Hired hats worn by Kate Middleton before she became the Duchess of Cambridge are to be auctioned and are expected to fetch up to £1500 each. The stylish hats on hire were worn by Kate to social and ceremonial events.
The straw hats will be auctioned in June by Kerry Taylor Auctions.
A spokeswoman for the auctioneers said: “With an eye for economy and practicality – hats take up masses of storage space – she preferred to hire a hat for the day rather than purchase it outright. She was sometimes accompanied by her mother, Carole, who helped her make the right selection. The lots are being sold with hire receipts and copies of diary entries showing Kate’s appointments at the shop.”
Kate wore one of the hats, a black and white Philip Somerville hat, when William was invested as Knight of the Garter in June 2008. She watched along with the Duke’s family as he paraded through the grounds of Windsor Castle.
In 2010, Kate hired a black Aurora hat to wear to the wedding of one of the Duke’s friends in October. It was at that time that pictures of the couple surfaced, starting speculations that the two might tie the knot themselves. A month later, the couple announced their own engagement.
Kerry Taylor Auctions are the same auctioneers who sold Kate’s see-through net dress, worn on the catwalk in a 2002 fashion show at St Andrews University, for a staggering £78,000. It was at the university that the Duke met Kate, sparking off the royal romance.
