A-head of the crowd… How queens and princesses turn to a tiny group of trusted craftsmen and women for their hats, the most intricate – and most dramatic – wardrobe pieces of them all

If you’re going to be at the very top of the social tree, then it’s best to have a head for heights – and a good hat to put on top of it. 

It’s no wonder that royal women have tended to rely upon a select group of trusted milliners, often establishing a close working relationship.

Queen Elizabeth II, for example, wore hundreds of creations by Rachel Trevor-Morgan in the later decades of her reign.

The ‘look’ of the monarch and the sense of presence she created were a central part of her role, of course.

So it helped that the late Queen had clear ideas about what she did and didn’t want. 

Ms Trevor-Morgan explained to MailOnline that the late Queen approached her designs like any other client, but with a clear vision.

In contrast, Jane Taylor, who exclusively designs hats for Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is often given creative freedom over her designs.

‘Mostly I will receive a picture of the outfit and a swatch, and the client will say “create something”,’ she told MailOnline.

‘Not all clients want to be the centre of attention, and there’s a fine line between making them feel confident and giving their outfit a bit of an edge.’

Rachel Trevor-Morgan

Rachel Trevor-Morgan was granted The Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 2014. 

The milliner told MailOnline about her first encounter with the Queen:

‘I received a call from Angela Kelly, the Queen’s dresser and personal assistant, who asked if I would be interested in designing hats for Her Majesty, naturally I said yes.

‘She asked to visit my showroom and see my hats in person. I asked when and she said straight away – no time for flapping! What followed was a request to sketch some suitable hats.

‘The first hat that I designed for the Queen was for her 80th birthday service at St Paul’s. Many hats were to follow.’

Indeed, the Queen donned Trevor-Morgan’s hats on numerous high-profile occasions, including the service of celebration at Westminster Abbey marking her and Prince Philip’s diamond wedding anniversary.

When explaining the design process, Trevor-Morgan said:

‘I mainly worked with Angela Kelly and Stewart Parvin, her couturier, when designing the Queen’s hats. It was through them that I acquired the colour swatches and clothing designs. I would then design the hat and a fitting would follow.

‘The Queen had a very set style that worked for her, she always looked fabulous, and it was very much her look.’

Crafting a couture hat involves meticulous steps. 

Initially, the straw or fabric undergoes dyeing and blocking to shape it. For intricate flower trims, each hue is dyed to harmonise, followed by the individual cutting, tooling and rolling of each petal. 

The milliner emphasised the importance of heeding the Queen’s input and collaborating closely to craft the perfect hat. 

‘Whenever I am fitting a hat, I listen to my client and see how they react to my design. I can tell if something is not right, and the client lets you know. 

‘The Queen was no different. She was a very stylish monarch and new absolutely what she liked and what worked.’

Trevor-Morgan is proud of having created numerous hats for Her Majesty, including the green hat worn during her final balcony appearance. 

‘The Queen came from an era of great hat wearing and over the years she wore some incredibly fashion forward hats.

‘She had probably worn more hats than anyone else in the world and I am fortunate to be part of that history.’

Further royal clients include Princess Beatrice, who wore a particularly charming burgundy floral headband to the memorial service for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Coincidentally, Princess Margaret’s granddaughter, Margarita Armstrong-Jones, and Flora Vesterberg also sported the milliner’s headpieces at the Westminster Abby service.

Rachel Trevor-Morgan is currently based in St James’s, London.

She is a Brother of the Art Worker’s Guild, a founder member of The British Hat Guild, serves as an advisor at QEST (Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust) and is a member of the Buy Women Built network.

Jane Taylor

Jane Taylor specialises in avant-garde hats and headbands.

Her quality craftsmanship has been favoured by Catherine, Princess of Wales, on a number of occasions, such as the christenings of her three children, Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee Service and Trooping the Colour.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has worn Jane Taylor designs since 2009. 

Taylor told MailOnline that working together with clients is crucial for understanding their needs.

‘When I meet a client, I look to understand how far they’re going to go, as well as how happy they are to push boundaries,’ she said.

‘Not all clients want to be the centre of attention, and there’s a fine line between making them feel confident and giving their outfit a bit of an edge.’ 

She continued to explain how she is often given free rein over the design of a hat. 

‘Mostly I will receive a picture of the outfit and a swatch, and the client will say “create something”.

‘I try to give those VIP clients an option of one of two pieces. But my longstanding clients will just say “make me something, I know it will be fabulous”.

‘The process then begins where wooden blocks are designed and carved, swatches are hand-dyed to perfectly match their outfit, and then the work starts on creating the piece itself.’

The hats are meticulously handcrafted and custom-made in the brand’s London studio, taking 12-19 hours on average.

