On the 6th of May, Charles III of the United Kingdom (UK) ascended the throne with the normal pomp and circumstance that befits a monarch. The streets of London flooded with people hoping to get a glimpse of the new king and royal watchers everywhere tuned into the livestream to watch this turning of the page in history. While the intricacies of this ceremony are fascinating, this article focuses instead on the best hats donned for the coronation.
Whether a fascinator, veil, or ‘normal’ cloche cap, watching the coronation confirms that the British adore a good headpiece. A fashion remnant of the Victorian Age, hats have become a symbol of elegance, refinement, and class. At fashionable events in the UK, women wear hats as a proper form of etiquette.
When royals, especially the royal ladies, attend events, it is the sea of hats that becomes most notable within the fashion industry. So, while protestors may have bantered outside the halls of Westminster Abbey over the legitimacy of the monarchy and its racist colonizing history, the monarchists entered Westminster Abbey with the dignity befitting their station and headpieces that showed their imperial style. Below you will find Fashion Reverie’s best hat picks from the coronation.
Image courtesy of instyle.com
Katy Perry
Katy Perry performing for the King of England might not have been on the 2023 bingo chart of the year, but it is not completely unexpected. Appointed ambassador of the British Asian Trust, founded by King Charles III, in 2020, she was a welcome presence at the coronation. Perhaps, better known for her more risqué outfits, Perry kept it tame and simplistic in a beautiful Vivienne Westwood suit with an oversized mesh fascinator that enamored many.
Image courtesy of royalportraitsgallery.com
Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, Queen of Spain
It is safe to say that this summer’s trend of Barbie-core now has a royal fan. For King Charles III’s coronation, the Queen of Spain entered Westminster Abby in a beautiful Carolina Herrera suit. That said, it was the disk hat with swaths of bubblegum pink lace that drew attention from the internet. Created by the Spanish brand Balel, this hat quickly helped Queen Letizia climb up the best-dressed lists released over the past week.
Image courtesy of irishnews.com
Suella Braverman
The U. Home Secretary went with the ever-popular fascinator as her choice in headwear. From an unknown designer, the large ivory hat was in the shape of a flower. This bold choice quickly gathered fans as hats made with so much crinoline and being so delicately sculpted are much rarer to see at royal events.
Image courtesy of theindependent.com
Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte
Kate Middleton regularly shows off her spectacular sense of style and this royal event was no different … except this time around the Princess matched her daughter, creating a beautiful symbol of family ties. Both Middleton and her daughter Princess Charlotte stepped away from the common hat and donned metallic headpiece designed by a collaboration between Jess Collet and Alexander McQueen.
Image courtesy of townandcountry.com
Masenate Mohato Seeiso, Queen of Lesotho
In a royal blue gown, the Queen of Lesotho swept into London looking regal as ever. Adding to her elegance was the beautiful side hat that sat atop her pinned-up hair. The royal blue of the disk on the hat was deeper than that of her gown, yet the true piece de resistance was the feather details strewn across the opposite side of the cap.
Image courtesy of usweekly.com
Honorable mention: Princess Anne’s ‘feather-gate’ hat
Most papers did not bring up Princess Anne’s hat in the fashion section, but that does not mean it did not send Twitter into a flurry. Like other members of the Royal family, Princess Anne held a position in the coronation ceremony. Hers was that of the Gold-Stick-in-Waiting, a position that simply put meant that she assumes the position of King Charles III’s personal protection officer.
In this role, she donned a military uniform filled with medals, but the true item that captured notice was her hat. A triangular military hat with a large red feather sticking straight up from the center. Users on Twitter speculate that the feather was strategically placed to block the view of Prince Harry, who sat directly behind his aunt. Given the images of their happy exchanges, this is speculation created to fuel drama. After all, feathers in military caps aren’t exactly unusual … but seeing a woman in a vintage-style military cap certainly is!
—Sydney Yeager
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