Kate Middleton Named Hat Person of the Year

By Erin Donnelly

01/27/12 at 11:00 AM

Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The Duchess named hat person of 2011

Cousin-in-law Princess Beatrice may have given her a run for her money, but, in the end, there was really no contest: The Duchess of Cambridge has been named The Headwear Association’s Hat Person of the Year with a staggering 91 percent of the votes.

Middleton, who follows last year’s recipient, Johnny Depp, beat out second-place Rachel Zoe (whose wide-brimmed toppers managed just 4 percent of the votes) and fedora fans Ne-Yo (2 percent), Justin Timberlake (1 percent), Bruno Mars (1 percent), and Charlie Sheen (1 percent) to claim the title.

Who’s winning now, Charlie?

Though we’re still partial to her wedding-day Cartier tiara, the British beauty has sparked new interest in millinery thanks to chic toppers like her red maple leaf pillbox from Lock & Co.’s Sylvia Fletcher (created specially for her trip to Canada) and a Vivien Sheriff pheasant feather beret.

And let’s not forget Philip Treacy, who designed her bowl-shaped black straw hat for the Trooping the Colour in June, in addition to giving us some truly excellent Royal Wedding people-watching.

Hats off to Kate!

Meanwhile, see which celebs were inducted into the 2012 Headwear Hall of Fame.