This title caught my eye because I love hats. The tale, as told starting on page 187 of the collection Swedish fairy tales. Translated by Tyra Engdahl and Jessie Rew., never explains why he is Prince Hat. Does he favor hats over crowns? Is his head particularly important?
Another interesting element is the "singing leaves," which the good daughter (pictured above) asks her father to bring her. Of course, her request for this weird gift gets her away from her father into the realm of Prince Hat Underground. She has to live with him without seeing him, but (as in the story of Cupid and Psyche) she sneaks a look at him while he's sleeping, which makes him leave. Then she has to go through a lot of rigamarole to get him back.
It's a very long, complicated story with many motifs.
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