Meghan Markle’s Hat Designed By Irishman, While Kate Middleton’s Alpaca Hat Is From Kansas

Fashionistas who want to scoop up Meghan Markle‘s modern take on a beret need to look no further. The designer of the hotly debated hat that Meghan wore to her first royal Christmas was created by none other than famed hat designer Philip Treacy. Meanwhile, Kate Middleton’s adorable alpaca hat is from Kansas. What do we know about both future sister-in-law’s Christmas head attire?

According to the Independent, the Suits actress wore a Philip Treacy “felted wool tobacco-hued face-framing hat with his signature scroll at the side and accessorised in the same tone.”

The paper claims that “there was “little surprise” that Meghan Markle chose to wear a Philip Treacy hat for her first “royal family outing.” He is a staple amongst the royal family.

Camilla, Meghan’s soon to be stepmother-in-law, is such a fan of the hat designer that she had him design not one, but two hats for her 2005 wedding to Prince Charles.

The paper also reported that Camilla is so cozy with the famed hat designer that the Duchess of Cornwall not only knows the date of his Jack Russell terrier’s birthday, she also sends Mr. Pig a birthday card.

Camilla is not the only member of the royal family that Philip Treacy has designed for. He infamously created 36 different hats for various royal and non-royal guests that attended the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, including Victoria Beckham.

Perhaps the two most unforgettable hats of this bunch were the ones worn by Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, William and Harry’s first cousins.

Like the recent internet bashing of Meghan Markle’s “poo emoji hat,” the blood princesses, Beatrice and Eugenie, became subjects of both ridicule and fascination by the Hollywood Reporter and many bloggers for their “wacky” Philip Treacy hats. There was even a Facebook page devoted to Princess Beatrice’s “bow” hat.

Princess Beatrice’s wedding hat to be auctioned Times Wires https://t.co/GMuvj3lKXE pic.twitter.com/VjG0mGBodE

— Royal Fans News (@RoyalFanNews) December 25, 2016

According to Hollywood Life, who spoke to the Irish-born designer about the hat designs for the daughters of Prince Andrew, he explained that he was entrusted by the princesses to create the perfect hats for their cousin’s wedding. He believed that Beatrice and Eugenie looked stunning.

“They trusted me to make them. Gorgeous and beautiful can be open to interpretation … I thought they looked gorgeous and beautiful. But no one is crying if anyone didn’t.”

While Treacy has not yet commented on the hat he designed for Meghan Markle celebrating Christmas at Sandringham, it could be assumed that he would say the very same thing.

If Treacy’s hats seem family, it is because he was infamously on Project Runway Season 8. The designer challenge was to create a garment to go with one of Treacy’s extraordinary hats, a task that the milliner described as “very difficult.”

As for Kate Middleton, her Christmas hat was designed by an American company located in the heartland. Wearing a Vallnord Alpaca fur hat by Peruvian Connection, it looked beautiful with her festive tartan plaid pea coat, designed by the high fashion, Italian label Miu Miu.

According to the Kansas City Star, Elise Boroian, the director of marketing and brand strategy of the Tonganoxie, Kansas-based label, the Middleton family are long-time customers, as they have a shop in London.

Obviously Boroian was elated that Duchess Catherine chose to wear their their “signature hat” for such a high-profile outing. This hat has been around since the 90s, and is available in black, as Duchess Kate’s hat, as well as in snow, caramel, espresso and gray.

“We were so excited to see the photo on Christmas day. It’s the first time we’ve seen her in that particular hat.”

At the same time, out of respect for the privacy of the Middletons, little else was said, yet Boroian and Peruvian Connection are clearly elated at being part of the “Kate Effect” as they posted Kate’s photo with the beautiful Alpaca fur hat on Instagram.