Tag Archives: Queen Margrethe

Danish Queen Concludes German Visit

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Queen Margrethe wrapped up her visit to the Schleswig-Holstein region in northern Germany yesterday, a visit that has been a prelude to next year’s 100 year anniversary of the 1920 plebescite that resulted in Northern Schleswig reunifying with Denmark and central Schleswig voting to remain with Germany. For this final day of engagements, she repeated her navy and cream hat with slightly flared brim and straight-sided, flat crown.

The proportions of this hat are excellent on Margrethe, as is the classic colour scheme. The use of the same fabric on the hat’s crown and the ensemble’s jacket isn’t my favourite touch (I would have preferred plain navy to make it wearable with other outfits) but it works, thanks to all of the neutralizing cream in the rest of the look. What sets the hat apart from others in Queen Margrethe’s wardrobe, however, is the jaunty angle it has been designed to be placed on the head. SO chic!

Designer: Mathilde Thoe Førster
Previously Worn: June 16, 2019

This year, Danish millinery Mathilde Thoe Førster has made a few hats for both Queen Margrethe and Princess Benedikte and it’s great to see them both embracing the work of a new milliner, particularly when it’s as good as this. ​I’d love to see a few other royals expand the milliners they regularly work with.

Photos from social media as indicated 

Queen Margrethe Visits Schleswig-Holstein

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Queen Margrethe has been in the Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany this week on a visit related to the upcoming 100th anniversary of the demarcation of the border which will be celebrated in 2020.

For the first day of this visit on Tuesday, she repeated her new-ish muted coral straw hat with navy hatband, tied in a side bow. The photos of this outing show the hat at best view we’ve seen so far. Most surprising is the colour, which is less of a terra-cotta shade as it first appeared and more of a muted coral with pink undertones. It’s a great colour to pair with navy and, I think, works better on Margrethe’s skin tone than some previous photos were it looked more orange.

Designer: Mathilde Thoe Førster
Previously Worn: Jul 26, 2019; Jun 27, 2019; Jun 25, 2019 

For the second day of her visit yesterday in Flensburg, Margrethe repeated her red bumper hat with side bow in the same navy and red painterly print as her dress. Fabric covered hats, such as this one (it looks to be a wool or silk crepe) sometimes look one note when paired with matching coats but the print on this ensemble lifts everything and makes it work.

Designer: likely Per Falk Hansen
Previously Worn: June 15, 2019; May 5, 2018; July 1, 2017; June 29, 2017; June 1, 2017; Oct 4, 2016; Sep 5, 2016; May 24, 2016

Today in Dannewerk, Haithabu and Friedrichstadt, Queen Margrethe repeated her mint green bumper hat covered in the same wool silk crepe as its matching coat and dress. Trimmed with cuffed brim that splits into side curls and pair of feathers, the hat is as good on this, its 9th outing as it was on its first. Whoever cares for Queen Margrethe’s hats certainly does a fine job.

Designer: likely Per Falk Hansen
Previously Worn: May 31, 2019;  June 13, 2017;  Mar 28, 2017;  Oct 3, 2016;  Apr 30, 2016; Sep 8, 2015; Jun 5, 2015; May 23, 2015; Apr 16, 2015

We’ve seen each of these hats before- do you notice anything new about them on these outings?

Photos from social media as indicated 

Greek Royal Wedding 20 Years On: Danish & Spanish Extended Families

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We don’t often see a  royal bride who counts four queens between her mother, grandmother, and aunts but such is the reality of Princess Alexia’s family tree. As such, her wedding was an extraveganza of royal hats on high profile royal heads.  Alexia’s grandmother, Queen Ingrid of Denmark, wore an ensemble in pale lilac with a cuffed ring brim hat. Made of the same fabric (silk crepe?) as her dress and coat, the hat’s centerpiece was its woven crown, a unique design touch that gave it wonderful texture.

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Queen Margrethe topped her vibrant floral dress with a picture hat in the same hues. The wide brimmed design, in grass green straw, was trimmed in whimsical twists of layered pink and white curling straw.