‘We use traditional couture techniques to make the pieces. These heritage methods take time and a lot of skill, so we train all our milliners in-house as these skills are not taught at collages,’ Taylor said.

‘Our clients often say that their hats will be handed down to the next generation, which I feel so proud to be part of’.

The brand is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by implementing specific measures, such as sourcing all materials locally in the UK and handling packing and shipping operations directly from the studio. 

Taylor started her business from her home in 2003, initially selling locally. 

In 2007, she relocated to London and expanded her company while living on a narrowboat near Kew. 

Seven years later, Taylor established her boutique on the Kings Road in Chelsea and, more recently, she opened an atelier on Walton Street nearby.

When asked how it feels to see her creations being worn by the likes of Kate and Sophie, she said: 

‘It’s always brilliant to see my hats worn by wonderful women, and I feel honoured that so many women have chosen my designs over the years for such special occasions in their lives.’

Jess Collett

‘I believe hats have the power to transform your style and mood,’ royal milliner Jess Collett has said in the past.

Collett has personally experienced this. She recalls how, as a child, wearing a hat would instill her with the confidence to embody the person she aspired to be.

With her mother being a dressmaker and upholsterer, it was a natural progression for Collett to pursue a creative career. 

Her elegant designs have adorned Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and Pippa Middleton.

Her best-remembered pieces might turn out to be the coronation headpieces designed for Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Princess Charlotte in collaboration with Alexander McQueen.

The stunning pieces feature silver bullion, crystal and intricate three-dimensional leaf embroidery, offering a modern interpretation of the traditional tiara.

After 25 years as a couture milliner, Collett launched her diffusion line, JCM, offering cutting-edge designs for the modern woman.  

She is a member of the British Hat Guild, the national association of professional milliners, hatters and headwear designers.

Juliette Botterill

Juliette Botterill’s hats are a firm favourite of Zara Tindall. 

They have also been worn by other members of the Royal Family, including Catherine and Princess Beatrice.

Botterill offers a bespoke couture service and ready-to-wear collections.

She studied for a master’s degree in fashion design from the Glasgow School of Art before launching her namesake label in 2014. 

In addition to receiving commissions from the Royal Family, Botterill’s hats are popular choices for wedding guests and racegoers alike.  

Philip Treacy 

‘I have had the greatest pleasure of having the opportunity to challenge people’s perception of what a hat should look like in the 21st century,’ Philip Treacy writes on his website.

‘I make hats because I love hats. It’s an enigmatic object that serves the human purpose only of beautification and embellishment, and making one feel good, whether you’re the observer of the spectacle or the wearer.’

Treacy has become one of the world’s most in-demand hat designers. 

His creations have been worn by an array of A-list celebrities, including Lady Gaga and Beyonce, as well as various members of the British Royal Family.

Widely praised for revolutionising the hat, Treacy designs headwear that flatters and enhances the wearer’s style.

Queen Camilla, who is a loyal customer, sported a turquoise design featuring peacock feathers to the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey. 

Treacy’s hats have also been worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, for Trooping the Colour in 2019 and 2018 respectively. 

Catherine also commissioned a striking scarlet wide-brimmed saucer hat, topped with flowers, for Royal Ascot 2023. 

It perfectly complemented her custom-made dress by Alexander McQueen. 

Stephen Jones

Considered one of the most influential milliners of the 20th century, Stephen Jones boasted Princess Diana as a client. 

He began working with her in 1981, when he was 23. He previously told MailOnline:

‘Diana was great. Jasper Conran introduced me to her. She’d just married Charles and was the most famous person in the world.

‘We walked into the room at St James’s Palace with our boxes of hats and she was the only person in there. I was completely awestruck. My face was bright pink but she was charming.

‘Later, during fittings, she’d be listening to Wham Rap! on her Walkman.’

Jones has since designed hats for Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, and he  created Pippa Middleton’s ethereal wedding veil.

In his capacity as milliner to the House of Dior, a post he has held since 1996, Jones made several hats for Meghan Markle when she joined the Royal Family.

At the time, the designer said he found the Duchess to be ‘charming, elegant, generous and a great hat wearer’. 

Jones, who was born in Cheshire, graduated from St Martin’s School of Art in 1979 and opened his first millinery salon in Covent Garden in 1980.

His quirky designs – ranging from refined to whimsical – have attracted a notable following, with fans including Boy George, Mick Jagger, Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

He has collaborated with a number of fashion designers, such as Vivienne Westwood and Thom Browne, to create memorable runway spectacles. 

Jones’ retail boutique, design studio and workroom are all located in a Georgian townhouse, nearby the site of his very first millinery salon. 

In addition to his Model Millinery collection, he designs the widely-distributed Miss Jones and JonesBoy diffusion ranges.