Tag Archives: Queen Camilla

Ascot Day 1

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Royal Hats  Welcome to the first day of Royal Ascot 2013! I am thrilled to welcome British Milliner Katie Vale of Katie Vale Designs to the blog! Katie, who makes some wonderful hats, is joining us this week to chat about hats and share her millinery expertise. So with no further adieu, here is our review of the royal hats we saw today for the first day of the Royal Ascot Races.

The Queen  in Rachel Trevor Morgan

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Katie Vale: I love the soft pink colour, she doesn’t wear it very often.  The shape of the hat suits her and this is very popular with the Queen, we saw her wear this exact same shape on Saturday for Trooping of the Colour.  It’s come from the same block.  The pink straw is lovely and the loops add an element of modernity to it.  If it was just a flower on there it would be too dull.

Royal Hats Blog: I absolutely adore this hat. The brim size is lovely on the Queen and I agree that the colour is just wonderful on her (without looking twee). My first thought was that the side bow loops make this hat interesting  but you’re right- it makes it modern and fresh.  I love the graduated layers on the brim and crown- one more soft and subtle bit of interest on this hat. The crown shape looks different to me than the one she wore on Saturday (less diagonal on top) but no matter! All in all I agree- it’s a beautiful hat.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum of Dubai and Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Princess of Jordan, Sheikha of Dubai

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Katie Vale: Urm…..she has orange flowers on her hat and lime & lilac flowers on her dress.  This doesn’t work for me at all.  It looks like it’s been in the bottom of her wardrobe for years and she’s found it squashed under a pile of shoes……and has just plonked it on her head.  This is not for me.  Sorry!

Royal Hats Blog: I agree- this looks seriously disjointed. The rough weave of the hat does not work with the very elegant and formal lines of her dress. The flowers are flat and the large keyhole just looks awkward.

Queen Mesenate Mohato Seeiso of Lesotho

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Katie Vale: I like the apple green colour, it’s very fresh. But it doesn’t go with her dress. We’ve seen lots of skull caps and disc hats this week, and I’d say this is the least successful. To me, the skull cap and the disc look completely separate are and not joined smoothly. It looks like a disc just balancing on top of it! Which is a shame because actually I love the flower and material.

Royal Hats Blog: I want to like this hat- like Katie, I love the colour and the flower embellishment. There’s just something wonky about how the top of the hat is attached to the cap. It looks like a gust of wind might set it teetering back and forth.

The Duchess of Cornwall in a design by Philip Treacy

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Katie Vale: Camilla always wears a big hat with a very wide brim.  This upturned brim is typical Camilla style, but the crown has an unusual shape to it too, leaning to one side.  To get a bright white is quite unusual and she likes her muted tones, so it’s nice to see this on her.  I like the unusual knotted design too.  I think it softens what could be a very harsh hat.  It suits the outfit, I’d just like to see her in a little more colour.

Royal Hats Blog: I had no idea that getting a bright white straw was unusual! Camilla has many large-brimmed cream coloured hats (she has worn the ones here, here, here, here and here in the past eight months alone!) and while I like a neutral hat from time to time, I would like to see her in more colour as well. That being said, this hat is a beautiful shape and I really like the pleated band and knot around the crown. That feature really makes this hat.

Princess Anne, The Princess Royal

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Katie Vale: The colour is lovely but the crown is too complicated. It’s too high, has draped material and a flower! I’m not a fan. But it is very delicate and light weight so matches her outfit very well. I love the feathers but the boxy crown and the fabric draping is not a good look. Maybe 50% smaller it would be better?

Royal Hats Blog: I also really like the colour but I find the hat too big for her. Anne is wearing a great tailored suit and the fussy, voluminous hat just isn’t flattering. I find this hat tired and dated.

Princess Eugenie in a design by Nerida Fraiman

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Katie Vale: I actually really like this. It’s a cream sinamay disc with a black crin edging and loose knot on it.  I love the simplicity of it, yet it also has loads of wearability as it could go with anything!  She’s definitely got it right with this one.  The only thing I would say is that it needs to be pushed up a little more so that it is more of an angle and a little more upright. From the side view (below with Princess Beatrice) seeing the make of Eugenie’s makes me love it even more 🙂  Gorgeous!

