Tag Archives: Princess Nobuko

This Week’s Extras

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Last Sunday, Princess Hisako attended a baseball tournament for school children in Tokyo in a large hat with wide black brim and white pork pie-style indented crown
Also last Sunday, Queen Elizabeth repeated her pale blue straw cloche with sloped crown, silk hatband and handmade feather flower by Rachel Trevor Morgan to attend Sunday Service at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral Castle. The Countess of Wessex repeated a navy felt Jane Taylor trilby and the Duchess of Cornwall repeated her natural ecru straw capulet hat.

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Princess Hisako departed Tokyo for an 11-day visit to Canada in a prim white bowler with side bow.
Princess Nobuko in a cream pyramid saucer hat trimmed with a prim white-piped navy bow to open an exhibition today in Tokyo
Brace yourselves, dear readers- there were a lot of new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Navy straw hat trimmed with multi-coloured thread by British brand NDLQ Millinery
Wonderful cream and deep coral teardrop hat with bow topped ruffle by British milliner Rae Oakley
Unexpected spiky hatband on this black straw and felt design by Dutch milliner Nienke Visser
Pink button percher with wonderful deep pink leather dahlias by Australian brand Maker Millinery
Striking headpiece of overlapping sinamay diamonds by British brand Rebecca Couture Millinery
Red straw bonnet with silk flower made by Australian milliner Lauren Ritchie for a theatre production
Lush and luxe headpiece of handmade royal purple silk flowers and gold feathers by Rachel Trevor Morgan
Creative cerulean blue straw calot with peacock feather trim by Belgian milliner Amélie D’Hooghvorst
Winter white felt button percher with soaring and sparkling black twist trim by British milliner Vivian Sheriff
Bonkers but beautiful hat with many-layered orange crin brim by British milliner Stephen Jones
Cobalt felt cloche with teal felt appliqued peacock by German milliner Angelika Löbering
Two stunning designs by Australian milliner Souri Sengdara under label Velvet and Tonic: a perfectly
proportioned scarlet braided velvet bandeau and a sculptural teal straw pillbox with ivory pleated fan wrap
And from Australian milliner Jill Humphries who works until the Jill and Jack Millinery label, this breathtaking halo headpiece in gold jinsin with cut gold feathers. Simplicity without any compromise of beauty.
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India Hicks has launched a new podcast that captures fantastic stories told by her mother, Pamela Hicks. They are filled with interesting royal tidbits and worth a listen.
Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko are on a trip to Bhutan and, for the first time, have brought Prince Hisahito along with them. Visits with the Bhutan king, queen and crown prince yielded some lovely photos, especially ones of the young boys together and Prince Hisahito trying out archery, Bhutan’s national sport


Photos from social media as indicated

Hat From the Past

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Royal Hats to this day in 2002, seventeen years ago, that saw Princess Nobuko wear a wide-brimmed, cream straw hat wrapped in net veiling to open an exhibition celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Japanese Red Cross Society. It’s a far larger scale Imperial royal hat than we usually see these days and I’d love to see more of this!

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Photo from Getty as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Princess Akiko in a pale grey repeated bucket hat with kettle brim at the National Junior High School Selection Shogi Championship in Yamagata August 3
On Saturday, August 3, Princess Hisako was in Teshikaga for the “Starry Sky Town, Blue Sky Town” National Convention. She wore a very interesting ivory hat with short brim, coral hatband and tall ivory wrap around the crown that fluted into the shape of a flower.
On Sunday, August 4, she attended the closing ceremony of a national Sea Cadet convention in Tokyo. The blue hat she wore is trimmed with a twist in the same printed fabric as her suit, a slim navy twisted hatband and layered, textured leaves in jade, magenta, chocolate, blue and cream. The scale and shape are so great on her and I adore the pop of colour!


