and purple on this plum felt fedora by American milliner Conney Borda
Sparkling disco beret with black crin double bow by Australian milliner Wendy Scully
Reproduction coals scuttle bonnet in black moire taffeta by British costume milliner Jane Bedden
Beautiful draped, rolled and soaring brim on this yellow hat in vintage straw by Australian milliner Jill Humphries

The audience winner in the 2021Netherlands Hat Association competition by Dutch milliner Koos van de Wal.
Headpiece of the amazing handmade velvet pansies by British milliner Anne Tomlin
Punchy green patterned buntal cap with navy visor by New Zealand milliner Maree Tong
Woven saucer in vibrant metallic yarn by Australian milliner Belinda Osborne
Amazing texture on this black veiled halo headpiece by American milliner Laura Del Villaggio
Masterful mix of subtle autumnal hues and textures in this design by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit

Kokoshnik headpiece of woven pearls by Irish milliner Carol Kenelly
Perfect pattern matching on this lime plaid felt cloche by Belgian brand Hats And More
Cream parasisal high-crowned hat with exquisite ombre brim by Australian milliner Stephanie Spencer
Indigo straw bandeau with tweed sea urchin-like flowers by Australian milliner Wendy Diggles
Such a smart black and white tweed cap by American brand Kokin New York
Striking headpiece of overlapping satin feathers by Italian milliner Francesco Ballestrazzi

After her marriage on Tuesday, Mako and her new husband Kei Komuro attended a press conference. The lack of wedding rites and celebration and the impromptu hug from Princess Kako as Mako left her parent’s home was hearbreaking (as we the release of an Akishino family photo taken over the summer). This article in the New York Times describes the situation well. I’m sure you all join me in wishing Mako and Kei happiness and peace as they start their marriage and Mako embarks on a new life.

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Images from social media as indicated 

This Week’s Extras

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Ahead of her October 26 marriage, Princess Mako wore a simple black brimmed hat to visit the graves of her great grandparents on Tuesday. Today, she and Princess Kako wore a cream silk bumper hats for a ritual at the Three Palace Sanctuaries (Mako’s last as a member of the Imperial Royal Family).

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On Tuesday, Maud Behn wore a whimsical lobster embroidered bandeau headpiece to take delivery of her upcoming book.
Also on Tuesday, Princess Margriet wore a chocolate hat with felt crown and sinamay mushroom brim for a WWII memorial

On Tuesday, Princess Beatrix wore a bumper hat in layered burgundy and rust sinamay with a pyramid crown for the anniversary of a women’s charity

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The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Stunning pink swirl and gold pinwheel designs by Australian milliner Rebecca Share
Fantastic pink boater hat by Australian milliner Michelle Robinson
Sophisticated claret felt brimmed design by American milliner Debbie Lorenzo
Graphic, wide-brimmed interlocking wood hat by Spanish brand Vivascarrion Artmilliners
Stunning colour and shape on this flared bumper, blocked on a puzzle block, by US milliner Laura Del Vellaggio
Wonderfully whimsical design of gold rolled sinamay ‘hair’ by Australian milliner Rachel Henry!

Amazing Tudor headpiece by British theatrical milliner Lauren Martin
Incredible sea waves headpiece by Australian brand Taboo Millinery
Magenta floating bandeau headpiece by Australian milliner Lauren J. Ritchie
Lovely vintage vibe on this cream felt draped hat with teal trim by Polish brand Oktopus
Gorgeous raspberry sinamay hat with domed crown and cartwheel brim by Australian milliner Fiona Cooper
Bandeau headpiece of pink scrolled braid flowers by Australian milliner Lisette Margini
At a loss how to describe this embellished pillbox by Australian milliner Catherine Storm except… WOW!

Utterly charming pale blue pale blue parasisal brimmed hat with flying bow by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Wonderful historical bonnets made by Finnish brand Brevetar Hats
Exquisite rolled sinamay lily headpiece with cornflowers by British milliner Bridget Bailey
Deep magenta halo bandeau of metallic flowers by Australian milliner Sophie Allport
Striking black interwoven ring headpiece by American brand CHUCHU NY
Punchy orange and fuchsia waved saucer with silk flowers by British milliner Beverley Edmondson
Fresh and creative lattice woven headpiece with flying bow by Australian milliner Belinda Osborne
Unique watercolour painted boater by British designer Shandana de la Rivière

Lovely new portraits of King Jigme Khesar and Queen Jetsun Pema released for their 10th wedding anniversary

New snaps of Prince Christian released for his his 16th birthday this week

And we end the week with adorable Prince Charles of Luxembourg.

Images from social media as indicated 

Dutch Royal Wedding 20 Years On: Guests

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We finish our look back 20 years at the May 2001  wedding of Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien today with hats worn by royal guests and extended members of the Dutch royal family to the couple’s religious ceremony.

Princess Mathilde wore a white parasisal straw hat with slightly flared, flat-top crown and generous mushroom brim. The classic black and white scheme always works and I really like how the black stitching on her coat was reversed in white on the hat’s black hatband.