Royal Hats Blog: Princess Eugenie continues her streak of amazing hats! This one seems very modern but still light and pretty which is a great look for her, I think. This hat gets two thumbs up from me.

Princess Beatrice in a design by Nerida Fraiman

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Katie Vale: What can I say?   But from the side (photo above) it just looks like a large grey crin pancake on her head.  There is little shape to it. From the other side (photo above with Princess Eugenie) it just makes me squint even more!   It is also very light in contrast to her very heavy brocade jacket!  This doesn’t do it for me!  Sparkly metallic base……not working…..especially with that outfit! Put it this way……I’d not let it go out of my studio!

Royal Hats Blog: It’s another very disjointed look. Lace, net, brocade, polka dots- it’s too much. The combination of this hat and coat does not work. I’m not sure the hat would works for her at all. The brim is too flimsy and I don’t like the overall shape. I’ll pass on this one as well.

The Countess of Wessex in a design by Jane Taylor

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Katie Vale: I’m a big fan of colour blocking and it’s everywhere at the moment.  But to me this isn’t the right blue.  It might just be the sunlight, but it either needs to be an exact match or a completely different shade of blue altogether.  I also think she’s wearing it in the wrong position.  Fascinators like this are either on the side or completely central…..rather than be positioned at 12 o’clock or 2 o’clock, she’s stuck at 1 o’clock!  However…..I like the idea and design, and the flowers are fine where they are.  And I actually really like the over-sized edging.  It’s still worn incorrectly though I think 🙂

Royal Hats Blog: I think this is a fantastic hat! I love the colour, shape, flower trim, and the position Sophie is wearing it! It is a beautiful percher hat and, I think, my favourite hat of the day!

The Prince of Wales and the Duke of York

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Katie Vale: They are in traditional top hat attire-  worn as expected and made in the standard way.  I have to say, a top hat can be extremely expensive.  The reason for this is due to the sheer amount of work that goes into them!  They take days and days to make!

Royal Hats Blog: Only the British men can wear a top hat and make it look handsome (and not ridiculous). I had no idea they are so labour intensive (they certainly look simpler than most of the women’s hats).

Viscountess Linley in a design by Stephen Jones

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Katie Vale:  I love this hat!  The bright pink plummage is stunning!  And it really goes well with her coat.  I also like the beret style design.  It’s very reminiscent of the 20s which is so “in” at the moment with The Great Gatsby film out.  But I’d say so far out of all the designs this is the one that I would be wearing!

Royal Hats Blog: For an all feathered hat, it’s quite good. A pillbox covered in feathers doesn’t sound like a great idea to me but it’s a fun hat that actually works. This shade of magenta pink is also very striking on Serena. It’s interesting how a movie can influence hat fashion so much!

Lady Helen Taylor in a design by Stephen Jones

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Katie Vale:  The black satin material is way too heavy for her delicate dress.  They have draped the satin which makes it look even larger and heavier.  Also this is very modern, but her dress is very old fashioned looking…..so the two just don’t work.  Some times opposites like that work, but for me this is a big no no.

Royal Hats Blog: I think this looks like a huge piece of fabric rolled up and stuck it on her head. I’m not a fan.

Princess Michael of Kent

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Katie Vale: OMG!  I love this!  My favourite so far! The upturned brim is lovely as it’s quite delicate; and the white feathers are stunning!  I love the very shallow crown that you can see on the hat….and the echo of the flowers that are placed in the bowl of the hat as well as underneath it.  High 5 for this hat!

Royal Hats Blog: Princess Michael wore this hat to the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation earlier this month. For that event, I thought it was a little much. I think it’s a much better hat for Ascot. I’m not personally a fan of all the roses but Marie-Christine does have a penchant for dramatic hats and this one certainly is dramatic!

