--- title: Watch This Little Girl Casually Steal the Pope's Hat description: She managed to snag his white 'zucchetto' while he was giving her a kiss on the cheek, although he reacted with good humor. canonical: https://time.com/4709221/girl-steals-pope-hat/ author: Raisa Bruner article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-03-22T16:14:42.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:42:08.236Z og:title: Watch This Sneaky Little Girl Casually Steal the Pope's Hat og:description: He was a pretty good sport about her thievery. og:url: https://time.com/4709221/girl-steals-pope-hat/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte365b6bc87ec8127/6988bf6abc6cfc5e253e098e/pope-francis2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Pope Francis Attends His Weekly Audience og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch This Sneaky Little Girl Casually Steal the Pope's Hat twitter:description: He was a pretty good sport about her thievery. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte365b6bc87ec8127/6988bf6abc6cfc5e253e098e/pope-francis2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch This Sneaky Little Girl Casually Steal the Pope's Hat  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Mar 22, 2017 4:14 PM CUT  Pope Francis waves to the pilgrims gathered in St. PeterÕs Square during his weekly audience on March 22, 2017 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Francis waves to the pilgrims gathered in St. PeterÕs Square during his weekly audience on March 22, 2017 in Vatican City, Vatican.Franco Origlia—Getty Images  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Mar 22, 2017 4:14 PM CUT The beneficent [Pope Francis](http://time.com/4691336/pope-francis-bible-cellphone/ "undefined") was in for a surprise while distributing his blessings to a crowd of well-wishers outside the Vatican on Wednesday. When he went to bestow a kiss on a girl being held up for his papal attention, the mischievous child decided that his slim white hat, a traditional skullcap [called the zucchetto](http://time.com/4046511/pope-francis-us-visit-the-meaning-behind-the-popes-clothes/?iid=sr-link3 "undefined"), was of utmost importance to her—and promptly snatched it off his head. To his benefit, the [good-natured Holy Father](http://time.com/collection-post/4589651/pope-francis-global-forum/ "undefined") laughed riotously at the girl’s misstep, took his zucchetto back, and resumed his duties with a grin. But this little girl is going to have a hard time living down her sneaky behavior. She’s [been identified](http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/22/europe/pope-hat-girl-trnd/ "undefined") as three-year-old Estella Westrick, a visitor from Atlanta, GA, in Rome with her parents to see her godfather. According to her godfather, she was “a little nervous” right before being held up for the Pope’s blessing by a Vatican aide. “It was hilarious, everyone was laughing, including the Pope,” [he told CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/22/europe/pope-hat-girl-trnd/ "undefined") of her surprise heist. “It’s her first full day in Rome; who knows what she will get up to tomorrow.” As for that zucchetto? The ceremonial head covering is an important [piece of the clerical uniform](http://time.com/4046511/pope-francis-us-visit-the-meaning-behind-the-popes-clothes/?iid=sr-link3 "undefined")—and only the Pope is allowed to wear the white version. 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