Like every other aspect of its operation, the Navy is meticulous when comes to what kind of hairstyles that female soldiers can have. Hairstyles are required to be of a conventional style and it is “not authorized” to have pigtails or ponytails. If you consider yourself stylish, stay away from the Navy.

One of the most common misconceptions surrounding NCIS is that it is purely a fictional TV show. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The show takes much inspiration from the real-life Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Counter-terrorism and counter-intelligence are just a couple of issues that are tackled in this quality representation of Naval Investigation. The show was originally titled Navy NCIS, but the word “Navy” was later dropped as, understandably so, it was considered redundant.

The amount of movies that have been made about submarines is absolutely staggering. This water vehicle has been associated with the Navy since the 1800’s, before being truly utilized at the turn of the 20th century. Amazingly, women were banned from using submarines up until 2010. Nowadays, there are many females who operate submarines, with a total of 80 female officers at this moment in time. After previous issues, the Navy is now ensuring that women have sufficient level of privacy.

Shannon Ihrke joined the Navy when she was 19 years of age. For four years, she was part of the Navy’s armed forces and during her time serving, she believes she grew tremendously. She claims that she “pushed [her] body harder than [she] could have ever imagined.” Although the connection wasn’t clear at the time, it would prove to be a huge stepping stone for her entry into a modeling career. As of now, Ihrke has 72,000 followers on Twitter.

Pull-ups are a standard fitness exercise in the Marine Corps. Initially, every single Marine, whether you were a man or a woman, was required to do them. The only difference was that women did a lower number of pull-ups. But stats showed that over 50% of women were unable to complete the training they were given. As a result, changes were made, providing different levels of exercise for men and women. Women are still encouraged to do pull-ups, but it’s not compulsory.

Pregnancies in the Navy are treated in a sensitive manner. Any woman, no matter how big or small their role is, is sent home for a certain time period. After reaching 20 weeks of pregnancy, female Marines are taken off the ships. After developing a bump, women are unable to fit comfortably into their shirts. As a result, the Navy has created maternity friendly uniforms. They are officially approved by the Navy and are designed to be comfortable for pregnant Marines.

The military tries to be as patient and as accommodating as possible when it comes to soldiers having babies. Like any other organization, they give maternity and paternity leave as well as giving pregnant soldiers uniforms which are more comfortable, but this has come at a cost. Pregnant women are more costly due to medical care and appropriate transportation that they need. In addition, maternity leave means that someone leaving the military for a period of time and their job must be filled in.

Unlike the movies, the reality of being on a Navy ship is much more manageable than expected. Rather than being at sea for years on end without seeing friends or family or touching land, boats will dock in major cities for Fleet Week. During this time, servicemen and women are given a chance to explore and take some time for themselves. In addition, the Navy are given 30 vacation days which rollover from year to year, allowing them to have well earned time off.

There were many exposes on torture imposed by the United States on terrorists in an attempt to drive classified information out of them. The controversial technique was condemned in many societies and in some extreme cases, it can kill the suspect. However, it might come as a surprise that elite military personnel are expected to undergo this method as a part of tough training. In recent years, it was reported that the Navy SEALs had to phase it out over time.

The United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program is more commonly known as Topgun and has a genuine reason why it was put in place. During the Vietnam War, the communist forces were maneuvering their way out of air-to-air missile attacks shot by the US pilots. One of the reasons why they were successfully avoiding them was potentially down to inaccuracy and to avoid this for the future, they introduced Topgun. You can thank Tom Cruise for bringing it to attention in his blockbuster movie.

Ever since the early 19th century, there is a specific way that Navy vessels are named. The Secretary of the Navy is partially responsible for this but there is also a procedure which is undertaken. Every ship must start with USS (United States Ship) and then everyone is allowed input for significant names who have contributed something monumental to US history. When the person’s name is approved, their oldest female descendent is given the honors of christening the ship.

Not all recruits in the Navy SEALs are required to have the same skill set. One important team is comprised of elite trained dogs which accompany the SEALs on missions, even the skydiving ones. The specific breed chosen is the Malinois, also known as the Belgian Shepherd dog. These dogs have a reputation of being incredibly intelligent and obedient, making them increasingly useful to sniff out explosives and toxic materials. In many cases, the dogs will be sent in on a mission first, prior to the soldiers.

