Coronation
As toppers go, this one is not the worst. It might HURT a whole lot -- the St. Edward's Crown, made in 1661, weighs almost 5 pounds -- but one can't argue its dominance.
September 1950
That's Anne in her mother's arms, with Charles alongside. They're boarding a train. That could, frankly, be any mother and children. I enjoy that the hat is basically just super simple but for the two feathers. She doesn't have time for a big ol' apparatus. Charles is cranky.
July 1968
I have pictures from my parents' wedding in 1966 where my great-grandmother is wearing a hat in this ilk -- basically, something that's just flowers, or a representation thereof. It takes me back to standing in front of my mother's dresser, having her blow-dry my hair while I stared at old family photos.
The Queen and the Duke Of Edinburgh, 1977
"One does look hotter in sunglasses, doesn't one?"
The Queen's Wedding Gown (on display in 2002)
This mannequin was clad in QEII's wedding dress as part of an exhibit called "A Century of Queens'' Wedding Dresses 1840 - 1947," which was on at Kensington Palace at this time as part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations. She wore it in 1947, and I threw it in here because... well, why NOT. I assume someone had that mannequin beheaded shortly after the exhibit closed.
March 1994
And now the hats. This looks like a box of chocolates someone tucked under her Crimbo tree.
June 1994
Here she's trying on the specially designed sunglasses of an England cricketer, and concluding that everyone ELSE looks hotter when one is wearing bespoke shades.
June 1994
She's at the Epsom Derby here, a big horse race in the UK, and I love how brightly she stands out in canary yellow.
June 1996
Here she's at a soccer championship match between the Czech Republic and Germany. The outfit is EXTREMELY minty fresh.
June 2000
This one was from Royal Ascot. I love it. The texture is just great.
June 2001
This is ALSO Royal Ascot, and that color makes me want to go eat an orange popsicle right now.
June 2001
LOVE the stripey brim on this. I assume they're pointing at a drunken racegoer who is vomiting into a hedge.
June 2001
This is the Queen riding to the opening of Parliament. I couldn't resist sliding in a picture of another ceremonial piece. (It's the George IV State Diadem.)
February 2002
This may be in error, but I feel like her hats in this era had more texture to them than now. Then again, I haven't always looked closely.
February 2002
She wore this during a state visit to New Zealand, and I think the whole outfit is pretty cool. (I believe that's the Prince Albert Sapphire Brooch, and I would not kick it out of bed for eating crackers.)
February 2002
Also in Auckland. This is EXTREMELY FLORAL. She's like a human flower, in fact, the way the hat sort of blossoms up there into something pink.
February 2002
I like the fabric on this one. Well, the color too, but certainly it could never be said that the Queen shies away from THAT. She has a storied history with the brights.
February 2002
And this is in Australia. It is the color of Grey Poupon. I hope she has a pot of it stashed under her ornate hat.
March 2002
I do love the Queen in red. (The brooch: The Grima Ruby, from 1966, the year my parents were married.
March 2002
I can't say it's the most modern of fabrics, but I'm sure the ol' Archbish isn't too fussed because he's much too busy focusing on not asking her anything about Fergie.
March 2002
A slightly different lid shape here. It seems to have wilted a little.
May 2002
This is from the Golden Jubilee (and I believe the brooch is this one). I love the purple hat with the colorful band and the great rich bright coat. She looks so hale.
May 2002
Another great color. I really think Kate should keep working red into her wardrobe -- people were divided on that suit she wore to disembark in Australia, but it looked splendid on her, as it does on Her Maj.
June 2002
This was at the Golden Jubilee parade. I might... sorry, QEII... wish that the hat looked less like woven straw.
June 2002
Hey, how did this get in here?!?
June 2002
Is this chartreuse, or more of a spring green? Either way, it's a VERY unusual color and suits her far better than I would have expected. I also like the sheer height of the hat.
July 2002
There is SO VERY MUCH going on here. Perhaps two plot twists too many? Bless the effort to shake it up, though, obviously.
July 2002
This is kicky, right?
October 2002
Here, the queen is in B.C. for a visit. Hat buttons are always a fun touch for travel. I say that like I have ever personally encountered a hat button, or been in a situation where hat buttons were in the offing.
March 2003
At Cheltenham. I LOVE how seriously the Queen takes her ponies.
March 2003
"Oooh, aye, don't mind if I do!"
June 2003: Zara and Anne
I'm just pausing on the Queen to note that I stumbled upon this Zara Phillips photo and WHAT IS SHE WEARING. Why did Princess Anne not fire her skeptical gazerbeam at this and solve the mystery of its nefarious origin?
July 2003
Well, the hat looks endearingly like it was decorated with curly streamers that came out of a GIANT version of those party poppers. The dress is a lot louder than I tend to envision on her, but in that way, it's almost exciting. KEEPING IT REAL, and all.
January 2004
That brooch is GREAT -- stand up and identify yourself, sweet jewel -- and I applaud this whole thing.
April 2004
So cool. I don't think she's recycled this one that I've seen, which is too bad, because I enjoy it.
July 2004
This is at the opening of the Diana Memorial Fountain. So she had to look regal but somber, and I think this hits all those notes.
July 2004
"Yoohoo! Terribly awkward, but you see, I've already got one of these."
June 2005
I love this color scheme on her. It's dramatic.
March 2006
How does she keep all her whites so crisp?!? I mean, aside from having access to, presumably, all the best dry-cleaning technology. I'd have ruined that ten minutes after it went on my body.
March 2006
Well, the flowers coordinate nicely.
April 2006
That hat is great. It's so dramatic and spiky. But not in a Camilla way where you're pretty sure someone is going to get stabbed.
April 2006
More red! Still dreamy on her.
June 2006
This is another one where the hat totally wins, and the coat and brooch work, and maybe I'd have offered up another blouse suggestion. What a fab hue on her, though. Again.
May 2007
This is at a luncheon in Williamsburg, during a U.S. visit, and I just really love that this photo looks like she is about to open her mouth and tell me to GET A GRIP about something for which a grip does need to be acquired.
May 2007
"DOUBTFUL, George. Doubtful."
May 2007
She's at the Kentucky Derby in this photo, so maybe this outfit is her tribute to the mint julep.
May 2007
This, of course, is the Queen where she is happiest: In her grubs at the Windsor Horse Show. I love how comfortable and granny-like and delighted she is. Totally her element.
May 2007
I have to applaud the sheer height of this lid. It's formidable and fab.
New Image Of The Queen By Mary McCartney
As the title of the slide suggests, this is a new picture. Informative Caption Ahoy: "In this handout photo released by Buckingham Palace on September 8, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II is seated at her desk in her private audience room at Buckingham Palace with one of her official red boxes, which she has received almost every day of her reign and contain important papers from government ministers in the United Kingdom and her Realms and from her representatives across the Commonwealth and beyond." It was taken in July, and I can't wait until it popularizes red briefcases. Pretty soon Kim Kardashian will be carrying one that Kanye has decorated with his West 2020 campaign poster. (And now suddenly I want a History of The Red Briefcase slideshow so we can see its evolution. Poor Red Briefcase. Has no one thought of its legacy?!?