5 fashion rules Queen Camilla always follows

For decades, it was considered essential for British royal wives to wear hats when outside palace walls. (Going bareheaded may have been considered as undignified as taking off a cloak.) Today, the rules are somewhat relaxed, but protocol still requires that royal women always wear hats on certain occasions. Hats are required at formal ceremonies such as weddings, funerals and the annual Trooping the Color parade, as well as at special events such as the Royal Ascot horse race. Not only does Queen Camilla adhere to this standard, she also makes it her own by choosing toppers that are sure to make an impression.

Although she wears small, modest hats from time to time, she is more likely to be seen at wide-brimmed parties. For cooler days, she famously chooses a hat with a faux fur trim; Other times, she opts for colorful fedoras like the ones shown here. Even her wedding hats were unforgettable: at her state wedding, Camilla wore a wide straw hat with a lace trim and a large white flower; For the blessing of the clergy, she changed to a ribbon-style chapeau that resembled a waving bundle of golden wheat. But her most famous headdress of all is of course the magnificent Queen Mary crown she wore to the coronation of King Charles. It was the first time in three centuries that a queen consort chose to reuse a crown rather than commission a new one.