World

Beatrice's eye-popping topper to go on eBay

The much-mocked hat worn by Princess Beatrice at the royal wedding has been described as a toilet seat with ribbons and an out-of-control set of antlers. And it could be yours when it goes on eBay.
The hat worn by Princess Beatrice of York (right, shown with her sister Princess Eugenie of York) at the April 29 royal wedding will be auctioned off for charity. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

The much-mocked hat worn by Princess Beatrice at her cousin's royal wedding has been variously described as a toilet seat with ribbons and an out-of-control set of antlers.

And this pricey piece of millinery madness could be yours.

The tan hat with a swirling bow donned by the daughter of Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew at the April 29 nuptials of William and Kate, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, is going on eBay to raise money for UNICEF and Children in Crisis.

Buckingham Palace made the announcement Thursday, a day after Sarah, the Duchess of York, spilled the beans about the charity move, as well as other aspects of her once-royal life, including her deep "pain" over being left off the royal wedding guest list, on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Famed British milliner PhilipTreacy has called his headpiece design "gorgeous and beautiful."

'I think it's actually a uterus and fallopian tubes.' —Facebook commenter

Beatrice, 22, told Grazia magazine recently she thought it was "wonderful that it's had such a reaction" and was "glad it provoked so much conversation."

Although some have commended Beatrice for daring to be different, much of that talk, including on various Facebook pages — with titles like "Princess Beatrice’s Ridiculous Royal Wedding Hat" and "Princess Beatrice's Ridiculous Hat Killed Osama Bin Laden" — hasn't been flattering.

"I think it's actually a uterus and fallopian tubes," reads one Facebook comment.

Feeding off the fact the royal wedding was just three days before the killing of al-Qaeda leader bin Laden, one computer-altered picture making web rounds shows U.S. President Barack Obama and his security team wearing the hat as they watch the commando raid on the al-Qaeda's leader's compound in Pakistan.
One of the many tongue-in-cheek PhotoShopped images incorporating Princess Beatrice's hat that have gone viral in the past two weeks.

Treacy's hats, also worn by Beatrice's sister Eugenie, 21, and others at the royal wedding, as well as celebrities, typically cost more than $1,000 US. It's said Beatrice's creation cost $3,000.

A date for the hat's eBay appearance hasn't been released.

But UNICEF and Children in Crisis say on their website that they "are really looking forward to working with Princess Beatrice to raise as much money as possible for children around the world. We’ll be able to let you know more later today [Thursday]."