The Prince: Whitehatted

“Prince William and Kate to be whitehatted in Calgary,” said Ron, a fifteen-year old Calgary student, as he read the headlines on the CTV.ca web site to his little sister, Bonny.

“What is whitehatted?” asked Bonny. "I don't understand."

Her older brother smiled.

“Maybe because you are so young.”

“I am seven.”

“The prince and princess will receive custom-made top of the line, white, Smithbilt cowboy hats made out of white beaver, fur felt with a silk lining,” said Ron. “It's like receiving the keys to the city of Calgary.”

“Is it the same as giving the prince and princess flowers?”

“The white cowboy hats are a gift saying ‘Welcome to Calgary’. The prince and princess will wear them at the Calgary Stampede.”

“We are going, too.”

“Prince Phillip, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward received white cowboy hats when they visited Calgary. So did Pope John Paul the second, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Oprah Winfrey, Luciano Pavarotti and Ozzie Osbourne.”

“Mommy’s wearing a fascinator. She could make me one,” said Bonny. “You can wear a white, cowboy hat and pretend to be a prince.”

“There is a white, cowboy hat fascinator on the Globe and Mail website,” replied Ron. “It has a tiny, white cowboy hat on a headband. Mom could make you one like that.”

“I want a white, cowgirl hat, so I can be a princess. Should they not give the prince a white, cowboy hat and the princess a white, cowgirl hat?”

“A princess can wear the same cowboy hat that a prince does.”

“You would not wear a white, cowboy hat fascinator if you were the prince?”

“Probably not,” replied Ron. “I will wear a white, cowboy hat and you can wear a white, cowgirl hat fascinator and be my princess.”

“Then we will be 'whitehatted'.”

“Not quite, but close enough.”