Sophie of Edinburgh Channels Elizabeth II with Her Favorite Timeless Accessory

The Duchess of Edinburgh, for whom fashion holds no secrets, is a fan of this fashion accessory that Queen Elizabeth II never took off.

Bibis, wide-brimmed hats, tambourines… When it comes to hats, the British royal family is not left out. And for good reason: they wear magnificent headwear on all sorts of occasions. A dress code that Sophie of Wessex, also known as Sophie of Edinburgh, respects to perfection. Her motto? The most extravagant models are possible.

To add the finishing touch to a chic outfit, it is rare to see Prince Edward’s wife without an accessory on her head. Sometimes classic, sometimes oversized, her hats number in the hundreds and are very often signed by the Irish designer Philip Treacy or Jane Taylor Millinery.

Her collection includes, for example, wide-brimmed printed designs, straw models, headwear adorned with a bouquet, a beige felt fedora, Jackie Kennedy-style tambourines, majestic wide-brimmed hats, bow-tied fascinators, and others adorned with feathers, lace or delicate veils. And the more space they take up, the better for Countess Sophie of Wessex! A fashion habit she surely inherited from her mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, who made the hat a symbol of her absolute elegance.

According to the BBC, a protocol dating back to 1952 dictates that women in the British royal family never go out without a hat to social events. The reason? They were frowned upon if they made the mistake of showing their hair in public at the time.