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Princess Benedikte was in sunny yellow from head to hem. Her straw hat featured a flat crown, silk hatband stitched in narrow rows and folded into a flat front bow, and a wide downturned brim overlaid in a swath of yellow net veil studded with silk rose petals. While the colour seems very much of the time, the classic shape translates better than her ruffle trimmed suit!

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Princess Benedikte’s elder daughter, Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein Berleburg, wore an ivory straw hat with flared and domed crown and wide brim that sloped downward in back and upwards in front. An overlay of informally ruched sinamay paced over the brim gave movement and a touch of modernity to the design.

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Princess Benedikte’s younger daughter, Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein Berleburg, seen behind Prince Charles in the photo below, wore a sky blue sinmay hat with squared crown and sideswept brim trimmed with a multi-looped bow on the side.

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While Queen Sofia did not wear a hat, Infanta Elena’s statement piece was impossible to miss. While structure here is difficult to pinpoint (Is it a pyramid? Do I see a small, rounded straw crown on th very top?), the hat’s focus was its wide cartwheel brim entirely covered in cream ostrich feathers. The phrase “lot of look” comes to mind to describe Elena’s couture suit and hat on steroids and I admire how much milliny confidence it must have taken to carry off such an over-the-top hat. It’s such a memorable royal hat moment.

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Infanta Cristina topped a blue dress and grey silk organza coat with a neutral almond straw hat with curved brim. The hat’s classic shape and streamlined trim (just a slim hatband) made a chic maternity look for Cristina.

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Infanta Margarita, who we seldom see, wore a very simple veiled headpiece. This is one of those times when function seems to have trumped fashion as the choice seems to satisfy the need for a headcovering, but that’s all. Do any of you recall seeing this headpiece from other angles?

There are some colourful and memorable hats among this group of royal relatives- I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Photos from Getty as indicated; ORBAN THIERRY/CORBIS SYGMA

This Week’s Extras

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Yesterday, Princess Hisako attended the 34th Tokyo Metropolitan Art Gallery for the Disabled in Tokyo. Her ecru straw hat sported an interesting shape and a summery pink and green patterned hatband.
Queen Margrethe repeated her new-ish terra cotta orange straw hat with navy hatband yesterday in Soenderborg to unveil a waterfront sculpture made by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.
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Princess Stephanie of Monaco’s son, Louis Ducruet, was married today to Marie Chevalier in a private ceremony at The Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate. The bride wore a gown created Atelier Boisanger and Pauline Ducruet.  While there were few hats at the wedding, it seems that Beatrice Borromeo Cassiraghi wore the roughly woven picture hat her mother-in-law wore for Prince Albert and Princess Charlene’s civil wedding in 2011 (this one)



The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:
Striking take on a percher in burnt orange straw with embossed bow by Australian milliner Lisette Margini
Lovely pattern on this black and white Panama straw hat by London-based milliner Maria Zherebtsova
Charming natural straw saucer with lavender silk abaca bow by American milliner Cassie MacGregor
Crisp navy and cream straw boater with feathers and veil by Australian brand Monroe Millinery
Mesmerizing movement on the crin bow of this dark green percher by Indonesian milliner Furi Riskyana
Such pretty Petersham ribbon flowers on this blue and white percher by British milliner Susan Widlake
Cobalt blue felt percher with wonderful dotted veil by Scottish milliner William Chambers
The monochrome silk hatband on this Philip Treacy Panama straw fedora is absolute perfection

And from Australian milliner Jill Humphries, this hugger with curling side fin covered in cut pink feathers. So glam!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0W6oUjHLi8/

Preparations for the the Daijosai celebration, part of Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement, which will happen later this fall, are underway. Hemp was harvested to create a new kimono and ground was ceremonial broken at the Imperial Royal Palace to signify the start of construction on the buildings where the celebration will take place.


We wrap up this week with a set of fun snaps of the Earl and Countess of Wessex enjoying the Bristol Zoo on Tuesday with Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn
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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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Embed from Getty Images
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