LONDON, May 18 (Reuters) - The much-mocked hat worn by
Princess Beatrice to Britain's royal wedding last month --
widely described as looking like a "toilet seat" -- is up for
sale on eBay where bids have reached 18,400 pounds ($29,940).
The tea rose, silk hat was "the most talked about hat of the
whole occasion" Harold Tilman, Chairman of the British Fashion
Council, said on eBay.
The fuss over the hat worn to the royal wedding of her
cousin Prince William to longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton
seems to have taken Beatrice -- who is the daughter of William's
uncle Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson -- by surprise too.
"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."
Money raised by the sale of the hat will be equally split
between two charities: UNICEF and Children in Crisis.
The hat, by milliner Philip Treacy, was given a starting
price of 5,000 pounds and 32 bidders have placed 60 bids in the
last six days.
The eBay site has linked the auction to Facebook where
members of the public have celebrated the hat design.
Treacy said he was "delighted, flattered and touched by HRH
Princess' Beatrice's decision to donate the hat to charity."
The auction continues until May 22.
(Reporting by Gemma Fitchett; Editing by Paul Casciato)
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