Boyd served his apprenticeship in Grosvenor Square with the Danish, Royal milliner Aage Thaarup who, along with Otto Lucas, were the most famous names in London millinery.

After three years in the Royal Navy and taking part in the D-Day landings, Boyd was demobbed in 1946 and opened his first atelier in a London basement with his war time gratuity.

[15] Boyd continued to design for the princess and with her sombrero, lemon bowler and black stetson breaking the mould, Anne was making fashion headlines worldwide.

The beginning of the 1980s increased Boyd's exposure with the arrival of Lady Diana Spencer, the future Princess of Wales and soon to be the most photographed woman in the world.

[17][18][19][20] In 1985, Boyd designed hats for the Pirelli Calendar,[21] with Norman Parkinson behind the camera, clothes and shoes by Zandra Rhodes, Jasper Conran, Bruce Oldfield, Manolo Blahnik and Iman as the model.

Fourteen leading British Designers had been invited to make clothes and accessories for the shoot which represented a significant break-away from the traditional Pirelli calendars.

[25] In March 2014 Boyd designed hats for the 'Grand Hatter's Tea Party', hosted by Peter Lewis-Crown OBE in aid of The National Lobster Hatchery.