Just when I think I couldn't like HM's hats on this official visit any more, she busts out another winner!  I really love this hat -- I think the color is great, and I especially like the unexpected teal flowers with the black accents. 

Lovely!  Being Queen of Bermuda really does suit her!

Tiara Alert!

Queen Sonja's in South Africa on a state visit, and for this banquet, she's chosen to wear Queen Maud's Malteser Tiara.  The tiara originally belonged to Maud's mother, Queen Alexandra of Great Britain.  It's called the "Malteser" tiara because it can be worn with four detachable Maltese Crosses, but here Sonja has chosen just to wear the bandeau base piece of the tiara.

It looks very deco without the extra pieces, doesn't it?  I don't really mind bandeau tiaras -- but I like them a bit better on younger princesses.  I think a queen needs something with a little more height and, for lack of a better word, oomph.

I just adore this hat.  The bright color, the shape, the textured fabric ... even the lavender knotted bow on the front.  Perfect for a trip to visit bright and sunny Bermuda!

Looks like it was quite a windy send-off as HM and Prince Philip departed from Heathrow to head for an official visit to Bermuda and Trinidad & Tobago.  Even the hat pins aren't totally cutting it, apparently!

I wish we had a better angle on this hat; I checked through the archives, and I don't think we've seen it on her over the past year and a half.  (I'm sure some of my hattery detectives will be able to find it if it's been worn in the more distant past.) 

There doesn't seem to be anything particularly wrong with it, but the shape seems a little flat and angular to me.  I think there's some sort of embellishment over on the right side of it that we can't see.  Well, from what we've got, I'd give it a marginal pass.

Crown Prince Philippe and Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium are on a trade mission visit to Morocco this week, and while there, they paid a visit to the tomb of Moroccan King Mohammed V.  Mathilde chose this pretty headscarf to be modest and respectful while visiting the tomb, but I also love how flattering the color is on her!  It really makes her eyes look blue.

Queen Bea wore this interesting topper to the presentation of the Queen Wilhelmina Research Award for cancer research in The Hague.  Not a fan of the olive color, and I'm really not a fan of the strange beige stripe of color around the top.

It was also a precarious hat to wear in a sudden gust of wind:

What do the rest of you think about this one?

Another day, another layer cake hat from Queen Bea.  I'm thinking this one probably tastes like chocolate fudge...

It's National Day in the little principality of Monaco, and we've got a brand-new princess to add to the blog!  Let's give a hearty welcome to the lovely Princess Caroline, the heir to the Monegasque throne and the daughter of one of the most famous royals in history, Princess Grace.

Caroline is regal and elegant, and the headpiece she chose to wear to the thanksgiving mass on National Day was no different:

I think it's quite lovely -- simple and classic, but also sort of unusual and mod at the same time.  And of course I have to give her props, because she was the only royal lady in Monaco who wore a hat to the festivities.  Sister Stephánie chose a headband instead, and Caroline's pretty daughter, Charlotte Casiraghi, chose nothing to adorn her ponytail:

At least Char seems to be giving her mother's choice of headwear a good once-over.  We can only hope that she takes a cue and joins in on the hattery fun next time!

I had to really put on my blog archive detective hat to find the last outing for this little number.  HM busted it out back in February for another church service, and I quite liked it then.

Overall, I still like it now.  It's an interesting coral/orange/peach color, the shape is nice, and the embellishments aren't too over-the-top.

But ... I just don't really care for these hats that appear to have grown in a coat of fur for the winter, honestly.

Ah, here are the big guns: it's the Imperial State Crown, the very fanciest item out of all the British crown jewels.  Want to know more about the historic gems that make up this particular topper?  Why don't you let the expert herself give you a tour?

(On an aside: branching out to discuss the hattery of other royal ladies from around the world this year has really made me wish that the British followed along with some of their European neighbors and brought the whole fam along to the state opening.  Wouldn't it have been grand to have Camilla, Sophie, and all the rest busting out their finest chapeaux today?)