Princess Sofia For The First Time Dons Traditional Swedish Hat For Royal Family Photoshoot

For the first time Princess Sofia of Sweden donned the white hat for a family portrait on the occasion of Sweden’s National Day on Monday. Royal watchers were quick to note the difference in the picture from last year and this year. The 31-year-old princess’s hat, which she wore, is part of the traditional Swedish costume known as a “Sverigedräkten.”

The traditional headgear of the country is only worn by married women. “The headscarf is only worn by married women. Unmarried women have no scarf,” said a Swedish Royal Palace spokeswoman, talking to People. The insider added that the headscarf is sometimes referred to as a head cloth, but is usually a scarf.

According to tradition, Swedish women who were not virgins when they married were not allowed to wear the bridal crown. The portrait of the Swedish royals last year showed Sofia minus the headgear, as she was not married at the time of the Swedish National Day. However, the white scarfs adorned Queen Silvia, her daughters Crown Princess Victoria and her younger sister Princess Madeleine.

Sofia and her husband Prince Carl Philip got married in a lavish royal wedding on June 13. “Sverigedräkten” is worn in public by the royal family every year on June 6, Sweden’s national day. The dress is in the national colors of the country yellow and blue. Besides, it has traditional elements of “Folkdräkt” (a medieval folk costume).

The outfit consists of a blouse and a waist skirt, or a bodice and skirt in one piece, or a bodice and a jacket. Traditionally, in some areas, two skirts were an absolute minimum, so a woman could use the top one to cover her head when it started raining. In this year’s portrait the men — King Carl XVI Gustaf, Prince Daniel and Carl Philip looked handsome in sharp suits.

Notably absent from the official family portrait was Madeleine’s husband Chris O’Neill. Last year also he did not attend the celebrations in Sweden. Besides, this year another portrait was released by the royal palace of Princess Estelle doting over her new baby brother in the traditional dress at the Haga Palace.

The Scandanavian Royals shared the photograph on Twitter: