Hatters, today is one of those days when I really resent that I'm not royal.  Today, I went to work.  Today, Charles and Camilla went to the Dickens Museum to celebrate the author's 200th birthday by leafing through one of his own annotated first editions with Lady Dedlock/Miss Havisham/Dana Scully.  SIGH.

Besides, if I were the royal attending this occasion, I would have chosen a hat that was not a) a Paddington, because Mr. Dickens really deserves better, and b) not one that I wore less than two weeks ago (or not even a fortnight ago, as Mr. D himself might have said).

BLAH.  Don't mind me, I'll just be over here sulking into my cheap paperback copy of Our Mutual Friend, imagining what kind of Victorian-y hattery I would have selected for this jaunt.  (This one?  This one?  Or, to continue the Havisham theme, maybe even this one?)  ANYWAY.

PHOTO CREDITS: REUTERS/Andrew Winning

We've got the triumphant return of yet another Paddington AND its polka-dot scarf/blouse friend today in Camden, so a bit eh to that.  But seriously, Cams should demand that all of her pictures from now on are taken in candlelight.  How great does she look here?

PHOTO CREDITS: Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images

I've been scouring our archives for this particular winter-weight Paddington, but so far to no avail -- maybe it's a new one for the blog?  I actually almost genuinely like this one ... I think it's the jaunty angle.  (Or maybe I'm just distracted by that diamond brooch.  You all probably have figured out that I'm sort of a magpie by this point, LOL!)

PHOTO CREDITS: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Is this yet another formal Paddington?  It looks warm at least, if a bit overpowering.

PHOTO CREDITS: BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

Uh-oh ... looks like someone took shoe polish to Ye Olde Pompadour Chapeau!  Mon dieu!

PHOTO CREDITS: Indigo/Getty Images

Best kind of royal lady = one who will gamely sport any topper the locals give her when she's on a tour.  Hooray!

PHOTO CREDITS: REUTERS/Alexander Joe/Pool

Cams wore a raaaaaaaspberry beret

The kind she wears when the royals go north

Raaaaaaaaspberry beret

And if the hat gods are kind, she won't wear it much more.

PHOTO CREDITS: Zimbio

So, Trooping the Colour Potpourri Fascinator Explosion, we meet again.  Time has not been kind to you, my terrifying friend...

PHOTO CREDITS: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Gasp -- could it be?  Is it possible?  Is it a new hat for Camilla -- and one that I like?  Glory be!

Also, on a sidenote:

I know it's totally immature, but the hats that go with dress military uniforms just make me giggle.

PHOTO CREDITS: REUTERS/David Moir, Andrew Milligan - WPA Pool/Getty Images

A repeat from Cams again, but at least this one hasn't been seen in a while -- not since April 2009, in fact!  Wishing for some color somewhere in all of this, though.

PHOTO CREDITS: eadt.co.uk