There were a few noteworthy hats worn by non-royals today: Lady Penny Romsey, Danielle Lineker, Ruth Langsford, The Earl and Countess Spencer, Katherine Jenkins, Aishwaya Rai and Isabella Kristensen (who was one of the attendants at the wedding of Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco)

Katie and I will be back tomorrow with more hats from Ascot!

Photos from Getty as indicated

British Royals Attend Order of the Garter

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Queen Elizabeth and members of the British Royal Family attended the Order of the Garter Service today at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Founded in 1348 by Edward III, the Garter is the senior British order of chivalry awarded by the sovereign for outstanding public service and achievement. The Queen, The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, who are all members of the Garter, wore their robes and Garter hats – black velvet caps topped with large white ostrich plumes. The Queen’s cap also included a brooch of the Garter emblem which features St. George’s cross and its motto,  Honi soit qui mal y pense (shame upon him who thinks evil upon it).

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Also in Garter robes and plumed hats were the Dukes of Kent and York, the Earl of Wessex and Princess Anne. Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence wore a  black silk top hat.

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As the Duke of Edinburgh was released from hospital this morning and is continuing his recovery at Windsor Castle behind closed doors, The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall rode with the Queen for today’s events. Camilla repeated the turquoise Philip Treacy picture hat she wore last week for the Founder’s Day Parade. This appears to be the sixth time she has worn this hat and it continues to look great on her.

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The Countess of Wessex unveiled a new hat- a wave- shaped disc in metallic silver that swept over the right side of her head and face. This design, which looks very similar to the hat Zenouska Mowatt wore on Saturday (and I’m quite certain is another Jane Taylor design), has a feather flourish and cluster of metallic silver roses beneath the upturned top brim. Sophie wore the slightly larger but similar shaped “Lady A” design, also by Jane Taylor, for the Luxembourg royal wedding last October.

UPDATE: Sophie’s hat is the “Lulu” design from Jane Taylor’s the upcoming Autumn-Winter 2013 collection.

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Lady Helen Taylor and her husband Tim also attended the Service (I suspect one of their sons might have been a page for the Queen today). If you peek behind Camilla below, you’ll see Helen in the same grey feather headpiece she wore at the Trooping of the Colour on Saturday.

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UPDATE: one of our readers was at this event and has generously shared her personal photo of some of the royal hats! Thank you so much E! Lady Serena Armstrong-Jones, Viscountess Linley, wore what appears to be a new black straw beret trimmed with tall black feathers. Her sister-in-law, Lady Sarah Chatto, wore a black straw Stephen Jones-designed saucer hat, tilted to the right side. Sarah wore this hat for Zara Phillips’ wedding in 2011 and for Ascot last year– it’s a hat style she likes so much that she has identically shaped hats in both grey and cream. I can’t argue- Sarah wears clean-lines very, very well and it’s a great hat on her. I’d just think that variety, especially in hats, is a good thing.

Viscountess Linley and Lady Sarah Chatto, June 17, 2013 | The Royal Hats Blog

The Duchess of Gloucester wore the navy straw beret she unveiled earlier this month at the 60th Anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation. This hat shape looks very good on Brigitte and its simple lines work very well with her more fussy and ruffled coat. The Duke, who is also a member of the Garter, looked quite distinguished in his Garter cap.

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Photos from Getty as indicated and from private collection

British Royals Celebrate Trooping the Colour

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Queen Elizabeth’s Official Birthday Celebration, Trooping the Colour was held today in London. This display of military pomp and pageantry originates from traditional preparations for battle when colours (military honours and promotions) were carried or “trooped” down the rank so that they could be seen and recognised by the soldiers. Today, more than 1,000 soldiers took part in this royal salute to the Queen, who wore a white diagonally brimmed hat covered in royal blue lace appliqué. This hat, designed by her dresser Angela Kelly and made by in-house milliner Stella MacLaren, coordinated with her royal blue coat and white dress, which was trimmed in the same blue lace. I think this is one of Angela Kelly’s better designs and it looked quite becoming on her. I loved how the royal blue colour stood out in the sea of red uniforms.