On Tuesday, August 6, Queen Elizabeth officially took up summer residence at Balmoral Castle, inspecting the Balaklava Company, 5 Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland at the castle gates. She repeated a Rachel Trevor Morgan designed hat first worn last summer– this outing gives a much better view of the silk crepe covered cloche with double hatband (love the punchy contrast of the black hatband) and handmade flowers.
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On Wednesday, August 7, Empress Masako, Crown Princess Kiko, Princess Hanako and Princess Nobuko attended the Florence Nightingale Medal Ceremony, which honors nurses. Empress Masako’s white silk covered bowler features a wide hatband of appliqued lace, Crown Princess Kiko’s ecru hat with mushroom brim is covered in the same jacquard floral print as her suit, Princess Hanako’s repeated white straw hat has a cuffed brim in silk crepe that is slightly elevated on one side and Princess Nobuko’s white hat has a crisply contrasting wide navy silk hatband. You can see these hats in motion at this video clip.


On Thursday, August 8, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attended the King’s Cup Regatta in Cowes to watch the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge take part in the race. While his parents donned informal baseball hats, Prince George was slightly more commanding in his naval cap.
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On Saturday, August 10th, Princess Tsuguko of Takamado attended the archery finals of the Inter-High School General Sports Championships in Yatsushiro in a striking black and white straw hat.


On Sunday, August 11, members of Queen Elizabeth’s family joined her for Sunday morning service at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral in Scotland. The Queen repeated an Angela Kelly designed cream square-crowned cloche with thick hatband in the same pink striped bouclé as her matching suit, trimmed with a pink silk rose. The Duchess of Cornwall repeated a dark mushroom grey formed felt beret trimmed with pheasant feathers. Princess Beatrice of York repeated a cream Gina Foster beret percher trimmed with navy silk flowers and veil.
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Empress Masako in an angular grey silk hat with bumper brim and small bow at the back on Thursday at a WWII commemoration ceremony
Princess Hisako in a pale celery green hat with appliqued lace covered crown and rolled crin brim today to open a new field hockey stadium for next year’s Olympic summer games (notice her field hockey stick necklace!)
Queen Elizabeth attended a craft fair at Crathie Kirk in Scotland today, finally giving us a great view of the turquoise straw hat with double hatband and bows she wore, also in Scotland, back in 2017. Clearly a Rachel Trevor Morgan design, I really like the contrasting stripes on the bow ribbon tails which tie in with Her Majesty’s skirt
1940s inspired hat with deeply pinched black crown and ivory mushroom brim by Australian milliner Carole Maher
Lime sinamay abstract leaf headpiece with ivory bow by Spanish-based British milliner Donna Hartley
Teal button percher with veil, curled quills and multicoloured silk flowers by British milliner Bee Smith
Amazing texture and volume on this ecru silk abaca ruffled bandeau by Australian milliner Rachel Henry
Blush sinamay sidesweep with rose and black feathers and black butterflies by British milliner Bundle MacLaren
Fantastic open-crowned hat covered in red flowers by Irish brand Suzanne Ryan Millinery
Creative take on a classic black and white boater (love the textured brim!) by Australian Brand Monroe Millinery
Tangerine sinamay hat with button base edged in a wide, sleek ruffle by Dutch milliner Myra van de Korput
Raspberry pink straw teardrop beret percher with plume and multicoloured flower by UK brand Miss Ginny Millinery
Teal felt Garbo hat with amazing black embroidered brim by American milliner Behida Dolić
Ivory braided straw vintage Dior-inspired hat with black veil and ribbon by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Oversize ice blue saucer with irredescent blue and silver floral trim by UK brand Guibert Millinery
Pink pyramid of ombre dyed silk round petals trimmed with an ostrich plume by London milliner Awon Golding
Pale apricot sinamay hat with flying bow and quill by Czech milliner Jolana Kotabova
For our dear gents, a patterned Panama from Christys Hats and deep blue felt fedora from Hornskov København
Wonderful rosette bandeau of sage silk taffeta and blush silk organza by Prudence for Lock & Co. Hatters
And from Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit, this fabulous grape sinamay percher with pink and scarlet twist. Colourful hats can be difficult to balance but this one is perfect, remaining firmly stylish and modern (no cartoonishness here!). It’s also impeccably finished- note the complete absence of visible seams and crisp edges on the two-toned twist.  So fun!

