Has the Queen's funeral led to a black hat shortage in London?

Ahead of the Queen’s funeral, later this morning, there has been a rush to purchase black hats to adhere to the required rules, causing something of a shortage of the sombre accessory.

The capital has reportedly experienced a last-minute surge in demand, which has seen some struggle to purchase the requisite black hat.

Unsurprisingly, as with many funerals, the dress code for state funerals is also all-black, according to Debrett's, a chronicler of British society and modern manners.

Specifically, women are expected to wear “black knee-length dresses, or coats, black hats and may also wear face-covering veils.”

But it seems one particular aspect of the dress code is causing something of an issue, with London suppliers struggling to meet demand for the dark-hued accessory.

Watch: Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie pay heartfelt tribute to 'beloved Grannie' Queen Elizabeth

With those attending the funeral required to wear black hats and with little more than a week’s notice for the funeral of Her Majesty, demand in particular for black ‘pill box’ hats has soared, as reported by the Mail.

The publication suggests that even a senior royal was impacted by the shortage, with Princess Beatrice reportedly struggling to find a hat in one London store, having left Fenwick of Bond Street, empty-handed.

Many of the 2,000-plus guests, including foreign royals and world leaders, are flying in from overseas and may have assumed they would be able to buy a hat in the capital, but several department stores have reportedly experienced a run on the item, potentially leaving some struggling to source appropriate headwear.

As one of the Queen's granddaughters, Princess Beatrice, joined her sister and cousins to attend a vigil by the queen's coffin over the weekend.

To attend the sombre event she wore an elegant all-black mourning ensemble with a matching black hat.

Ahead of today's funeral, female members of the royal family, including the newly crowned Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex, have been spotted wearing mourning veils as they attend various events in honour of the late queen.

A mourning veil is worn by someone who is grieving as a symbol of sorrow.

In the case of Her Majesty, it is tradition for bereaved family members of the Royal Family to wear a mourning veil to a state funeral.