For centuries, women were completely banned from taking to the front line and fight for their country. This position was reserved for men only and it wasn’t until 2015 that a lobby pushed through the decision to allow women to go into combat. Defense Secretary Ash Carter was responsible for giving it the green light but the decision also warranted condemnation and disapproval from other high ranking officials. Nevertheless, Carter insisted that it must happen “right away,” despite the controversial nature.

With a total of 1.4 million soldiers on active duty in the United States military, only 15% of those are women. The Navy has 53,000 women, and the Marine Corps has 14,000. In regards to those who have achieved top of the rank status, there is one lone female general in the Marine Corps and 21 female Admirals in the Navy. The Navy does have many female officers, of whom just under half are involved in in the medical professions.

Since the ban on women in combat positions was lifted, many women have flooded in to enlist in the Army. One woman signed up to be part of the SEAL Officer Assessment and Selection Program, even though the Navy SEALS is one of the hardest units in the Army. As one of the toughest programs, where only the physically and mentally fittest in the world can handle, the woman had to drop out of the course after a few weeks.

The Navy uses blocky squares for their uniform as a form of pixelated camouflage and, although it looks quite strange, it is considered to be the best camouflage developed so far. This is because, compared to the old camouflage, solid lines are easily picked up by the human brain, and the new design has none of that. Although the design has been working well and is the best so far, the plan is for the Navy to switch the color to green by 2019.

Aircraft carriers are some of the most impressive machines which can somehow float on the ocean, while also having the ability to allow for take-off and landing of fighter planes. The United States Navy has the best modern form of marvel engineering, and the American is the biggest in the world with 81 aircraft carriers. This is followed by Britain with 54, and France with 15, with the rest of the list falling steeply. There are only 20 in service in the world, and 11 of those are American.

When it comes to security on aircraft carriers, it seems that it is not as great as one would expect. This was proven in 1957 after 10 Australian college students managed to board the USS Bennington which was docked in Sydney. The students were dressed as pirates, and the pranksters somehow managed to make it to the bridge where they announced the ship had been “captured” by pirates. It seems the Navy was in need of some humor and found it funny, so no legal action was taken.

In an unexpected turn of events, there is a connection between the Navy and Budweiser beer. The Navy SEALS uniform can be found to have a pin on it called the “Special Warfare Insignia,” and this SEAL is also known colloquially as the “Budweiser.” The reason is because the training course to become is a SEAL is called the “BUD/S,” and secondly, the insignia looks like the Anheuser-Busch logo with its wings, which is the company that makes the beer.

Richard Marcinko is the man who first led Seal Team Six, the group renowned for taking out the terrorist behind the 9/11 attacks. Marcinko also founded Red Cell, the organization which finds the holes in security systems of the military. Meanwhile, he found himself in trouble when it was found that he had misused funds when it came to buying supplies and was convicted of defrauding the government. Although considered as a SEAL Team Six legend in the military, he was sentenced to 21 months in Federal prison.

H. G. Wells put it best: “If we do not end war, war will end us.” And indeed, it’s hard to consider any side a winning one when counting the fatalities both sides endured. It is always favorable to be in a state of peace, but unfortunately, the past taught us there’s a need for a strong sovereign not only to avoid social chaos but also so someone with strength, bravery, and maturity to make tough decisions. Knowing this, is it really that surprising the Navy produced six presidents?

Professional Navy jargon, much like lingo used in other fields, consists of terms that others are not familiar with. The Navy specifically uses coded words that originate from old maritime terms, and are combined with military acronyms. For example, if someone says ‘the mess deck’, they are referring to the cafeteria. Meanwhile, windows are called ‘portholes’, and even simple terms like right and left are no in common use. Instead of the well-known words we use to this day, the two are replaced with port and starboard.

