The second of this year’s summer garden parties was hosted by Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh in the grounds of Buckingham Palace yesterday. The Queen stepped out for this event in her silk embroidered wool hat with diagonal crown and wired sequin flower trim. As we have discussed during its previous outings, the intricate detail on this hat can only be appreciated from a close view, making this hat an unfortunate choice for this event. With a millinery closet that covers every colour of the rainbow, I wish the Queen would have chosen something a little more vibrant to stand out at this party in her back garden.
Tag Archives: Queen Elizabeth
This Week’s Extras
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg in a simple navy pillbox for the 70th Anniversary of the end of WWII last weekend (Cour Grand Ducal de Luxembourg)
On Tuesday, members of the British Royal Family attended a memorial for the late Duke of Wellington (Daily Mail)
Princess Anne held a reception to acknowledge some hard working teens (Bucks Press)
Princess Alexandra of Kent opened a retirement village in Hampshire (The British Monarchy)
Lovely coverage on Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg’s university graduation (Luxarazzi). You can also see a photo of Grand Duke Henri and Prince Sébastien here
Some young British royal cousins having great fun at the Windsor Horse Show (Daily Mail)
Infanta Elena in one of her chic fedoras for a book release in Lorca (Hola)
Great interview with Prince Harry last weekend in New Zealand (Sky News). Early this week, he participated in a traditional Maori Haka at the Linton Military base (New Zealand Herald)
British Royals Host Garden Party
The first royal garden party of the 2015 summer season was held yesterday at Buckingham Palace. And a royal garden party, dearest readers, means royal hats!
Queen Elizabeth looked very summery in her textured yellow, grey and white striped hat and coat. The hat, with a square, stove pipe crown, was trimmed in a waterfall of overlapping yellow organza leaves. When we first saw this hat least year, I was not a fan of either its shape or the messy looking trim. While it still, sadly, looks like an overturned bucket to me, I thought the colour was perfect for this outdoor engagement. No matter the occasion, the Queen knows exactly how to dress so that she stands out.
Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: June 25, 2014
The royal princes all added dapper black silk top hats to their morning suits. The Duchess of Cornwall surprised in a new hat in the most beautiful shade of cornflower blue. Made of straw, the focus of this large hat is a sweeping, rounded brim that grandly curves up over the crown. The dramatic shape and scale of the hat is further emphasized by a wide band of textured straw around the outside of the brim. Camilla has several hats in this shape but the beautiful colour of this one makes it a stand-out for me.
Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: This is a new hat
The Countess of Wessex repeated one of her embellished cocktail hats. While very few photos of this event were released, this one of Sophie gives us a view of the delicate appliquéd lace on the beret-base of this ecru design and the wonderfully balanced pale peachy-pink feathers and handmade silk cabbage rose. It’s a hat with exquisite detail that works perfectly with Sophie’s fair colouring and was beautifully complimented by her cream coat and rose dress.
I suspect you have some clear opinions about this trio of summery hats at Buckingham Palace yesterday, dear readers, and I can’t wait to hear you weigh in.
Photos from Getty as indicated
British Royals Continue VE Day Anniversary Celebrations
VE Day Anniversary Celebrations continued in Great Britain this weekend with the Queen Elizabeth, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attending a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey this morning. The Queen repeated a navy straw hat with slanted crown, wrapped in a wide band of straw that knotted loosely at the front. The last time we saw this hat, it was trimmed with a large pink silk rose– as you can see today, the trim has been switched out with a pair of white silk lilies.
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
The Duchess of Cornwall repeated her ice blue picture hat with inverted edging, straw and crin bands around the crown, and a mass of flying straw and crin curled bow loops on the side. This hat is all about celebration, which made it a fitting choice for VE Day Commemoration, and Camilla continues to wear it so very well.
Designer: Philip Treacy.
Previously Worn: September 21, 2014; June 18, 2014
Previously Worn: September 21, 2014; June 18, 2014
The Countess of Wessex was in the Channel Islands on Saturday, attending a military parade and outdoor service in Guernsey and a Liberation ceremony in Jersey. For these events, she topped a vibrant green silk gazar dress with a black straw pillbox hat. According to the designer, the bespoke hat was trimmed with “vintage straw braid detail” which you can see in greater detail here. The hat and dress had a distinctly retro 1950s vibe which felt so appropriate for this anniversary and looked fabulous on Sophie.
Designer: Jane Taylor. Dress by Suzannah
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Previously Worn: This hat is new
Photos from Getty and Twitter as indicated
Queen Elizabeth Lights First VE Day Anniversary Beacon
Queen Elizabeth was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of York and Princess Beatrice last night at Windsor Castle to light a beacon marking the 70th anniversary of VE Day (three beacons were lit at the castle followed by 200 more across the UK). For this important anniversary, the Queen repeated a pale blue triangular hat with tall white feather trim. The ski slope shaped crown on the hat is an unusual shape for the Queen and it makes for an interesting millinery change. Less interesting is the colour- pale grey isn’t the best shade for Her Majesty and that makes this hat and coat ensemble fall flat for me.
Designer: Angela Kelly
Previously Worn: January 27, 2013; November 27, 2012
What did you think of the Queen’s interesting grey hat last night?
Photos from Getty as indicated and Mark Kerrison via Corbis
Royal Hats 
