Royal hats are in the spotlight at a County Durham museum.
The Royal Milliners exhibition, at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, features more than 100 items of regal headgear belonging to the Queen Mother, Princess Royal, and Princess Margaret, as well as the Queen.
The precious cargo of hats arrived straight from the wardrobes of Buckingham Palace, a couple of months ago. Organisers had initially planned to show just a selection of hats from the Queen Mother, the Bowes' patron.
But as the museum's Dr Anne Allen explained, they got more than they bargained for.
"The Queen Mother liked the idea and she encouraged us to contact other members of the Royal Family to choose some hats, and before we knew it we had the Queen, Princess Margaret and the Princess Royal promising us a selection.
"We were over the moon obviously, and we are hoping for a good response from the public too," she said.
The exhibition has been designed by the museum's curator of costume and textiles, Joanna Hashagen, and hats by top London milliners such as Frederick Fox, Sylvia Fletcher, Graham Smith, Phil Somerville and John Boyd will be on show.
The display will run until September 30. For more details contact the museum on (01833) 690606, or visit the website, at www.bowes museum.org.uk
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