Hats were as integral to Queen Elizabeth’s persona as her beloved corgis and Launer handbags, and as the Royal Family gets ready to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the late Queen’s birth on April 21, her iconic style is being revisited. Stella McLaren made hats for Queen Elizabeth for more than 30 years, and now she’s sharing some of her favorite designs and anecdotes from her storied career.
McLaren, who gave her first-ever interview to Marie Claire in 2024, originally worked for royal milliners Frederick Fox and Phillip Somerville before taking up a role at Buckingham Palace in 2008. Working with Queen Elizabeth’s personal assistant and senior dresser, Angela Kelly, McLaren was responsible for creating the late monarch’s colorful hats—and the milliner says that she couldn’t even guess how many headpieces she created in her many years at the palace.
