Tag Archives: Queen Sonja

Norwegian Royals Welcome Polish State Visit

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The Norwegian Royal Family braved rainy weather yesterday to officially welcome Polish President Andrzej Duda and Mrs. Agata Grain Hauser Duda on a two-day state visit.

Norwegian Royal Family, May 23, 2016 | Royal Hats

Queen Sonja channelled spring in her aqua suit and asymmetrical hat. This repeated piece is not only a great colour on her but such an interesting shape with a cap-like crown around which is wrapped a short, diagonally placed brim. The small scale of the design keeps the unusual shape in balance and the result is a unique piece that reads more creative than costume- a good thing for any royal hat. Princess Astrid topped her royal blue suit with her cream bumper hat with net veil and feather poof trim at the back. Paired with her pearl jewellery and cream shoes, her ensemble looked very well put together.

Queen Sonja, May 23, 2016 | Royal Hats

The most interesting hat of the day for me was a new piece worn by Crown Princess Mette-Marit. The beret hat, with slim black and cream stripes and worn at the back of her head like an oversize calot, provided much visual punch while staying within the small scale that Mette-Marit prefers these days. I thought that the contrast of this piece with her blond hair worked really well and the streamlined aesthetic of the design was a great fit for her similar personal style.

Cornw Princess Mette-Marit, May 23, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: Gucci (thanks to reader Nicholas for the ID!)
Previously Worn: This hat is new

It’s been a while since we have seen some Norwegian royal hats- what did you think of this trio yesterday?

Photos from Liv Osmundsen, The Royal Court; Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen, The Royal Court and Lise Åserud, NTB scanpix, all via the Royal House of Norway

Open Post

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As you all continue chatting about royal hats in the news this week, here is a look back at Queen Sonja, Queen Sofia, the late Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte and Queen Beatrix celebrating Queen Margrethe’s 60th birthday back in 2000. It seems that chic grey hats never go out of style!

The Danish royal family is scheduled to make their annual appearance on the balcony of Christian IX’s Palace for Queen Margrethe’s birthday on Wednesday- keep watch for her to début a new hat!
Photo from Getty as indicated

This Week’s Extras

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Royal Hats

Queen Margrethe reopened the newly renovated Skagen Museum in her burgundy Breton hat (Billed Bladet)

Princess Anne opened the new atrium at the University of the West of Scotland in her brown fur pillbox (UWS)

Queen Sonja cheered on Norwegian skiers at a World Cup race last Sunday while her granddaughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, lit the cauldron of Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games during the Opening Ceremony.

Embed from Getty Images

Lovely photos of the Belgian royal family on ski holiday in Switzerland

Royal Hats

Beautiful new portraits of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa released for their 35th wedding anniversary tomorrow (Luxarazzi)

The King and Queen of Bhutan released a photo of their new son, meeting his grandfather (Queen Jetsun Facebook)

The Imperial Crown Prince and Princess celebrated a milestone for social education development (Imperial Family of Japan)

A look at the new exhibit Fashion Rules Restyled, featuring clothing worn by Queen Elizabeth, the late princess Margaret and the late Princess Diana, which just opened at Kensington Palace (Vogue)

The Duchess of Cambridge is lending her support to Children’s Mental Health Week 2016 with this message:

Photos from Getty as indicated

Norwegian Silver Jubilee Part 2

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Celebrations for King Harald’s Silver Jubilee on Sunday continued after the worship service with an afternoon of winter activities for all ages held in the Palace Square. The event, which was at the King and Queen’s specific request, featured cross-country ski trails, hills for snowboarding and ski jumping, an ice slide, biathlon laser rifle targets and areas for ski play. The entire Norwegian royal family changed into sporting clothes and joined in the fun.

After a quick change, the family walked from the Palace Square to the Aula of the University of Oslo where they were met by Prime Minister Erna Solberg and enjoyed a gala concert featuring a wide array of Norwegian artists. Queen Sonja wore a beautiful royal blue cape edged in black fur with a matching fur hat. Controversy about fur aside, the simple shape of the hat was a perfect compliment to the glorious cape and the two pieces looked fantastic on the queen.

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new. 
Crown Princess Mette Marit and her three children all bundled up in warm knit winter hats.

