Tag Archives: Queen Mathilde

Belgian National Day 2019

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The Belgian Royal Family celebrated their country’s national holiday today, attending a Te Deum mass at the Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula in Brussels followed by an annual military parade.

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Queen Mathilde wore a new hat described by the designer as “made of natural fibers… inspired by the leaf pattern on the lace of the Queen’s dress”.

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At first look, I found the shape a bit flat and awkward. After seeing side views, which show how dimensional the shape is around the back, that hat started to make sense. The delicate shape of the back balances the large, flat planes of ‘leaf’ on the front and gives some much needed balance and contrast to the design. And the colour, which is not an easy one to pull off, looks great on Queen Mathilde. I just wish she’d passed on the red leather gloves.

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Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. It is the “Mystery” design from the Couture Collection 2020
Previously Worn: this hat is new

As in past years, Princess Astrid attended the parade in military uniform with stitched brim hat.

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Princess Claire topped her deep ruby pink trouser outfit with a matching straw hat. The design features a wide, mushroom brim and rounded crown and is simply trimmed only with a folded straw hatband in the same colour.

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Head to toe ensembles in strong colours such as this can be tricky but this one, with different textures between clothing, hat, purse and shoes, works really well on Claire. She wears wide brimmed hats so well and this one, with its bold colour perfectly balaced with a noticeable lack of trim, is great on her.

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Designer: Amélie D’Hooghvorst
Previously Worn: this hat is new

What do you think about this pair of new hats today in Brussels?

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Photos from Getty as indicated 

Day 2 Of Belgian Visit To Germany

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The second day of engagements in Germany saw the Belgian king and queen visit Lutherstadt town hall, castle church in Lutherstadt-Wittenberg, master houses of Bauhaus founder Walter Gropiusm, and a Belgian chemical company.

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For these events, Queen Mathilde repeated pale pink calot trimmed with a multi-looped bow on the side. I believe the calot base is covered in fabric, with an overlay of textured, widely woven sinamay-like material.

The rustic woven overlay on the hat gives it a less formal, almost bohemian feel that pairs so well with this floral dress. The hat isn’t perfect (I’m not sure the bow looks great from all angles) but the overall look here is a lovely one on Queen Mathilde.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne. Dress by Giambattista Valli
Previously Worn: May 19, 2016

What do you think of this hat today on its second outing?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Belgian Monarchs Visit Germany

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde touched down in Erfurt, Germany this morning to start a two-day visit to the regions of Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt.

For the first day of this visit, Queen Mathilde repeated a hugger percher covered in silver printed silk, trimmed with a slightly darker grey straw twist.

The silver hat is an interesting topper for Mathilde’s darker slate grey-blue dress, gleaming almost as a piece of jewelry (see here). The scale works well on the Belgian queen and is a good choice for a day of events where, let’s face it, she is very likely to be the only person in a hat. It’s not my favourite colour on Mathilde but her hairstyle shows it off perfectly and the overall ensemble is polished and elegant.

Designer: Philip Treacy
Previously Worn: April 28, 2016; June 24, 2015; February 19, 2014

What do you think of this hat on this, it’s fourth outing?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

This Week’s Extras

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Princess Alexandra repeated a grey straw hat by Rachel Trevor Morgan on Wednesday for a visit to Leeds Castle in Kent to celebrate its 900th anniversary
On Thursday, Princess Benedikte attended the opening of the Jacob A. Riis Museum the Southwest Jutland city of Ribe in her repeated navy textured straw picture hat with curving, sideweeping brim.

Queen Mathilde and Princess Elisabeth were in Africa this week, visiting several UNICEF projects. After meeting with the Maasai in Kenya, they came away gifted with names “Namayiana” (blessed one) and “Nasieku” (first born) and these traditional headdresses

On Friday, Queen Margrethe presented a military award, repeating her new terra cotta orange straw hat with navy hatband. Yesterday, she took part in events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the execution of a Danish resistance group in her refined pink straw hat with white trim.
Princess Hisako and Princess Tsuguko took part in American Independence Day celebrations today at the Tokyo American Club. Princess Hisako wore a biscuit straw hat with very short, rolled brim while Princess Tsuguko topped her floral dress with a lovely wider brimmed hat trimmed with flowers.

