If you fancy your very own piece of fashion history, now’s your chance. Two hats worn by the Duchess of Cambridge are being sold at auction and are expected to go for thousands.The canny brunette hired the headpieces rather than buying them out right.
One is a black and white Philip Somerville titfer which Kate wore to join the royal family at the Order of the Garter service in June 2008 – in one of her first public appearances as a guest of Prince William (pictured below).
And the other is a large black feathered headpiece by Aurora, which Kate sported for the wedding of William's close friend Harry Meade in October 2010 (pictured above). It was the first time the couple, who were already secretly engaged, were photographed side by side.They looked so happy that royal watchers correctly guessed they would soon be making a special announcement.Both hats are now up for grabs through Kerry Taylor Auctions from June 26 and were initially hired by Kate from Get Ahead Hats in Reading for around £100 each.
Hiring accessories is another trick that thrifty Kate uses to keep costs down. These also include outlet centre shopping and purchasin second-hand dresses. “She was sometimes accompanied by her mother Carole who helped her make the right selection,” says a spokeswoman from the auctioneers. The accessories had been put aside for safe-keeping by the store owner until they were ready to sell. “Given her recent transformation into a style icon,” Kerry said. "We are confident there will be a great deal of interest in them."