The celebrity milliner who created Princess Beatrice’s hat for Prince William’s wedding, says it's by far his "most favourite" creation ever.

Philip Treacy admitted that he was surprised at the amount of backlash he received for his unusual design but happy that people are once again interested in hats.

He told You magazine: "I genuinely set out to design a hat with a bow on it. It's my most favourite hat ever!

"It was complex in construction, but, most importantly, it got everyone talking about hats - good or bad.

"And it's even been immortalised as a cake by the Berkeley Hotel in London for its afternoon Prêt-à-Porter tea."

Treacy, who has created hats for many stars – Lady Gaga and Sarah Jessica Parker amongst others – says, he has only ever been starstruck with he met the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor.

Remembering the meeting, he said: "I took 25 hats to show her and ended up giving them all to her. As a thank you she sent me 100 violet roses, the colour of her eyes, and composed me a poem.

"But when she asked, 'What else can I do for you?' I asked if she would call my sister. Can you imagine? My sister was doing the laundry at home and I phoned to say, 'I have Elizabeth Taylor on the phone for you...' "