Make sure to cast your vote in the 2019 Millinery Association of Australia Design Award People’s Choice category– there are some truly astounding hats

The following new millinery designs caught my eye this week:

Orange parsisal button percher with peach blossom vine by American milliner Karen Morris
Kokoshnik bandeau headpiece covered in pink pearls by British milliner Jane Taylor
Black and white straw design with flying bow by Czech milliner Jolana Kotabova
Blue straw percher with crimson silk floral trim by Australian brand Felicity Northeast Millinery
Fanciful maribou-edged brim on this grey, pink & white ombre design by Danish milliner Mathilde Thoe Førster
Green leaf shaped disc hat with gold quills by Irish milliner Teresa Nugent
Striking stripes! Trio of eye catching striped hats by American milliner Behida Dolić
Slate blue saucer embroidered with tropical birds by Australian brand Amanda Lynn Millinery
Chic pink and cream straw fedoras with slim silver hatbands from French milliner Laurence Bossion
Stunning transparent brim on this navy and marine blue picture hat by Dutch milliner Myra van de Korput
Dusky pink straw percher with flying bow and chenille rosebud veil by Australian milliner Jill Humphries
Lovely textured sage green Florentine stitched straw summer hat by British milliner Siana Yewdall
And two hats that made me catch my breath- first is this natural straw beret percher with exquisitely ethereal handmade silk iris flowers and leaves by Leicester-based milliner Guilia Mio
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I'm so proud of finally share this little beauty I've made for a lovely #motherofthegroom! 💜💜💜 She came to me with a stunning dress, we start talking about flowers and for some reason I told her I can see irises on her hat...she looked at me and she said that irises are her favourite flower and she has a lot I her garden!!!! It was meant to be!!! . . For enquiries about #bespoke hats visit my website (#linkinbio👈 ) or PM me . . @giulia.mio.millinery #couturehats #couturemillinery #millinery #bespokemillinery #giuliamiomillinery #weddingseason #summerwedding #specialoccasion #gardenwedding #silkflowers #irises #handmade #madeinleicester #madetomatch #motherofthebride #weddingguest #leicester #supportleicesterlocal

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and second is this stunning turquoise design with parasisal crown, two-toned double layer sinamay brim, hand rolled flying bow and turquoise guipure lace applique by Dutch milliner Wies Mauduit. Truly- this hat caught my eye before I realized who made it!

A possible answer to widespread questions about Princess Haya’s absence at Royal Ascot. Whatever is going on in this situation, I’m sure you all join me in wishing her and her children safety and peace.

Photos from social media as indicated

Belgian Queen Presents Music Competition Prizes

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Queen Mathilde was in Waterloo yesterday to present awards to this year’s winners of the Queen Elisabeth (international music) Competition. For this event, she repeated a hat described by the designer as “a small bell hat made of red Panama and trimmed with ribbon and a matching bow.”

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The cloche remains a charming one for Mathilde with a scale and colour that suit her well. On past outings, I liked the pairing of red hat with this dress… I’m not sure if it’s lighting but on this outing, I think the hat slightly overwhelms the delicately patterned lace frock (scroll through the gallery below). The Belgian queen has some streamlined, lovely pale grey hats in her wardrobe (here, here and here) that might make a gentler pairing.

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne.  It is the ‘Audrey’ design.
Previously Worn: Oct 23, 2018;  April 25, 2018

This is the third time we’ve seen this hat and lace dress- have your impressions of this ensemble also changed?

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Funeral of Grand Duke Jean: Family

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The funeral for Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg was held Saturday at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg City, attended by all members of the extended Grand Ducal Family and their Belgian royal cousins. Out of respect for this event and the Grand Duke’s memory, this post does not contain any commentary on the hats and it is not open for comments.

Grand Ducal Family:

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Extended Grand Ducal Family:

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Belgian Royal Family:

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To identify individuals, click on the photo and link to its original source, with explanation. You can see the many royal guests who attended at this post.

Photos from Getty as indicated 

Belgian Royals Wrap Up State Visit To South Korea

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde wrapped up their state visit to South Korea yesterday with stops at a medical center, the opening of the Belgian Life Festival, and meetings on investment, mental health and well-being. For this final day of events, Queen Mathilde repeated her chocolate brown felt formed calot hat trimmed with a large spray of curling leaves on the side.


While I’m not so keen on the hat’s shape or tentacle-like leaves, its styling today with pear green dress and caped coat in a brown Prince of Wales check is unexpected but so smart. Queen Mathilde paired this hat with an all brown ensemble on its first outing that falls rather flat in comparison to this.


Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: February 18, 2014

It was a trio of brimless hats for the Belgian queen in South Korea this week- brimless but certainly not boring! Which hat stood out to you, most?

Photos from social media as indicated