One last post to recap the finery and foolery of the jewels and hats worn to this year’s Royal Ascot races. Generally, the royal attendance drops significantly after Ladies’ Day, but there are still a few outfits and accessories for us to peruse from the fourth and fifth days. Enjoy!
LOVE this bright pink color on HM for Day 4 — this color is so perfect for a sunny occasion like this, because it makes the wearer all rosy and glowing. And the tourmaline brooch from the people of Saskatchewan is an A+ choice to go with the coat.
Day 4 brought the Kents to Ascot, including one of my favorite dramatic royal dressers, Lady Helen Taylor. Pearls with a neutral dress and black hat could have been a bit matronly, but not when you add a cheeky pair of sunnies with lucite frames!
Getty didn’t even ID the other Kent lady in attendance — that’s the Countess of St. Andrews on the left, wearing pearls and an interesting hat. I want to see more of that chapeau, because there looks to be some very interesting stuff going on between head and brim. (Also, the Duke of Kent’s pretty up-to-date on his technology, eh?)
Lady Sarah Chatto may essentially be repeating her outfit from Trooping the Colour on Day 4, but I don’t mind, because LOOK AT THAT JEWELRY. A beautiful pearl and diamond sunburst brooch, lovely pearl and diamond earrings, plus another very important piece. That necklace of alternating diamonds and pearls was one of Queen Mary’s very favorite pieces of jewelry. Princess Margaret inherited it in 1953, and Sarah inherited it from her mother. GORGEOUS.
Princess Haya went less theatrical with her outfit for Day 4 (although that skirt could be a chandelier if electrified properly), adding only diamond earrings and a bracelet to her ensemble. Also of note: that very handsome man standing to her right is her stepson, Sheikh Hamdan, Dubai’s crown prince. Recent stories about Hamdan’s engagement have been debunked, ladies, that’s all I’m going to say.
The final day of Ascot brought us the Queen in pink once more, albeit a paler shade this time. She added yet another floral brooch to the outfit as well; it features blooms set in rose gold.
The Yorkies made a surprise appearance at Day 5 — it’s a Hat Christmas miracle, everyone! Even better, they brought along their boyfriends, which means we get a rare official appearance from Smiley DAVE. Bea’s worn this hat at Ascot before, but I like it — and I really like the interesting gold necklaces she’s layered over her bright pink dress.
Princess Eugenie’s hat, on the other hand, is not really my cup of tea. Or is it the rumply jacket? Or is it the combo? Hard to say, though I think perhaps the neckline of the coat is too high when combined with the size/angle of the hat. Also: minimal jewelry again — I spot one tiny bracelet. And clearly no one gave poor Jack Brooksbank lessons on how not to hold his hat.
The lovely woman chatting here with Prince Philip is another surprise princess: Badiya bint El Hassan of Jordan, the daughter of Prince Hassan and Princess Sarvath. Badiya has an impressive resume: she’s not only a princess but also an Oxford-educated barrister who is the chairperson of one of Prince Charles’s charities. She’s also good at selecting flattering colors for her clothing, based on this appearance, though I’m itching to snip the netting off that hat. And from what I can see, thumbs up on the earrings.