Queen Camilla broke royal tradition at her wedding with ‘memorable’ accessory
Queen Camilla and King Charles are celebrating their wedding anniversary today. The Queen opted for two outfits for the occasion – one for the civil wedding ceremony, the other for the church blessing – but it was Queen Camilla’s extravagant hats that really grabbed the headlines at the time.
According to tradition, royal women wear a tiara on their wedding day, regardless of whether they were born into or married into the royal family. But for this momentous occasion, Camilla chose two hats from her favorite designer, Phillip Treacy. Fashion expert Louisa Rogers said Camilla’s choice to wear a hat over a tiara “suggests a conscious effort to downplay the traditionally feminine and traditionally royal choice of headgear.”
“Mistress millinery is closely associated with the aristocracy, so although it is not seen as very ostentatious, it still retains royal connotations. Therefore, it can be judged to have ‘better taste’.”
“Phillip Treacy’s design is simple yet avant-garde, in a soft beige tone that complements the print of his coat.
“The feathers are light and resemble sheaves of wheat curling around the head, which Treacy describes as ‘perfect and natural’. I think this choice of material was also to make Camilla feel more approachable and down-to-earth, as this has been a household name for a while and has been mistreated in the press.”
Fashion expert Karine Laudort added: “Queen Camilla has always been one to wear unforgettable hats, headpieces and fascinators to various official celebrations over the years, including Zara Tindall’s wedding, Christmas Card photos and even Meghan and Harry’s royal wedding.”
Hitched.co.uk editor Zoe Burke said Queen Camilla “absolutely got it right”. She said: “Competing Diana’s iconic wedding dress was never going to be easy, so she went in the opposite direction, staying true to her own style and creating a simple bridal look that is both gorgeous and understated.
“While not a typical bride in appearance, she followed the royal tradition of wearing two wedding dresses; a modest knee-length dress in cream with a matching coat and hat for her ceremony, then switching to a pale blue floor-length gown with an embroidered coat and a very elegant headpiece for her blessing.
“The Queen completed her look with a gold and diamond-tipped bridal headpiece by Philip Treacy, which I took to be her personal way of saying, ‘I may not be able to wear a tiara like other royal brides, but see if I care.'”
“Designing a title for it was exciting because it was such an important, historic moment for everyone involved,” Phillip Treacy said at the time. [of making her wedding headdress] It was simple because he left the title to me and trusted my ability. The inspiration was to draw something with feathers that encapsulated the spirit of the event.”
