“Toilet seat” hat fetches £81,100 for charity
Summary of story from Reuters, May 23, 2011
The hat that Princess Beatrice wore to the royal wedding last month has sold for £81,100 on eBay.
Described as looking like a toilet seat, the unusual item was sold in aid of UNICEF and Children in Crisis. The money will be split equally between them.
The fuss over the hat worn to the royal wedding of her cousin Prince William to longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton seemed to have taken Beatrice by surprise.
“I’ve been amazed by the amount of attention the hat has attracted,” Beatrice said on the auction site. “I hope whoever wins the auction has as much fun with the hat as I have.”
The hat, by milliner Philip Treacy, was given a starting price of £5,000.
Treacy said he was “delighted, flattered and touched by HRH Princess’ Beatrice’s decision to donate the hat to charity.”
Utterly ridiculous hat – but sold in a good cause