The 36 best, most over-the-top hats worn by the royal family

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The royal family has an impressive collection of hats. Chris Jackson/Getty Images and Frank Augstein/AP Images
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The royal family members are among some of the biggest style influencers in the world, and their hats and fascinators are a major staple in their wardrobe. 

While hats are certainly not a revolutionary idea, the British royal family takes them to the next level with some fabulously over-the-top designs. The royals typically reserve their most head-turning looks for events like the Royal Ascot, Trooping the Colour, or major royal weddings. 

Here are 36 of the best hats worn by the royals.

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The queen is known for her bright ensembles, and she always has a matching hat to complete the look.

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The queen wore this hat on Easter in April 2017. WPA Pool/Getty Images

The perfectly matching hat creates a monochromatic effect, while the bright pink floral detailing above the brim slightly differentiates it from her outfit.

Sometimes the queen opts for intricate patterns on her signature hats.

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The queen attending a garden party at Balmoral Castle. WPA Pool/Getty Images

She wore this white hat with blue floral embroidery to a garden party in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in August 2012.

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She showed off her whimsical side with this design in 2015.

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This is one of the queen's most eye-catching looks yet. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

The pink hat featured bright yellow trim with an angled pink feather at the center.

In February 2019, the Queen wore a blue hat with a plant-inspired embellishment.

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She paired the hat with a matching blue coat. Frank Augstein/AP Images

The hat featured bright-green feathers and gold-leaf designs.

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Princess Diana was always fashion-forward when it comes to hats.

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This bold look hat a net overlay in the front. David Levenson/Getty Images

She wore this bold red John Boyd creation during a visit to Guildford Cathedral in December 1981.

She also gave berets the royal treatment during a visit to Scotland in September 1982.

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Princess Diana wore the beret while watching the Braemar Highland Games. Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

She paired the black beret with a belted plaid dress.

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Princess Diana also put a royal twist on more traditional-shaped hats.

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She coordinated with a red and white houndstooth jacket. Tim Graham/Getty Images

She wore this oversized, wide-brimmed hat with a net overlay during a christening service at Sandringham Church in December 1990.

Read more: Kate Middleton looks a lot like Princess Diana in her latest outfit
 

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, wore a light-pink hat with a giant floral embellishment in June 2006.

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The embellishment was almost as big as the hat. Alastair Grant/AP Images

She wore the eye-catching design to the Royal Ascot.

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Sophie also went for a swirling headband design in April 2011.

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Her fascinator had a headband design. Chris Ison/AP Images

She wore the circular design made of gray and white feathers for the Easter Matins Service at St George's Chapel.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, also has a penchant for dramatic details in her hats.

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Camilla's hat featured a swirling brim. Jonathan Brady/AP Images

She wore this wide-brimmed design to a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2016.

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She also wore an equally detailed light-pink hat in May 2016.

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Camilla went with another wide-brimmed design. Dominic Lipinski/AP Images

Her pink hat had a large floral design on the right with swirling ribbon structures surrounding the brim.

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Princess Beatrice's avant-garde hat made headlines when she attended Kate Middleton and Prince William's royal wedding in April 2011.

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Princess Beatrice's hat stole the show. Antony Jones/Julian Parker/Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images

The Philip Treacy design has become one of the famous hats worn by a royal and is instantly recognizable with its swirling structured design.

According to CNN, the hat was sold for $130,000 in an auction benefiting children's charities.

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Beatrice took yet another fashion risk with this Philip Treacy creation in May 2008.

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She wore this one to the wedding of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly in 2008. AFP/Getty Images

The hat featured multicolored butterflies as part of its eye-catching design.

Beatrice proved the Royal Ascot is the perfect place to wear eccentric headwear in June 2012.

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Princess Beatrice's hat had a bold pop of red. Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images

Her red and white hat perfectly matched the floral appliqué on her dress.

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Princess Eugenie also turned heads with her hat during Middleton and Prince William's royal wedding in April 2011.

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Princess Eugenie also had a head-turning royal wedding moment. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

She opted for a tall blue design by Philip Treacy with purple flowers and gray feathers at the top.

This lime green saucer by Philip Treacy is one of Eugenie's most eye-catching looks.

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The saucer-shaped hat also had a structured ribbon detail in the center. Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images

She wore the satellite-like hat to the Royal Ascot in June 2009, which was a good contrast to her dark purple jacket.

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In June 2018, she went for a hat that included a message for a garden party at Buckingham Palace.

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WPA Pool/Getty Images

She wore a navy blue lace design by Misa Harada with the word "Love" written out in silver beads above the brim.

Read more: Princess Eugenie wore an extravagant headpiece to a royal garden party, proving she is the reigning queen of hats
 

This wine-colored hat Kate Middleton wore in December 2011 is one of her boldest looks yet.

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Middleton wore the hat for Christmas Day in 2011. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The slightly ruched design is by Jane Corbett.

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She brightened things up with this light-pink Jane Taylor design in May 2012.

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Kate Middleton attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace in London. WPA Pool/Getty Images

The hat is trimmed with lace and bow embellishments.

This Jane Taylor beret Middleton wore in August 2014 adds a nice pop of color with a peachy, ruffled embellishment.

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This design is classic Kate Middleton. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The hat is a great representation of Middleton's preference for classic designs with a modern twist.

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The Duchess of Cambridge wore one of her most intricate designs yet in June 2016.

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Kate Middleton during 2016's Royal Ascot. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

She wore a Jane Taylor fascinator that featured a rose pattern and twisted ribbons at the center.

Middleton also wore an intricate rose-themed fascinator in June 2016.

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Kate Middleton at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland. WPA Pool/Getty Images

The design by Lock & Co. features a rose pattern within its teardrop shape.

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She went with a bold shade of fuchsia for Princess Eugenie's royal wedding in October 2018.

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Kate Middleton attends Princess Eugenie's royal wedding in October 2018. Gareth Fuller/WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Philip Treacy hat featured a net overlay that fell in front of her eyes.

Read more: Meghan Markle wore a surprisingly low-key dress to Princess Eugenie's wedding, and it was totally different from Kate Middleton's approach

Middleton wore a bold-red hat for the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2019.

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Kate Middleton attends the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

The slanted hat featured a bow detail underneath.

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She debuted another new hat during the ANZAC Day Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving in April 2019.

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Kate Middleton attends the 2019 ANZAC Day Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

The peacock-blue fascinator featured an intricate feathered piece at the top.

She went for a striking design during the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May 2019.

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Kate Middleton attends the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. WPA Pool/Getty Images

The pale-pink design was by Juliette Botterill.

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Middleton went with an eye-catching blue fascinator for the Royal Ascot in June 2019.

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Kate Middleton attends the 2019 Royal Ascot. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

She seemed to be channeling the Queen in her powder-blue ensemble. 

Read more: Kate Middleton and the Queen coordinated in powder blue and matching floral hats at Royal Ascot

One of Meghan Markle's first major hats was this brown piece worn on Christmas Day in December 2017.

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Meghan Markle on Christmas Day in 2017. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The unique design was created by Philip Treacy.

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The Duchess of Sussex then wore a white beret during the Commonwealth Day service in March 2018.

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Meghan Markle turned to one of Diana's favorite designers. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Some people thought the Stephen Jones design was a subtle tribute to Princess Diana. 

Read more: Meghan Markle subtly paid tribute to Princess Diana with her outfit — and people are losing it
 

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After her grand royal wedding in May, Markle turned to Philip Treacy again for her first hat as an official royal in May 2018.

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She went for an elegant design. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

She paired the angled hat with a blush pink dress by Goat Fashion.

Read more: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wore perfectly coordinating outfits for their first public appearance after the royal wedding
 

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For Trooping the Colour in June 2018, she went for a blush pink asymmetrical hat by Philip Treacy.

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Meghan went with a pale pink look for her first Trooping the Colour. Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images

She paired it with an off-the-shoulder dress by Carolina Herrera, which some thought broke royal fashion protocol.

Read more: People think Meghan Markle broke royal protocol with her 'inappropriate' off-the-shoulder dress — but Kate Middleton has done it before
 

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Markle wore a chic black-and-white hat for her first Royal Ascot in June 2018.

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Meghan Markle wore her hat with a Givenchy dress. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

She once again wore a design by Philip Treacy.

Read more: Meghan Markle wore her most extravagant hat yet — and it proves her royal style is quickly evolving
 

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For Princess Eugenie's royal wedding in October 2018, Markle opted for a shade of navy blue.

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The duchess wore a royal shade of blue. WPA Pool/Getty Images

She wore a design by Noel Stewart that perfectly matched her Givenchy outfit.

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Markle debuted a white pillbox hat for the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in March 2019.

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Meghan Markle attends the 2019 Commonwealth Day service. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

She paired the hat with a printed dress by Victoria Beckham. 

Read more: Victoria Beckham wore the same $2,000 dress as Meghan Markle, and it looked completely different

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For the Order of the Garter Ceremony in June 2018, Prince William wore a traditional feathered hat.

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Prince William wore the traditional ceremonial garb. WPA Pool/Getty Images

The hat was paired with a long velvet robe, which makes up the traditional ceremonial garb for the event. 

Read more: Prince William wore velvet and feathers for a traditional royal event — and made an inadvertent fashion statement
 

Prince Harry donned a dapper top hat for the Royal Ascot in June 2018.

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Prince Harry at the 2018 Royal Ascot. Leon Neal/Getty Images

A top hat is the customary dress code for male attendees of the Royal Ascot, and Harry pulled his off with style.

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