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Crown Princess Victoria took a more neutral path with a tan and cream subtle plaid coat and dress topped with a picture hat in beige straw. It was not a dynamic look (it’s all rather biscuit!!), not helped by the low curve of the hat’s gently sidesweeping brim that sat awkwardly low over Victoria’s face.

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Mette-Marit Tjenssem, who would become Crown Princess of Norway three months later, wore a blush coat with sequin detail repeated on the hatband of her cream picture hat. It was another quiet ensemble (despite the sequins) but nice, from today’s vantage point, to see Mette-Marit in a brimmed design.

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We can usually count on Princess Märtha Louise to bring some colour and she did not disappoint at this event, pairing her lilac shantung silk suit with a deep orange statement hat. Between the hat’s vibrant shade, extended brim with point ends, fuchsia brim binding and brim stitching and hatband of cut orange and fuchsia silk leaves, it was a memorable design.

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Princess Kiko was in head to hem pale butter yellow. Her hat was a most interesting shape with a bumper style overtop a downward facing visor- it really defies description. Can you remember seeing her in another design of this shape? It feels unique.

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Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg topped her red suit with a natural straw woven hat with rounded crown and fluted brim bound with chocolate binding and topped with a layer of silk petal studded crin… or a large patterned lace? The hat was finished with a large flower on the left side.

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The Countess of Wessex wore two toned hat with green fluted crown and palest seafoam parasisal straw with very interesting, inverted brim and trimmed with peacock feathers. We don’t see many two toned hats and while this one reflects millinery styles of the time, still was a well balanced and interesting (in a good way!) design.

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Princess Alexandra De Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berlebourg (Princess Benedikte’s eldest daughter) contrasted her pale blue ensemble with a copper straw picture hat. The unexpected scheme worked, as did the hat’s scale on Alexandra’s tall frame. I really like the proportion between the hat’s crown and wide brim and the textural contrast provided by the stitched silk bow.

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Princess Miriam of Bulgaria wore a folded black sinamay design with black and white feathers and a black veil.

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Princess Margriet wore a wide brimmed hat in red sinamay with long sinamay sash folded over the hat. That folded sash was unique, as hat trimmings go, but seemed at odds with the rest of the design.

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Princess Marilène (back row behind Prince Constantijn) wore a dark hued, wide brimmed hat. Princess Irene (front row on right, beside Maxima) wore a lime green straw boater with extended brim. Princess Christina (second row, in between Prince Constantijn and Queen Beatrix) looked to be in a hat with black brim and royal blue crown.

It’s always interesting, looking back at past events, which hats seem timeless and which ones reflect specific styles of the time. Looking back 20 years at this event, which hats stand out most to you?

You can see hats worn by immediate family (and the bride’s attire) at the religious ceremony here and hats at the civil ceremony here.

Images from Getty as indicated  

Dutch Royal Wedding 20 Years On: Civil Ceremony

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Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary earlier this month, a milestone which warrants a look back at their nuptials.

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Constantijn and Laurentien’s circles overlapped years before they decided to marry, Laurentien’s mother Jantien a school friend of Queen Beatrix and her father,  Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, a prominent Dutch politician and diplomat (and, ironically, vocal proponent of a smaller Royal House and reduced political role of the Head of State). The couple, who then resided in Brussels, returned to The Hague for their three day wedding celebration: civil marriage on May 17, 2001,  gala dinner dance at Palace Noordeindeon May 18 and religious ceremony on May 19. Laurentien turned to Edouard Vermeulen of fashion house NATAN for all of her wedding attire.

She arrived at Oude Raadzaal (Old Town Hall) for the civil ceremony in a watermelon pink belted coat and dress topped by a lavender-grey hat with upfolded halo brim. Trimmed simply with a hatband in the same straw, the hat’s focal point was a pronounced brim pleat over Laurentien’s left eyebrow.

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It’s always hard to regard past looks objectively- at the time, I was awed by the dramatic shape of this hat and thought the look to be bold and confident.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne

Queen Beatrix wore an ivory straw flat crowned hat with wide layered pink and ivory folded straw hatbands and a pink upturned Breton style brim that beautifully set off her ivory coat and pink accessories.

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Laurentien’s mother Jantien topped her pale cornflower blue suit in a matching hat in the most unique shape – a sort of pillbox with pointed crown over which lay a slanted downturned brim – trimmed with a long quill. The hat’s scale and shape worked so well with the open collar on her jacket.

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Máxima Zorreguita, who would marry Prince Willem-Alexander nine months later, wore a grey straw hat with jauntily upturned brim on the right side. The hat was trimmed in a dark taupe hatband and bound brim (notice the matching clutch!) and an oversize grey flower with lime leaves and curled feather staments that curved around the left side of the design. Interestingly, the hat would reappear two years later on a visit to Brazil with smaller brim and trimming. I prefer this original version.

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Princess Margriet topped her blush suit with a wide brimmed black sinamay hat with tall ruched hatband around the shallow, rounded crown and a relaxed, fluted brim.

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Princess Annette wore a cream hat with straight-sided, domed crown and mushroom shaped brim with side embellishment. I’ve not been able to locate a photo of Princess Marilene.

Twenty years on, which of these hats best represents fashion of the time? Which one stands out to you most?

We’ll continue with a look at the religious ceremony later this week.

Images from Getty as indicated