Hat, lampshade, whatever.  Astrid, you're the best!

PHOTO CREDITS: PPE/Nieboer

Not sure about the amount of animal print in this ensemble, but I think I love this hat.  Sort of like half '40s chic, half '70s cool?

PHOTO CREDITS: JULIEN WARNAND/AFP/Getty Images

Welcome to a new feature on the blog -- Hatty Birthdays, celebrating some of our favorite hatters on their big day.  Let me know what you think!

***

Happy birthday to the big kahuna of Belgian hatters, Queen Paola!  Here she is wearing a rather sensible chapeau during this year's National Day celebrations, but she's definitely had a few seriously mad hattery moments of her own!

Prince Albert's Wedding (2011)
Belgian National Day (2010)
Church of Our Lady of Laeken (2010)
The Prince of Orange's Wedding (2002)

Hope you have a wonderful day, Your Maj!

PHOTO CREDITS: REUTERS/Jan Van De Vel

Another tiara that I was a little disappointed to see tonight, honestly -- Paola's pulled out Queen Elisabeth's Diamond Bandeau Tiara yet again, when I'd hoped maybe we'd finally see the Nine Provinces Tiara.  That tiara can only be worn by the Belgian queen, but I think it can be taken out of the country.  Maybe next time, Your Maj?

PHOTO CREDITS: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Still love the Diamond Laurel Wreath Tiara on Mathilde, but I'd still love to see another tiara added to her collection eventually.  The beautiful diamond brooch that Mathilde wore to the wedding service was a gift to her from Queen Fabiola -- maybe eventually we'll see a former queen offer a future queen one of her magnificent tiaras, too?

We've got another outing from a tiara that debuted last June at the Swedish wedding: Claire's Diamond and Pearl Tiara.  Still love this one -- it's delicate and pretty, but still substantial enough to be highly visible.

PHOTO CREDITS: PPE

As per usual, Astrid brought out the Savoy-Aosta Tiara tonight.  Still a lovely piece -- and I'm actually starting to warm up to the dress, too!

PHOTO CREDITS: PPE

This is perhaps the drabbest color ever worn to a wedding, I'm afraid.  Also -- what happened to the front of the hat?  Did Laurent run over it again with the car?  Tsk, tsk!

PHOTO CREDITS: Danny Martindale/Getty Images

Belgian lampshade numero dos!  But at least Claire can use the immense shade provided by her hat to hide her blushes, because look what her hubs did on the red carpet:

Oopsie-daisies!  Ye Olde Royal Red Carpet Banana Peel Trick again, clearly...

PHOTO CREDITS: PPE

Belgian lampshade numero uno of the day!  But heck, it's Astrid at a wedding -- we're really just lucky that she only wore one hat instead of two!

PHOTO CREDITS: PPE