Philip Somerville: British Milliner to the Royal Household

Early life and training

Somerville was born in Winchester, in Hampshire, England. In early adult life he spent time abroad and worked briefly as an actor in Australia, a phase that he later described as providing varied life experience rather than theatrical success. His interest in hatmaking developed while living overseas and he undertook part of his millinery training in Auckland, New Zealand, where he learned traditional blocking and finishing techniques that informed his later bespoke work.

Career and notable commissions

After returning to Britain, Somerville established a workshop producing bespoke hats for ceremonial and social occasions. He became particularly associated with pieces made for senior members of the royal family, including Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, and later clients such as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. These commissions ranged from small formal headpieces to larger occasion hats appropriate for processions and state events.

Film and popular culture

Somerville's workshop also supplied imaginative headgear for film productions. Notably, two female antagonists in the James Bond series wore hats created by his studio, demonstrating how bespoke millinery could serve both practical and costume purposes on screen. His work for film showed adaptability of traditional millinery techniques to contemporary styling and narrative needs.

Style and technique

Somerville combined classic handcraft with an awareness of scale and decorum required by official duties. He used commonly preferred materials for high‑end hats—felt, straw, sinamay and fine fabrics—and employed blocking, wiring, trimming and careful finishing to ensure stability and wearability. His pieces were often described as elegant and understated: designed to complement an outfit and a public occasion rather than to overwhelm it.

Clients and occasions

• Royal and state: hats for state visits, official portraits, Trooping the Colour and weddings.
• Film and theatre: bespoke headgear adapted for costume and character work.
• Private patrons: commissions for social events where traditional millinery remains customary.

Recognition and later life

Somerville's work sustained the visibility of bespoke hatmaking during a period when millinery was shifting toward both couture and contemporary reinterpretation. He maintained a respected workshop and trained assistants and younger milliners who continued traditional techniques. Philip Somerville died on 14 September 2014 at the age of 84.

Legacy

His career is often cited as an example of how traditional craft can remain relevant to ceremonial dress and modern fashion. By supplying headwear for prominent public figures and for film, Somerville helped preserve technical skills—blocking, trimming and finishing—that remain central to contemporary millinery practice. His approach emphasized proportion, practicality and a quiet elegance that continues to influence milliners working for formal occasions.

Further information on his life and work can be found in published obituaries and fashion histories that discuss British millinery in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The surviving examples of his work in museum collections and private archives illustrate the range of his commissions and his attention to workmanship.

See also: general histories of millinery and accounts of royal dress for context on the role of bespoke hatmakers in ceremonial life.

References and external resources: overview of millinery, hatmaking techniques, royal patronage, royal commissions, film costume links, Winchester, Hampshire, acting career, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand.