The Italian-born wife of French president Nicolas Sarkozy beat the Queen to the top title of the annual list.

This is the first year the Queen has featured in the table , which was topped last year by her granddaughter Zara Phillips.

The Queen beat fashionistas Madonna and Victoria Beckham, who appeared in fourth and fifth places respectively.

The Countess of Wessex took third place in the chart, which is produced by promotional consortium Luton First with the town's famous millinery and hat-making industry.

Topping the table for the men is Australian heart-throb Hugh Jackman, who beat Sir Sean Connery, Daniel Day Lewis, Jonny Depp and Peter Andre to the title.

Philip Wright, of Luton milliners Walter Wright, said celebrities were continuing to wear "statement" hats.

The Queen was noticed for her fur-look style hat worn to the unveiling of the memorial statue of the Queen Mother in February.