17 Jan 2016, Oslo, Norway --- Oslo, 17-01-2016 Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus, Marius Borg Høiby and Princess Märtha Louise 25th anniversary of the ascension to the Norwegian throne of Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja The Royal Family attends the events at The Palace Square (Slottsplassen) RPE/Albert Nieboer/Netherlands OUT - NO WIRE SERVICE - --- Image by © Albert Nieboer/dpa/Corbis

Princess Märtha Louise wore a simple navy headpiece with large multi-leafed flower at the side. As far as fascinators go, it’s an attractive piece that she wore well.

UPDATE: Eagle eyed reader Royalwatcher227 recognized this piece as one previously worn by Princess Mette-Marit. I’m not sure why but knowing that the piece is shared between these sister-in-laws makes me like it a little more.

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn by Princess Mette-Marit: May 9, 2014; May 30, 2011; March 4, 2006

Queen Margrethe and Queen Silvia wore the same hats they wore in the morning while King Carl Gustaf added a dapper black fedora.

Royal Jubilee in Noway 25th anniversary of the ascension to the Norwegian throne of Thei

The day’s festivities completed with a formal dinner held at the Royal Castle in Oslo that yielded these wonderful photos.
I admire the sense of fun and family that was included in this anniversary. The informality of the event did not lend itself to a parade of fantastic hats but it seems that the King and Queen celebrated and were celebrated in a way that was characteristically them. My favourite hat of the day was Queen Sonja’s fur hat and cape combination- which one did you like most?

Norwegian Silver Jubilee Part 1

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Scandinavian royals gathered in Oslo over the weekend to celebrate King Harald’s Silver Jubilee. After a dinner hosted by the Crown Prince and Princess at their home on Saturday night (see a group photo here), the commemoration continued on Sunday morning with a worship service held in the Palace Chapel (watch the complete service here).

Queen Sonja looked to be repeating the black calot hat she wore for the Nobel Peace Prize in December but the hats are different- this one has more straight sides and the veil on this design is dotted with a more open weave and affixed with a diamante anchor. It’s a simple hat that allows her luscious purple velvet Pucci jacket to shine and works especially well with Sonja’s hairstyle. I also think the dotted net tulle veil adds a note of formality that was needed at this milestone event.

Queen Sonja, January 17, 2016 | Royal Hats Queen Sonja, January 17, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: this hat is new
Crown Princess Mette Marit topped her tailored cream coat with a blue silk headband decorated with jewels in a flower motif. The ribbon incorporated into her braided hairstyle and trailed down her back. While there is uncertainty if Mette-Marit’s lack of millinery over the past seven years is linked to her neck injury in 2008 (and might explain her use of headbands instead of hats), I don’t think this piece worked and wish she had gone with one of her go-to pillboxes instead. Between the messily trailing ribbons and an overkill combination of headband and lapel brooches which completely cluttered a beautifully streamlined coat, I’m left looking at this ensemble and wondering, “Why?”

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, January 17, 2016 | Royal Hats Crown Princess Mette-Marit, January 17, 2016 | Royal Hats Crown Princess Mette-Marit, January 17, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: The floral brooches are from Prada’s AW 2015 collection

Princess Märtha Louise followed her sister-in-law’s headband lead and wore a ribbon headpiece of stacked black silk bows. While I don’t want to disrespect whatever design process went into this piece, I have to wonder if someone took the bow off a wrapped gift, stuck it to the side of her head and called it a completed headpiece. We know that Märtha Louise has an interesting black cocktail hat or two in her millinery closet and I wish she had chosen one of them instead.

Princess Märtha Louise, January 17, 2016 | Royal Hats Princess Märtha Louise, January 17, 2016 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: November 15, 2014
Princess Astrid topped her royal blue suit with a cozy cream fur (or faux fur?) hat with brown stripes.  It’s not my favourite hat in the world but alas, it is a hat.

2016-01-17 silver jubilee 16 2016-01-17 silver jubilee 15

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I do not believe this is new

Queen Margrethe repeated the rimmed saucer hat with white fur knotted bow from her own Ruby Jubilee. It’s a wonderful hat tailor made for grand winter Scandinavian events such as this and she wears it so very, very well.

Queen Silvia repeated the purpley-blue silk covered calot she first wore last summer. In a twist from its last outing, she turned the hat slightly, placing the black feather trim at the side (instead of at the back as it was for its début). I think it is a  successful move, giving the smooth piece some much needed texture and contrast.

Designer: Kerstin Carlefalk
Previously Worn: May 31, 2015
After the church service, the Norwegian royal family joined in a number of winter activities in Palace Square. We’ll look at those (along with a few more hats) later today. In the meantime, dearest readers, it’s clear that my thoughts on these hats run both hot and cold. Which pieces stood out most to you?