Tag Archives: Queen Camilla

Buckingham Palace Garden Party Not Dampened by Showers

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Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh hosted their second Garden Party this summer season in the grounds of Buckingham Palace yesterday afternoon. Despite rainy weather, the Queen looked very sunny in her yellow hat with flat brim and crown, trimmed with rosettes and leaves on the side. Many of you will recognize this ensemble from its debut back in 2011 at Prince William’s wedding. I must admit that it has grown on me since then (I initially found all the right angles in the hat too severe) and have come to appreciate its simplicity. I particularly love that the Queen matched the trim on her umbrella to her ensemble (as she usually does).

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Designer: Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren
Previously Worn: June 16, 2012; October 23, 2011; April 29, 2011

The Duke of Edinburgh looked dapper, as always, in a dove grey top hat.

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This party was attended by two of the Queen’s four children and their wives, who both repeated beautiful hats.

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The Duchess of Cornwall repeated her magnificent pale turquoise blue picture hat with an asymmetrical brim trimmed with a spray of dove grey feathers. Camilla carries large, dramatic hats so very well and this shade of blue, which looks amazing on her, makes this one of my favourite of her hats.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: June 17, 2013; June 6, 2013; June 16, 2012; June 13, 2009; September 10, 2008; June 18, 2008 

The Countess of Wessex repeated her spectacular beigey-pink asymmetrical waved straw hat. This hat, trimmed with a rosette and long, curling feather spines, is so light and lovely- exactly the kind of hat I imagine for a garden party. I was a little perplexed, however, at her pairing it with this rather heavy looking skirt and jacket. I much prefer this hat with the light and airy Bruce Oldfield suit Sophie paired it with at its fist outing.

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Designer: Jane Taylor
Previously Worn: July 30, 2011

It was so lovely to see Princess Alexandra of Kent at the garden party yesterday, back on her feet after a long illness last year. She looked regal in a royal blue picture hat trimmed with silk flowers, net and gently curling feathers.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: June 2011

Alexandra’s brother, the Duke of Kent, also looked handsome in in a dove grey top hat.

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T’was a wonderful day of millinery at Buckingham Palace yesterday, despite the showers. Which hat was your favourite?

Photos from Getty as indicated

 

Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall in Canada

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Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived in Canada yesterday for a whirlwind four-day visit. Today, they attended a welcome ceremony in Halifax where Camilla unveiled a new hat- this cornflower blue hard-shell beret trimmed with an oversize pheasant feather. My first thought was that in this hat, she looks ready to set off with a ghillie for a Balmoral hunt but at second look, I think this whole ensemble is playing subtle homage to today’s host city, which is in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia (New Scotland). It is nice to see the Duchess experimenting with different hat shapes but this one is all about that FEATHER… I can’t decide if Camilla is wearing this hat or the hat is wearing her. What do you think?

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: I believe this is a new hat

British Royals Welcome Irish President

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Queen Elizabeth II added another significant moment in history to her reign this morning with the welcome of Irish President Michael Higgins to Windsor Castle. This is the first official visit by the head of state of the Irish Republic to the United Kingdom and signified another step towards peace in Northern Ireland. For this important occasion, The Queen repeated the blue cashmere picture hat she first wore for Prince George’s christening back in October.

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I must admit that I like this hat much more today than I did during its first outing; the colour is beautiful on Her Majesty and the flower embellishment (made of feathers!) is light and perfect for a spring day like today. I like the delicate slope on the top of the crown and while the wool felt looks a little too fuzzy (and there is still that awful seam in the back), I thought this hat looked great on Queen Elizabeth. 

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Designer: Angela Kelly, made by Stella McLaren.  
Previously Worn: October 23, 2013

The Duchess of Cornwall wore her navy blue picture hat, a hat that looks beautiful against her blonde hair. While I am still not a fan of the sausage-like rope wrapped around the crown, I must admit that Camilla looked great. Since Irish-born Philip Treacy is Camillia’s regular milliner, it’s not surprising to see her one of his hats today but great for Irish fashion nonetheless.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: December 25, 2014; March 19, 2012

Irish First Lady Sabina Higgins was also in a Philip Treacy creation, a pale pink cocktail hat with dramatic pleated sculpture on the side. Say whatever you want about the washboard topping this hat – you cannot deny that Mrs. Higgins needed some steely confidence to pull of this hat and she did it! Paired with her impeccable Louise Kennedy dress and coat, Mrs. Higgins looked amazing and, most importantly, that she fit right in. I loved the guts it took for her to wear this hat and I am thrilled that she pulled it off so well.

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News reports are saying that Mrs. Higgins commissioned six Nessa Cronin hats for this visit so I think we are in store for some great British and Irish millinery over the next few days! What did you think of the hats we saw today?

British Royals Honor Sir David Frost

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Members of the British Royal family attended attend a memorial service yesterday at Westminster Abbey to celebrate the life and work of Sir David Frost. The Duchess of Cornwall wore a black calot hat trimmed with a dramatic wave ribbon trim and large bloom. She has several other hats similar in shape and I think it is a shape that suits her very well.

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Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: I believe this is a new hat

The Countess of Wessex wore a unique vertical plate hat trimmed in circles of narrow ruffled ribbon.

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Designer: Rachel Trevor Morgan
Previously Worn: June 6, 2013; February 24, 2009; November 9, 2008

Princess Beatrice attended with both of her parents.  Beatrice repeated a new charcoal grey flat disk hat with embroidered (or beaded?) flower detail. Her mother Sarah, Duchess of York, wore a black brimless and crownless hat with veil and large bow tails at the back.

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Designer of Princess Beatrice’s hat: unknown. I believe this hat is new
Designer of Sarah, Duchess of York’s hat: unknown. She wore it to Princess Diana’s funeral on September 6, 1997

Lady Sarah Chatto and Viscountess Linley also attended the service (seen behind the Duchess of Cornwall). Lady Sarah wore an elegant black saucer hat while Serena wore a chocolate brown wool calot trimmed with a monochrome felt flower.

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Designer of Lady Sarah Chatto’s hat: Stephen Jones
Previously Worn: June 17, 2013; June 2012; July 30, 2011
Designer of Viscountess Linley’s hat: unknown. Perhaps a variation on Lock & Co’s Ballerina hat?

Photos from Getty as indicated