Leathernecks is a term commonly used when referring to Marines. The colloquial term was chosen seeing as how Marines are so tough. Notwithstanding with the former fact, this does not go to show that Marines are heartless. In fact, they are known for being dog lovers – the Marine Corps mascot is a bulldog, and Marines are nicknamed “Devil Dogs.” The nickname comes from an old tale that originated in World War I – apparently, German soldiers cursed the Marines, saying “Teufel Hunde,” which translates into devil dogs.

As an entity on its own, the Marine Corps wanted to develop its fighting method. Martial arts master Bruce Lee did so as well, and called it Jeet Kune Do. Come 2001, the Marine Corps made it official and named their technique the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. The technique involves a blend of different fighting styles, including boxing, kung fu, and krav maga. They too have a belt that symbolizes the stage of training the person is at, but unlike others that start at white, their first belt is tan.

The Self Defense Test Ship is an innovation like no other, as it enables the Navy to test the weaponry on board when attacks are made on the ship without any crew members having to be on board. This way, the Navy can test the ship’s self-protecting and external attacking capabilities without causing any harm to sailors. Usually, a ship this size would require approximately 200 sailors to man the controls, which is what makes this innovation all the more amazing.

The Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marines all need to handle and work with different sorts of fields of medicine. For example, Air Force doctors must have a fluent comprehension of atmospheric oxygen levels. Navy doctors must also understand the consequences of water pressure and dissolved oxygen since one of the most significant problems is the bends, which is also referred to as decompression sickness. This occurs when divers rise too quickly to the surface and consequently get sick, as often happens when under attack.

On each USS boat, a special flagpole called the jackstaff can be found. The jackstaff was added to US Navy vessels sometime during the 1800’s. While the boat is docked, the jackstaff crosses to the First Navy Jack. This special flag has thirteen stripes, which represents the original 13 colonies. Additionally, it has an American rattlesnake on that reads “DONT TREAD ON ME.” The snake was inspired by the Gadsden flag – a flag designed by the American revolutionary and patriot, Christopher Gadsden.

The Navy has a new ship sailing the seas that looks like it’s straight out of a science fiction movie. The USS Zumwalt, also known as the DDg1000 was designed specifically so that it would be nearly undetectable on radar. The ship is also shaped in such a way to optimize it’s journey through the water. Even funnier, this futuristic floating fortress is captained by James Kirk, who shares his name with the famed Star Trek  captain.

America first commissioned its Navy during the Revolutionary War, when it had to contend with the British, who commanded the biggest and most powerful navy in the world at the time. Following the war, however, the Navy was disbanded, though that didn’t last very long. Only 20 years later, America realized they needed their navy back, but not to fight the British (yet). The Navy was recommissioned in order to protect American merchant ships from Barbary pirates, though they quietly built a few warships as well.

Inspired by her uncles’ stories from their time in the Navy, Barbara Ives want to experience that same thrill of adventure. She enrolled in the United States Naval Academy as one of the women in the first female class to attend in the Academy’s history. Barbara was one of the women who had to contend with the Navy’s lack of preparedness for accepting women, as there weren’t proper uniforms, in addition to rampant discrimination. Regardless, she was committed to the Navy and served a total 26 years.

Many people have heard of the Navy’s special forces, known as the SEALs, which stands for “SEa, Air, Land”. The elite unit has one of the most difficult physical tests in any branch of the American military. Basic training for the SEALs is also one of the longest training bootcamps, lasting a total of seven months, and many don’t make it to the finish line. If you want to see their bootcamp for yourself, head to Imperial Beach in California, but the rest of their operations are top secret.

A number of celebrities have served time in the Navy, including Humphrey Bogart, the star of the classic film Casablanca. Bogart served in the 1920s on two separate ships. MC Hammer is another Navy veteran, though he was better known as Stanley Burrel at that time. One of the most well known people to have spent time in the Navy, however, was Neil Armstrong himself. Before he went to the moon, he flew planes for the Navy and took a hit during the Korean War.

It can be hard to truly comprehend the intensity of the Navy SEAL training, but one model, Lauren Berlingeri, wanted to take it on herself. As part of a YouTube series, she titled “Women Versus Workout” she attempted a number of different exercise routines, including a particularly difficult SEALs regimen. The episode had to be split into three parts because the routine took 24 hours to complete. Despite their doubts, the men were surprised when Berlingeri managed to keep up.

