Lovely reader James sent this little gem in -- he was overall in favor, but I'm still not sure.  It's certainly loads and light-years better than the average topper that Anne pops out for a Sunday church service, but there's something about the embellishment that makes me think of children's handprint projects.

Thoughts?

Rather interesting bouquet HM has there, isn't it?  At first I wasn't sure if she was holding a rolling pin or a tube of refrigerated cookie dough!

(Oh, she's also in one of my favorite hats.  Good show!)

I believe that the other be-hatted lady in this photograph is Lady Susan Hussey, one of HM's ladies-in-waiting and the widow of former BBC head Marmaduke Hussey.  Her fur is very Dr. Zhivago, no?

To paraphrase the immortal words of the rapper Eminem, "Guess what's back, back again?"

But honestly, I cannot blame Camilla for busting out the Paddington for this particular official engagement.  I mean, it's actively snowing in this photo.  When it's snowing or raining, all traditional hattery rules are slightly suspended, if you ask me.

More important than the hat, though, is the town that Charles and Camilla are honoring with their visit.  Have all of you heard about Wootton Bassett?  I'm sure the British Hatters among us have, but for the rest, this is a little English town that has gained attention in the last year or so because of the quiet tributes paid by the townspeople to fallen British soldiers.  The bodies of soldiers killed in the line of duty pass through the town after returning to the country, and the people of the town line the streets to show their respect for the fallen servicemen and women.  It's an incredibly moving thing to see, and I think it's wonderful that Charles and Camilla are recognizing the town.

Queen Margrethe looks quite jolly while out visiting the kindergarten named for her, doesn't she?  She's helping to celebrate the school's sixtieth anniversary, and she's chosen quite an interesting little hat to do so in.  Here's a view of the top:

You know, in the grand scheme of Margrethe hats, I really don't hate this one.  It's not overly huge, it only includes materials in three different colors, and it's fairly simple.  The one thing sort of bothering me -- that the fuschia fabric on the top of the hat doesn't seem to quite match the fuschia fabric of her turtleneck -- might even just be the lighting of the photograph.

How about the rest of you?  Love it?  Hate it?  Tolerate it?

One more Tiara Alert from the Danish royal gala: it's everyone's favorite elegant Danish Crown Princess, Mary!  She's wearing the same diamond tiara that she wore to her wedding to Crown Prince Frederik back in 2004.

This tiara isn't a Danish royal heirloom; it's new to the family, having been gifted to Mary by her royal in-laws, Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik, as a wedding present.  It's not my very favorite diamond tiara -- I'm not a big fan of the short spikes in between the more elaborate ones -- but overall, not a bad wedding gift, hm?

Hey, everybody, it's a Tiara Alert from Queen Margrethe, and it's a real stunner!  This is the unique Floral Aigrette Tiara, which apparently came to the Danish royals in the '60s when it was either bequeathed to or purchased by Margrethe's mother, Queen Ingrid, from an unknown Danish-American.

One of the coolest things about this tiara is how flexible it is; it can be worn in a number of different ways, and pieces can also be detached and worn separately as brooches.  I love how it almost encircles her head, draping back down over her hair.  No wonder it's also sometimes called the Floral Wreath Tiara!

Another Tiara Alert from the banquet dinner at Christiansborg Palace ... and, ooh, it's one we've not seen before here on the blog!  Princess Benedikte is wearing Queen Ingrid's Star and Pearl Tiara, an inheritance from her mother.

The Star and Pearl reportedly traveled to Denmark with Ingrid from Sweden; Ingrid was born a princess of Sweden in 1910, and she married the future Frederik IX of Denmark in 1935.  Almost all of the tiaras you see adorning the heads of the lovely Danish ladies these days were once worn by Ingrid.  Thanks for leaving all of us such a sparkly legacy to look at, Ingrid!

Tiara Alert!  Princess Marie certainly is looking lovely at this evening's gala dinner at Christiansborg Palace, isn't she?  The one-shoulder dress is a great look for her, I think, and really, can you ever go wrong with a big giant sparkly diamond tiara?  I think not.

This is, of course, the Diamond Floral Tiara that Marie wore a few weeks ago to New Year's Court (and to her own royal wedding).  Still love it.  I have a real weakness for diamond floral tiaras, I've discovered.

A new set of official photos of Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling has been released ahead of their wedding this summer, and we've officially got a Tiara Alert!

When I posted about the photos over at Royal Romance, lovely reader Eliza suggested the tiara belonged over here -- and I can't disagree with that!  On close inspection, I believe that Victoria's wearing the Baden Fringe Tiara, although it's difficult to tell absolutely for certain with such a small picture.  I can't wait until larger versions show up!

The Baden Fringe, which has become a sort of personal trademark for Victoria, was originally owned by another Victoria: Princess Viktoria of Baden, who married the future Gustav V of Sweden in 1881.   As queen consort, she was Queen Victoria of Sweden (just like our Victoria will be one day, albeit as a queen regnant) from 1907-1930.  Viktoria was, if I'm counting my generations correctly, the great-great-grandmother of Crown Princess Victoria.  Quite a nice family inheritance, hm?

Over at Royal Romance, we did a little guessing about what tiara Victoria will sport when she ties in the knot in June.  Many think it's going to be Empress Josephine's Cameo Tiara, the same tiara that Queen Silvia wore when she married King Carl Gustaf.  Here's a photo of Queen Silvia on her wedding day -- June 19, 1976, wearing the Cameo:

There have been some suggestions, though, that it might potentially be the Baden Fringe.  What do you think, Hatters?  Which sparkler should Victoria wear to her big fancy royal wedding?

The always reliable Mad Hattery Archives tell me that we last saw HM out in this little teal-and-black number almost a year ago, at the Royal Maundy Service.  I liked it then; I like it now!  And I must say, I am impressed that she's got a special scarf to match her chapeau-and-jacket combo!

(I have to admit, though, that there's one thing about this photo that's unsettling me a little: HM looks so much like my gran here.  It's eerie!  Perhaps I am closer to the throne than I ever dreamed?)