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The heart-wrenching story behind Prince William's £18 bobble hat

The inspiring story about the Forkan brothers

prince william bobble hat sweden
Laura Sutcliffe
Fashion and Beauty News Editor
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Prince William wore a £18 bobble hat on his visit to Sweden on 30 January - and it has the most incredible story behind it. The royal's hat is by Gandy's London, an independent label founded by the Forkan brothers, who initially travelled round the world with their family, volunteering with local charities in India. Tragically during their trip, the brothers lost both their parents in the Boxing Day Tsunami and had to flee Sri Lanka with their younger siblings, before travelling back to the UK alone. This chain of horrendous events inspired the brothers - in 2012, Rob and Paul founded Gandy's, a label which produces wearable apparel with 10 per cent of all their profits going to help underprivileged children that were affected by the tsunami. On the 10 year anniversary of the tsunami, thebrothers opened their first Orphans for Orphans children's home in Sri Lanka.

Prince William cosied up in the £18 hat

Their special story has touched the hearts of many, and attracted the attention of the royals. The brothers were invited to BuckinghamPalace in 2012, for the Queen's Young Leaders programme, where their shared their unique journey with the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry. In 2016, the dream team opened their first flagship store in Spitalfields Market in London - and their incredible label has continued to grow ever since.

The bobble hat is by Gandy's London 

Prince William wore the Snow Star bobble hat in Sweden whilst playing a game of Bandy hockey with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge. This textured knit hat features a trendy Fair Isle design in a smart burgundy shade and has the brand logo sewn on the back. The dazzling accessory is sold out online, but there are a huge array of winter warmers that are the perfect for the colder months.