It may have taken some time, but since women’s introduction into the naval forces, there had never been a female infantry officer, until recently. The number of men who have completed the 13 week Marine Corps Infantry Course are practically countless. Commandant General Robert Neller shared his pride for this ground breaking woman. She has asked to remain anonymous to the public, but hopefully her dedication and hard work will inspire many more to follow in her footsteps.

Hats should be a fairly easy item of apparel to get right, especially when you are a member of the British royal family. Here are some of the most unforgettable ones, with some barely qualifying as acceptable, while others went way too far.

Princess Beatrice isn’t the only member of her immediate family to have stood out for the wrong reasons due to some strange-looking headpiece. It was Princess Eugenie in 2009 who caught the attention of the paparazzi in 2009. At that year’s Royal Ascot, Prince Andrew’s daughter wore a lime green hat that was designed by royal specialist Philip Treacy. However, many people poked fun at the headpiece, comparing the front part to the shape of a satellite. To be fair, it did contrast her dark purple jacket very well.

Another headpiece that took the Royal Ascot by storm was Princess Margaret’s in 1991. Queen Elizabeth II’s sister showed up to the event with her niece Princess Anne in a carriage, on Ladies Day, of all days. During this celebratory occasion, she wore this over-the-top headpiece, adorned in red feathers. While some believed that it was a little too big, others believed that it perfectly complemented her red dress, brooch, and earrings. Margaret was known for doing things her way, and this included the way she dressed.

Back in 1986, Princess Diana decided to do things the only way she knew how, her way, by wearing a mint green dress with black polka dots and a matching hat to the Royal Ascot that year. Without a shadow of a doubt, Diana was the highlight of the fashion aspect of that weekend. Fast forward two years into the future and Diana was at it again. This time, her polka dot dress/hat was white, instead of mint green.

Once again, Princess Beatrice pulled all the stops in order to stand out from the crowd during the royal Easter celebrations, this time in 2017. As she proceeded to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, Beatrice stunned everyone with her copper fascinator. While her lavender dress would have been more than enough for the press to comment on, the headpiece was the icing on this Easter cake. What critics seemed to love most about it was the purple contrast on the other side of the fabric.

It is clear that the Queen Mother wore a variety of over-the-top hats throughout her life. This was also apparent back in the ’70s/’80s, when royal headwear was becoming increasingly extravagant with every event. This photo was taken on New Year’s Day in 1980 and sees the Queen Mother wearing a designer hat that has a triangular theme. The hat matched her chiffon dress very well and the tiny flowers were a pleasant finishing touch. Flamboyant hats certainly did run in family.

Many will be surprised to see Prince William included on this list, especially since it is about over-the-top hats. And while this particular hat is rooted in a longstanding tradition, it still earned a place on this list. This photo was taken in 2018, when William attended the Order of the Garter and wore a traditional hat, full of feathers. It is one part of the traditional garb for this annual ceremony, with the other part being the long velvet robe that can also be seen in the photo.

It was certainly a bumpy ride leading up to the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowels. In 2005, when the couple finally tied the knot, the Duchess of Cornwall wore a beautiful Anna Valentine outfit for her big day. She also wore Treacy-designed golden feathers, instead of a tiara, which is more traditional. It’s never been specified what the symbolism of feathers was, but some have speculated that it alludes to the couple’s new-found freedom to express their love, free of judgment.

Just a few months after tying the knot with Prince William, Kate Middleton was attending another royal wedding. This time it was Zara Phillips getting married to Mike Tindall. Although Kate was trying to take a step back from the limelight out of respect for Zara, the paparazzi still had all eyes on her. This wasn’t helped by the floral-adorned headpiece that she wore that day. On one side, it appeared to be a plain ivory hat. However, a bouquet can be seen on the other.

You would think that turning up to a royal event wearing a conventionally-shaped hat would actually make Princess Beatrice blend into the crowd for once. And yet, not even this piece of headwear could prevent this from happening. In 2016, Eugenie’s sister appeared at that year’s edition of the Royal Ascot wearing this flat-rim hat. In theory, this should have been a fairly lowkey appearance for the Princess. However, her choice of blue and orange was certainly unique.

