Hats started appearing at royal weddings decades ago, when it was popular for British women to cover their hair during official events, per BBC. These days, hats are still one of the best-loved traditions of royal weddings. Over time, hats have become more elaborate, featuring bigger brims, funkier shapes, and interesting decorations. But even the most extravagant hats are outshined by another headwear trend: fascinators. These elaborate headpieces adorned with feathers, veils, and other embellishments are the peak of perfection when it comes to royal wedding attire, per Brides. However, the most astute hat-wearers know the golden rule of royal wedding attendance: Make sure that your headpiece doesn't obscure the view for others.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the granddaughters of Queen Eliabeth II, are known for pushing the limits of royal fashion. Their claim to fame is wearing some of the wildest fascinators the monarchy has ever seen. In 2011, the sisters and their getups captured international attention at the wedding of Prince William and Princess Catherine. Eugenie wore a striking blue headpiece with jumbo flowers and a massive plume of feathers. Beatrice turned heads in a ring-shaped fascinator that was topped with a gigantic bow (via People). The infamous headwear inspired its own Facebook page, as well as countless memes.
Although Beatrice's hat received a lot of ridicule, the princess came out on top when she sold the hat at auction for an eye-popping $130,710 dollars. Funds from the sale were donated to UNICEF and Children in Crisis, per NPR.