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The Queen’s cousin Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (who is also Colonel of the Scottish Guards), stepped in for Prince Philip (who remains in hospital following surgery) and accompanied The Queen today. Edward recently suffered a stroke and it was wonderful to see him looking so well.

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A number of members of the Royal Family took part in the ceremony, directly. Joining on horseback were the Prince of Wales (Colonel of the Welsh Guards), the Princess Royal (Colonel of the Blues and Royals), and the Duke of Cambridge (Colonel of the Irish Guards). Prince Charles, Prince William and the Duke of Kent’s uniforms included the famous Canadian bearskin hats while Princess Anne’s uniform included the Home Service Helmet with its distinct red plume.

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The Duchess of Cornwall and Duchess of Cambridge both repeated hats from the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee last year. Camilla wore the Philip Treacy designed picture hat she wore for the Jubilee Flotilla (she also wore this hat last year to Ascot and a the Battle of Britain Commemoration Service).  This hat, in a sparkly oyster coloured straw with a large upturned brim, has grown on me over the past year and reminds me less and less of the rings of Saturn. Kate’s hat, designed by Jane Corbett, was unveiled at last year’s Jubilee Garden Party. There was a debate here on the blog yesterday about Kate’s percher hats and it appears she listened to all of you in making her choice of this asymmetrical, brimmed more substantial hat for today! It’s a pretty hat with intricate detail that I like on her quite well.

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Prince Harry wore his British Army Uniform which includes a light blue beret. He wears it very well, don’t you think? Prince Andrew, the Duke of York (the Queen’s second son and father to Princess Beatrice and Eugenie who appears on our blog for the first time today!) is retired from the navy (this is an army event) so opted for a morning suit with a very dapper black silk top hat.

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Princess Beatrice repeated the “Thesus” hat by Rosie Olivia that she wore on Christmas Day last year. She’s wearing it further back on her head than she did last time (she wore it more like a beret on the side of her head at Christmas) which makes me like this hat much more. I’m just not sure about those wide, wiry bow loops. Princess Eugenie continued her surprising streak of beautiful hats with another new one-  the “Blue Ivory Disk” design from Sarah Cant’s spring 2013 collection. This ivory saucer, trimmed in flat blue ombre loops and curls, is interesting, flattering and very, very pretty – all the things you want a royal hat to be. Well done Eugenie!

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The Earl and Countess of Wessex were both in hats today – Prince Edward wore the uniform of the Royal Colonel of The London Scottish Regiment which includes a kilt and black and feathered cap. Sophie wore the “Lauren” hat designed by Jane Taylor, described on the designer’s website as a “tear shaped cocktail hat in straws with sinamay loops with Parisian vintage glass bead detail.” I think I prefer Sophie in larger brimmed hats that balance out her oval-shaped face but this is a fun hat that fit today’s festive mood very well. The rosy brown colour looks great on Sophie and the vintage glass beads lend a lovely bit of sparkle.

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All in all, I thought the Brits choose wonderful hats for the festivities today (for hats worn by the extended family Kents and Gloucesters, check here). For now, which hat is your favourite?

Photos from Getty as indicated

Duchess of Cornwall Reviews Founder’s Day Parade

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The Duchess of Cornwall reviewed the Founder’s Day Parade at the Royal Hospital Chelsea this morning. The Royal Hospital Founder’s Day celebrates the birthday of Charles II and the date of his restoration as King in May 1660. After the Battle of Worcester in 1651, the future Charles II hid in an oak tree to avoid capture by the Parliamentary forces – Founder’s Day is thus also known as Oak Apple Day and Camilla wore a sprig of oak leaf to commemorate this piece of royal history. She also repeated a pale turquoise blue picture hat with upturned brim and spray of dove grey feathers designed by Philip Treacy (worn previously in June 2011,  June 2009, September 2008, and June 2008). Camilla wears these large hats so well and while I would prefer slightly little less feather poof, this is a beautiful hat on her.