Condolences to the Dutch royal family as they grieve the loss of Princess Christina (Princess Beatrix’s youngest sister) who died yesterday after a battle with bone cancer. Plans are for a private memorial with her cremated remains going to Fagel’s Garden Pavilion on the grounds of Noordeinde Palace. Read a statement and obituary from the Dutch monarchy here. 
Lovely informal shots of the Spanish Royal Family taken while on their annual vacation in Palma de Mallorca.
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Adorable picture of Lady Sarah McCorquodale and her daughter Celia taken during preparations for Celia’s wedding last summer, for which she wore the Spencer family tiara.
Countess Josephine of Rosenborg (daughter of the late Count Christian of Rosenborg) and Kenneth Schmidt were married on August 8
In an interesting move, the Imperial Household Agency released footage of former Princess Noriko’s music and dance performances (she is an accomplished ballerina), taken before she married. They also announced that her younger sister, the former Princess Ayako, and her husband Kei Moriya are expecting their first child.
We end this week with adorable photos of Princess Anne’s four granddaughters Savannah, Isla, Mia and Lena, enjoying the Festival of British Eventing the first weekend of August at their grandmum’s estate, Gatcombe Park
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Photos from social media as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Princess Akiko in a small almond kettle brimmed hat with layered pale blue hatband last Sunday at the Prince Tomohito Memorial World Grand Prix International Bicycle Competition 2019 in Nagano.
Camille Gottlieb, daughter of Princess Stephanie of Monaco, in a black piped natural straw hat last Monday at the Fight Aids gala. Camille’s older sister, Pauline, also shared a snap of herself in a casual straw hat. 
Queen Margrethe arrived at Sønderborg Harbour on the Royal Yacht Dannebrog on Tuesday en route to her summer residence Graasten Palace (where she was sweetly welcomed by her grandchildren!) in her pink hat with floral hatband
Princess Nobuko in navy and red trimmed hats on Wednesday and Thursday to celebrate 130th anniversary of the Japanese Red Cross Society in Fukushima
The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Beautiful amethyst silk abaca-wrapped  cap with twists and quill by Dutch milliner Mirjam de Rijke
Summery fedoras in genuine Panama straw with subtle hatband details by British milliner Amanda Denton
Elegant navy and cream checkerboard straw saucer with cream jinsin twists by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Adore the classic elegance of this white straw percher with layered grey bow by British milliner Dillon Wallwork
Technology and millinery meet in this amazing red 3D printed hat by Australian milliner Carole Maher
Adore the painterly pale greige feather flowers on this percher by Scottish milliner Maggie Mowbray
Midnight blue velvet padded kokoshnik bandeau with peacock feathers by British milliner Stephanie Gallen
Simply beautiful pale pink saucer with ombre dyed crin ruffle by British milliner Tracey Miller
Striking gold and red feather flame headpiece by Californian milliner Amy Fowler
Fascinating shape on British milliner Harvey Santos’ white ‘Guggenheim’ brimless hat

And from from Irish milliner Aoife Harrison, this stunning forward facing saucer with black and gold feathers

Lovely shot of Queen Margrethe with half her grandchild squad at Graasten Palace. Her nephew, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, also shared these lovely snaps of his daughter, Princess Olympia, with her grandparents, the king and queen. 
Lovely snap shared by Crown Princess Mette-Marit to celebrate Crown Prince Haakon’s birthday
Charming photos of the Dutch king and queen with their daughters taken at an annual summer photo session at Huis ten Bosch Palace
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We conclude the week with this adorable salutation, sung to the Duchess of Cornwall on Tuesday for her birthday and with new photographs of Prince George, who turns 6 tomorrow, taken by his mum. Enjoy the end of your weekend!

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