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Getting my hat request in early. I noticed a distinct lack of any royal headgear this year. No crowns, no tiaras, nada. May I suggest a royal hat next year, perhaps this one, sported by Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York at the Royal Wedding?

enter image description here

Since the hat was at first widely ridiculed, became a sensation in its own right, and was then sold at auction for £81k to raise money, perhaps on of the following situations could trigger it?

  • Editing a post with net negative votes resulting in it getting net positive votes?

  • Getting or (highlighting the fact that the hat upstaged the princess on this occasion)?

  • The hat was divisive, some people loved it some people hated it. A post that gats >5 upvotes and >5 downvotes on meta?

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  • 3
    lol! I like it. Although the hats are supposed to have a meaning behind them that is related to how they are earned. What would the connection be here?
    – Pekka
    Jan 1, 2014 at 16:55
  • 1
    @Pëkka It's definitely up there in terms of notable contemporary hats. It made £81k in a charity auction after much public ridicule. Maybe some connection to 'making the best out of a bad situation', or 'turning something bad into something good'?
    – fredley
    Jan 1, 2014 at 16:57
  • 2
    Yeah, maybe something like a reversal badge. Hard to game, too.
    – Pekka
    Jan 1, 2014 at 17:00
  • 1
    Nothing wrong with this question, but just FYI, we're collecting ideas over at What should we consider for next year's Winter Bash?
    – Pops
    Jan 1, 2014 at 17:36
  • 1
    Obligatory picture
    – ben is uǝq backwards
    Jan 1, 2014 at 17:42
  • 3
    I don't know if I should upvote, because I like the idea, or downvote, because that hat is hurting my eyes...
    – yannis
    Jan 1, 2014 at 17:54
  • 3
    We'll never be royals...
    – jonsca
    Jan 1, 2014 at 17:59
  • 2
    @jonsca You can marry up!
    – fredley
    Jan 1, 2014 at 18:01
  • 2
    I can't even marry down.
    – jonsca
    Jan 1, 2014 at 18:03
  • I was joking about youtu.be/nlcIKh6sBtc ;)
    – jonsca
    Jan 1, 2014 at 18:05
  • But we'll never be royals
    – Cole Tobin
    Jan 2, 2014 at 1:45
  • Welp, you wanted a royal hat, and you got a facehugger. Close enough.
    – Jason C
    Dec 23, 2015 at 15:22

3 Answers 3

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21
+50

Spoiler alert!

balpha's avatar with the requested hat

PS: Hats!

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9
  • This is glorious.
    – fredley
    Dec 8, 2015 at 18:22
  • 17
    Is it just me or does it look like a toilet bowl?
    – Mysticial
    Dec 8, 2015 at 18:22
  • 2
    @Mysticial No, that's about right. The same is true for the original though, as you can see on the photo in the question :)
    – balpha StaffMod
    Dec 8, 2015 at 18:25
  • 2
    @Mysticial but a royal bowl.
    – Shadow Wizard Is Sad And Angry
    Dec 8, 2015 at 18:40
  • @Shadow Porcelain throne?
    – fredley
    Dec 8, 2015 at 20:45
  • 1
    I hope we are having a kiwi hat this time too.
    – Ankit Sharma
    Dec 10, 2015 at 9:15
  • I stand my spoiler
    – SPArcheon
    Dec 10, 2015 at 16:11
  • Is it true that pinging you gets a secret hat?
    – Undo
    Dec 14, 2015 at 1:34
  • hey @balpha, does lyfe matter now that it is part of the standard -- are you going to give up on lyfe.... hope not. :) Also, it is not a hat if it has a collar.
    – Hogan
    Dec 17, 2015 at 18:00
17

Yes.

But, you'll probably see it unlocked by using the power that a monarch commands, which is broadly ceremonial. Maybe you'll have to grant a pardon, or give something a stay of execution. Or perhaps you'll have to 'knight' someone by being the vote that causes them to unlock a privilege.

There are many possibilities, but I think it would be a crime against humanity to not include such gaudyness in next year's hard-earned headgear.

Disclaimer: I know very little about monarchs, except that they're born in cocoons.

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  • 1
    Hmmm. Being the vote that causes them to unlock a privilege. Is that what this year's man-of-mystery hat is about? Though it would have to be more specific than that, given how few of this hat have been awarded.
    – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'
    Jan 2, 2014 at 9:53
  • Giving the vote that unlocks a privilege would be far too easy to game, but receiving a vote that unlocks a privilege would be harder (and would likely increase participation on smaller/newer sites where people have lower rep).
    – fredley
    Jan 2, 2014 at 10:19
  • If you do the 'knight' thing, don't forget bounties.
    – E.P.
    Jan 21, 2014 at 18:16
  • I was thinking of reversing the avatars of 5 users, then flipping them again to the original state. Isn't that enough?
    – SPArcheon
    Dec 2, 2015 at 15:00
  • Or maybe you'll just have to stick around long enough...
    – fredley
    Dec 23, 2015 at 21:22
3

How about the royal hat goes to the people in the top 10 people of every week during winterbash?

OR

<antiMonarchistRrant>since it's a royalist hat, how about you get it for being the spawn (AKA sock-puppet) of a 10K user</antiMonarchistRant> (Thanks Pëkka)

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  • 7
    But that would mean you actually have to work for the hat. </AntiMonarchistQuip>
    – Pekka
    Jan 1, 2014 at 17:16
  • That was a half-joke, half-shameless plug answer
    – scrblnrd3
    Jan 1, 2014 at 17:17
  • 1
    Also, that stallman beard on you is downright scary and amazing
    – scrblnrd3
    Jan 1, 2014 at 17:20

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