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British Royals Celebrate 60th Anniversary of the Coronation

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The British Royal Family attended a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey this morning in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation. Queen Elizabeth wore a new hat for this special event, designed by her dresser, Angela Kelly and made by in-house milliner Stella McLaren. It was made of the same silvery white and blue flowered silk fabric as her coat. Her hat featured a diagonal upturned brim with side spray of blue silk flowers under the brim.

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The subtle pattern on this hat translated a bit flat in film but on photographs, it seems much more attractive and dimensional. I just thought the blue flowers were a little twee for the lady of honor.

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On the topic of royal head wear, I also thought it was especially poignant that St. Edward’s crown, the crown used during the coronation, was brought out of the Tower of London for the first time in 60 years to be on the altar during the service.

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The Duchess of Cornwall wore a large ice blue picture hat very similar to the hat she wore for her wedding. It’s a wonderful scale and shape hat for her and she looked beautiful. I just wonder… is the mix of lattice, lace, feathers and side curly cue explosion is too much for one blue hat? I’m thinking so.

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The Duchess of Cambridge repeated Jane Taylor “Catherine” hat she wore last June for the Queen’s Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving. I thought it was a thoughtful nod back to the Jubilee celebrations last year and a successful second wearing for this blush pink embroidered and netted cocktail hat.

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Princess Beatrice wore a navy saucer hat trimmed in feathers, designed by Sarah Cant. I thought it was beautiful on her and perfectly complimented her navy embellished coat. Princess Eugenie, on the other hand, wore another Robyn Coles Lily Beret. I suspect that both Beatrice and Eugenie’s hats were bespoke as neither is included in the designers’ collections this year.

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The Countess of Wessex looked very summery in a lace shirtwaist dress and bespoke Jane Taylor hat. This hat, made of beige straw with a cartwheel brim, short crown and statement cream straw bow, was absolutely beautiful on Sophie.

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Princess Anne and her daughter-in-law Autumn Phillips both wore elegant cream hats today trimmed in silk roses (a cute nod to the Queen’s rose trimmed hat although this was probably a coincidence!). Anne’s hat featured a wide ruched scarf around the crown and a mushroom shaped brim while Autumn chose a  straw saucer beret. Both hats were lovely, I thought.

UPDATE: Autumn’s hat is the “Tahina” designed by Gina Foster. It is also available for sale here.

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Zara Phillips Tindall wore a bespoke couture headpiece by Karen Henriksen featuring intricately folded black straw. It was a great hat for Zara (it had a lovely sense of flowing movement for a hat) although I’m still on the fence about her yellow and black patterned bumble bee dress.

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The Duchess of Kent looked beautiful in a fuchsia straw pillbox with bow at the back. I loved the contrast between her hair and this bright hat and thought this hat was one of the best ones of the day. Doesn’t Katherine look bright, fresh and so beautiful?

Update** Eagle eyed reader Bella identified this as the “Tango” hat by Lock & Co. Thanks so much Bella!

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The Duchess of Gloucester wore a navy straw beret. I love this hat with her haircut and thought its simple shape was an excellent pairing for her ruffled and more fussy coat dress. While Brigitte has worn a number of straw berets recently (here and here), I believe this navy one is a new hat for her – the last two time she wore this coat dress was with a much fussier hat. Today, I thought she looked quietly elegant.

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Princess Michael of Kent was her characteristically glamorous self and wore a large brimmed saucer hat trimmed in white roses on the left side of the hat (she first wore it last June for the unveiling of the Bomber Command Memorial). At first glance, I just saw the flowers on top of the brim and thought this was a great hat. After seeing the flower explosion below the brim, this one seemed a little much. Since that’s totally in line with  this princess’ usual very dramatic hat style, I suppose that’s all right.

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All in all, it was a wonderful day of millinery for the British Royals. We’ll see everyone back again in their hat finery for the Trooping of the Colour (the official birthday celebration of the Queen) next week. Which hat was your favourite today?
Which hat was your favourite today?
Photos from Getty as indicated