On Tuesday, members of the Romanian royal family celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Romanian crown with events held in Bucharest and Sinaia. The day’s events included a military ceremony, garden party and outdoor concert, and the first raising of the royal standard at Peleș Royal Castle since 1947. While King Michael’s health prevented his attendance, the Romanian princesses all joined in the celebration.

Crown Princess Margareta wore a turquoise straw hat with wide brim designed by Romanian designer Kristina Dragomir. Its placement, far back on her head, allowed the appliqué lace flowers flowers and leaves on the underside of the brim to frame her face. A wide twist of pleated purple straw placed on the other side of the brim further trimmed the hat and tied into Margareta’s other purple accessories. The hat is a fantastic colour on her and the appliqué detail is a lovely touch we don’t often see. I’m just not sure about the jarring purple twist.

Princess Elena topped her red dress and coat in a small straw percher hat trimmed with flowers and curling straw ribbons. I thought the design was a wonderful compliment to her hairstyle and the natural straw a good counterpoint to her vibrant ensemble.

Princess Sophia paired her apricot dress and jacket with a small cream straw hat trimmed with white and brown feathers and a cream bow. The scale of the piece feels a little small for Sophia although the jaunty angle she wore the piece is great fun.

Princess Maria wore a large, white straw picture hat. The short crown of this piece is wrapped in a royal blue ribbon thied in a huge side bow and the hat is further embellished with multiple loops and bows of white organdie. It’s a nice enough piece that I think could have been elevated greatly if she had tilted it forward on her head.

Archduchess Maria-Magdalena of Austria (King Michael’s niece) joined in the festivities in a large black straw hat. Trimmed in a sash of diagonal black and white stripes around the crown, the focus of the piece is a wreath of large black straw leaves placed on top of the mushroom brim. Such sculpture with straw is not something we see often and the design was certainly unique.

We seldom see the Romanian royals and it was lovely to see the Princesses and their cousin together to celebrate this event.

What did you think of this parade of Romanian royal hats?

Photos from Cristian Coposesc and Daniel Angelescu. via The Royal Family of Romania