Princess Beatrice's Wacky Wedding Hat Sells for £81,100
The flamboyant hat worn by Princess Beatrice at last month's British royal wedding was Sunday sold for the princely sum of £81,100 ($131,652; 93,171 euros) on internet auction site eBay.
Proceeds from the sale of the hat, designed by Irish milliner Philip Treacy, will be split between two charities: the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, and British charity Children in Crisis.
The princess, the oldest daughter of Prince Andrew and a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, provided one of the most memorable moments of a dramatic day when she stepped out in the eccentric head wear, likened to a giant pretzel.
Other royal-watchers compared the creation to a toilet seat and it has inspired its own Facebook page, "Princess Beatrice's ridiculous royal wedding hat", which has a following of more than 143,000 people.
The princess said she "could not believe the amazing response to the hat," in a statement issued by UNICEF UK.
"It has its own personality, and I am so happy that we have raised the most incredible amount of money and can make an even bigger change in the lives of some of the most vulnerable children across the world," she added.
Koy Thomson, chief executive of Children in Crisis, said: "Children in Crisis would like to thank the bidder for this extraordinarily generous bid, earning yourself a place in history, making lives better for terribly disadvantaged children, and getting a very striking hat."
Creator Treacy, who is now based in London, designed many of the hats on show at the April 29 marriage between Prince William and Kate Middleton, which was watched by an estimated global audience of two billion.
The celebrated designer said he was "delighted, flattered and touched" by the 22-year-old princess's decision to donate the hat to charity.
The piece was described on the site as "a unique sculptural celebratory headpiece" made of tea rose silk, adding: "This is a gravity defying hat!"
"I hope whoever wins the auction has as much fun with the hat as I have," the young royal said.
The flamboyant hat worn by Princess Beatrice at last month's British royal wedding was Sunday sold for the princely sum of £81,100 ($131,652; 93,171 euros) on internet auction site eBay.
Proceeds from the sale of the hat, designed by Irish milliner Philip Treacy, will be split between two charities: the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, and British charity Children in Crisis.
The princess, the oldest daughter of Prince Andrew and a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, provided one of the most memorable moments of a dramatic day when she stepped out in the eccentric headwear, likened to a giant pretzel.
Other royal-watchers compared the creation to a toilet seat and it has inspired its own Facebook page, "Princess Beatrice's ridiculous royal wedding hat", which has a following of more than 143,000 people.
The princess said she "could not believe the amazing response to the hat," in a statement issued by UNICEF UK.
"It has its own personality, and I am so happy that we have raised the most incredible amount of money and can make an even bigger change in the lives of some of the most vulnerable children across the world," she added.
Koy Thomson, chief executive of Children in Crisis, said: "Children in Crisis would like to thank the bidder for this extraordinarily generous bid, earning yourself a place in history, making lives better for terribly disadvantaged children, and getting a very striking hat."
Creator Treacy, who is now based in London, designed many of the hats on show at the April 29 marriage between Prince William and Kate Middleton, which was watched by an estimated global audience of two billion.
The celebrated designer said he was "delighted, flattered and touched" by the 22-year-old princess's decision to donate the hat to charity.
The piece was described on the site as "a unique sculptural celebratory headpiece" made of tea rose silk, adding: "This is a gravity defying hat!"
"I hope whoever wins the auction has as much fun with the hat as I have," the young royal said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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