Sure, her brother Prince Charles might have been in the tabloids more times over the years. Make no mistake about it though, Princess Anne has stood out from the crowd on numerous occasions, including this time in 1981, when she wore this vibrant fascinator to Charles and Diana’s wedding. Of course, Anne has since gone on to become a successful equestrian, becoming the very first member of the royal family to compete in the Olympics. Unique-looking hats aren’t the only things that have helped her steal the headlines over the years.

Philip Treacy pulled out all the stops once again when Meghan Markle was scheduled to attend the 2018 edition of the Royal Ascot. He put together this stunning black and white hat, which perfectly complemented Markle’s white Givenchy gown. The royal milliner had already worked with Prince Harry’s wife on numerous occasions prior to the Ascot, but this might be one of the very best. The event took place exactly a month after Markle and Harry tied the knot.

It seems like these two royal sisters have a knack for causing a reaction with their headwear. While it might not have elicited the same kind of reaction that her sister Beatrice’s hat did, Princess Eugenie’s headpieces still turned a lot of heads during the wedding of Prince Williams and Kate Middleton. While her blue floral dress was undeniably stunning, Eugenie’s blue hat, designed by Philip Treacy, seemed to receive a polarizing reaction. Purple flowers and gray feathers were placed above the blue headpiece.

The likes of Philip Treacy have credited the Queen with keeping bright-colored hats in the royal fashion over the years. And although she is often seen wearing a traditional headgear, Elizabeth II has been known to break character from time to time. In 1999, the Queen attended the wedding of her son Prince Edward and Sophia Rhys-Jones at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. However, she surprised many with her choice to sport a purple feathered casque, which complemented her silver hair very well.

Another royal tradition that all members of the Queen’s family are expected to attend every year is the Trooping the Color. Not only is it an important event for the British and Commonwealth armies, but it has also marked the official birthday of the British sovereign since 1748. One person who takes this tradition extremely seriously is Princess Beatrice, who always makes sure to dress to her very best each year. While this white feather-burst cap might not be the most colorful hat she’s ever worn, it’s still noteworthy.

Even when things were going against her during her time in the royal family, Princess Diana still knew how to look the part wherever she went. This photo was taken in 1992, when Diana was on her way to Windsor Chapel for the wedding of art dealer Tim Taylor and Lady Helen Windsor. She was wearing a wide-rimmed hat that had a giant green bow on it. Although he can’t be seen, Prince Harry was walking hand in hand with Diana on the way to the ceremony.

While royal fans have always had their eyes on Queen Elizabeth II, many have also taken great interest in Princess Margaret. Her late sister was known for wearing unforgettable headpieces and in 1973, she sported one of her most iconic at the Royal Ascot. Margaret wore a pillbox that was covered in peacock feathers. Unlike others, the royal family was expected to wear understated hats to these kinds of events. Margaret’s wasn’t the craziest choice, but it certainly wasn’t understated.

Seeing that it’s traditional to wear all black to funerals, people wondered why Sophie, Countess of Wessex, chose to wear all black to the Royal Ascot in 2014. Ironically, it helped her stand out during the third day of the competition, with so many purple and pink outfits surrounding her. Arguably the highlight of her attire was the black fascinator she covered her head with, including an angled-brim and geometric bow. Sophie has actually made a habit of white and black dresses over the years.

It might not be the most unorthodox hat she’s ever worn, but Kate Middleton’s headpiece for the Royal Ascot in 2017 was one that many would never forget. Against her Alexander McQueen lace dress, she sported this rather simple fascinator that was adorned in a white, lace blooms. The high neck and white lace has become a fashion choice that Kate has frequented over the years, most notably as a similar dress she wore the year before this, which went down to her shins.

In what could almost pass as a beret from a certain angle, Princess Beatrice showed up to Easter services at St. George’s Chapel in 2013, wearing this unique fascinator that was bound to get at least some attention along the way. With a single multicolored feather against a mustard yellow backdrop, it certainly made a number of people look twice. Some commented on whether the headpiece’s oval-like shape was intentional or purely a coincidence. The multicolored feather certainly lends credence to the former.

In 1999, Prince Edward tied the knot with Sophie Rhys-Jones at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. One of the members of the royal family who was in attendance was the late Queen Mother. Elizabeth II’s mother showed up to the event wearing this purple hat, which was covered in feathers. There is no denying that the headpiece was an attention grabber but it didn’t take all the spotlight away from the newlyweds. Sadly, The Queen Mother passed away a couple of years later.

Despite how things ended up, Princess Diana and Prince Charles did have some good times together. This photo of the couple came in 1986 when they arrived in a carriage to the wedding of Charles’s brother Prince Andrew. Diana wore a wide-brimmed blue hat that proved to be one of the highlights of the event. Some publications drew comparisons between her hat and that of a pirate’s. This did not stop Diana from having a great day with Charles. Of course, the good times wouldn’t last…

Not all of the royal hats on this list were intended to revolutionize the world of fashion. Moreover, there are some male royal figures who sported some memorable headpieces over the years. One fine example came in 1989, when a young Prince Harry turned up to the wedding of his uncle Viscount Althorp wearing the following hat. Seeing that he was granted the honor of being one of the pageboys for the wedding, he was given this maroon velvet hat to wear.

The Queen is notorious for wearing some of the most over-the-top hats in the history of the royal family. While the majority of them are conventionally shaped like a stereotypical hat, they often made with loud, bright colors that make Elizabeth II stand out from the crowd. This time though, she did things a little differently. Seeing that she was attending a garden party at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the Queen chose to have a white hat embroidered with a beautiful blue floral motif.

2011 wasn’t just the year that Prince William tied the knot with Kate Middleton. It was also the year that Zara Phillips got married to Mike Tindall. Surely enough, it wouldn’t be a royal affair without Princess Beatrice showing up with one of the most unique-looking hats of the day. Eugenie’s sister ended up going with a stunning, teal fascinator. While she thought she had got away with something special, the public was quick to compare it to a satellite dish.

It seems like everyone who was expected to wear headgear at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding pulled out all of the stops for the occasion. This included William’s aunty, Prince Anne. Proving that she has maintained great taste when it comes to what to wear on her head, Anne wore a floral outfit to the wedding. However, the highlight of her apparel was undoubtedly the headpiece which was covered in lavender flowers and netting. It was certainly a hit.

She might not be the most popular figure in the royal family right now, but Meghan Markle has never stopped herself from dressing to impress at royal events. Back in 2017, when she was still new to the family, the Duchess of Sussex attended Christmas Day services wearing one of her first royal-designed hats. The brown headpiece was designed by Philip Treacy and is elegant, with a sophisticated twirling piece on the side. Sadly though, Meghan has been in the headlines for other reasons in recent times.

In 1989, Princess Diana underwent one of her frequent trips abroad, this time to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. During her trip with Prince Charles, Diana met Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum and dressed in a way that she believed would be suitable for the occasion. Due to expectations that women should keep their hair covered at formal gatherings, Diana turned up to her encounter with the Sheikh wearing this Phillip Somerville blue turban hat, which included a white brim.

While she generally lives in the shadow of her royal sister Kate, Pippa Middleton has stolen the headlines a number of times over the years too. The public couldn’t take their eyes away from her when she sported one of the most memorable royal hats of 2013. Attending the wedding of Lady Melissa Percy and Thomas Van Straubenzee, Pippa turned up to St. Michael’s Church wearing a headpiece designed by Olivia Roat Millinery. Many compared the design to that of a deer’s antlers.

She might not be as famous as the likes of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, but Lady Sarah Chatto has been a mainstay in the extended royal family for a long time now. The only daughter of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, Sarah has also caught the attention on numerous occasions because of some questionable headwear choices. Take this photo, for example, taken at Zara Phillips’ wedding. Some compared Lady Sarah’s black hat to a UFO, and understandably so.

Traditionally speaking, one wears black at a funeral. And although Zara Phillips didn’t turn up to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton wearing all black, this didn’t stop Zara from being on the front page of many British tabloids around that time. Many couldn’t keep their eyes away from Zara’s leaning, black linen hat, which had fancy, curled details on the side. What made things even more awkward was that she got married just a few months later.

As if there wasn’t enough going on during the day that Prince Charles and Camilla Bowles tied the knot. With their children from their previous marriages also in attendance, it was certainly an unforgettable day, for a number of reasons. One of those was because of Laura Lopes. Camilla’s daughter attended the civil ceremony, wearing a unique-looking, metallic fascinator that had a gold bow and leaves, almost creating a floating effect. It was supposed to act as a youthful version of Camilla’s headpiece.

Arguably one of the more understated headpieces in her collection, Princess Beatrice did not go too over the top when she showed up for Prince Charles’s wedding to Camilla Bowles in 2005. To celebrate the occasion, she wore the following fascinator, which included two brown silk lilies, complementing her auburn hair pretty well. These lilies were made from taupe and black fabric. Little did the public know that the next decade would see Beatrice put together some serious masterpieces.

While she might not be the most recognizable face on this list, Sophie, Countess of Wessex has certainly made a huge impression in the hat department over the years. Prince Edward’s wife was in top form in 2018 when she attended a service to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service. The reality was that it was her jewelry that stole the show that day. While many were impressed by her brooch and pearl earrings, others were less impressed by her white-and-cream feather fascinator.

While she wasn’t a member of the royal family, the late Tara Palmer-Tomkinson’s family had close ties with Queen Elizabeth. She attended both the weddings of Prince Charles and Camilla and Prince William and Kate Middleton. This photo was taken during the latter event in 2011, in which Tara wore a stunning bold blue outfit. However, it was this fascinator, shaped like a boat, which was what everyone seemed to be talking about when everything was said and done. The hat, with a rose inset, was designed by Philip Treacy.

Princess Beatrice of York’s hats has become the stuff of legends over the years, especially due to how unique they have been at every single event. The daughter of Prince Andrew stole the show at William and Kate’s wedding back in 2011 when she showed up in a hat designed by prolific royal designer Philip Treacy. However, it ended up becoming the subject of many jokes in the public eye, with many comparing it to a toilet seat. Ultimately, the hat raised $131,000 for charity in an eBay auction.

Back in 2011, just a few months after they tied the knot, Prince William and Duchess Kate traveled to Ottawa to celebrate Canada Day. There is no denying though that it was Kate’s red fascinator with a maple leaf on top, that stole the headlines. Of course, this is one of the country’s national symbols and it stole the hearts of all that were in attendance. During their trip, the couple visited locations and events such as Prince Edward Island, as well as the Calgary Stampede.

Naturally, fellow guests were stunned when Princess Beatrice showed up at Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly’s wedding in the following headpiece. While her hats have certainly stolen the headlines over the years, often for bad reasons, the Queen’s granddaughter never lets it bring her down.

Christmas Day is always a special time for the royal family. All members are expected to join the Queen for a service filled with singing and celebrating. Moreover, all who attend are expected to dress to their very best and Princess Beatrice was determined to fulfill that promise in 2005. She turned up to the royal Christmas Day service sporting this huge, purple hat. Apparently, she took fashion advice from the Queen, who promotes wearing bright colors in order to stand out from the crowd.

It’s difficult to keep track of the number of bright-colored hats that Queen Elizabeth II has worn over the years. Even at this stage of her reign, it seems like the Queen isn’t slowing down in the hat department anytime soon. Just two years ago, Elizabeth attended the Royal Ascot wearing this sunny yellow dress, with a matching hat. With yellow sheer ribbons and sky-blue blooms in its center, Philip Treacy really outdid himself here. He believes that the Queen has kept this fashion trend alive.

Gertrude Shilling developed a reputation for sporting some of the most audacious-looking hats at the Royal Ascot over the years. Her son, David, designed most of them and in 1969, Gertrude might have turned up with the craziest of them all. Shilling wore a stunning, apricot silk column gown. And even though her dress was enough to steal the headlines, it was her hat that put an exclamation mark on this fashion statement. Truth be told, the hat was as big as a child’s inflatable swimming pool.