Hair envy! From bouncy blowouts to perfect ponytails, Princess Kate is known for her luscious locks.
The British royal has some seriously shiny strands. Since stepping into the spotlight, her tresses were all anyone could talk about. Because whether she is rocking loose waves or bangs, the princess has a good hair day, every day.
The Hold Still author’s signature look is waves and a side part, but following her wedding — where she wore her hair in a demure half-up half-down style – she switched things up a bit with face-framing layers.
She went on to experiment with blonde highlights and even brought back her bangs in 2015. Somewhere along the way, she switched over to a center part, staying true to current trends.
While her hair is down the majority of the time, Kate has donned her fair share of updos. And let Us just say: they never disappoint.
Take her 2012 tour of Malaysia for example. The royal had quite the intricate chignon, complete with pearls pinned into the loops. She also donned a gorgeous ballerina bun for a reception at the Government House in Australia in 2014.
The former duchess went on to rock longer locks, considering getting a haircut during the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t all too easy. However, the royal is pretty handy with some sheers and at-home hair color!
In 2020, a source told The Sun that Kate not only took a stab at dyeing her tresses during lockdown, but she also frequently gave her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, trims.
“Kate does use a home color on it from Richard,” the source said at the time, referencing royal hairstylist Richard Ward. “She would normally be given products from his salon between her appointments with him. But for this lockdown the package was rather larger than usual.”
It’s clear she did a standup job as Kate’s hair has looked more beautiful and bouncier than ever.
Regardless of the length or hue, the princess always looks polished to perfection — not a split end in sight.
To look back at her best hair moment through the years, keep scrolling!
Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
Princess Most Stunning Hair Moments of All Time
Hair envy! From bouncy blowouts to perfect ponytails, Princess Kate is known for her luscious locks. The British royal has some seriously shiny strands. Since stepping into the spotlight, her tresses were all anyone could talk about. Because whether she is rocking loose waves or bangs, the princess has a good hair day, every day. The Hold Still author’s signature look is waves and a side part, but following her wedding — where she wore her hair in a demure half-up half-down style – she switched things up a bit with face-framing layers. She went on to experiment with blonde highlights and even brought back her bangs in 2015. Somewhere along the way, she switched over to a center part, staying true to current trends. While her hair is down the majority of the time, Kate has donned her fair share of updos. And let Us just say: they never disappoint. [jwplayer XG7fZVtQ-zhNYySv2] Take her 2012 tour of Malaysia for example. The royal had quite the intricate chignon, complete with pearls pinned into the loops. She also donned a gorgeous ballerina bun for a reception at the Government House in Australia in 2014. The former duchess went on to rock longer locks, considering getting a haircut during the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t all too easy. However, the royal is pretty handy with some sheers and at-home hair color! In 2020, a source told The Sun that Kate not only took a stab at dyeing her tresses during lockdown, but she also frequently gave her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, trims. “Kate does use a home color on it from Richard,” the source said at the time, referencing royal hairstylist Richard Ward. “She would normally be given products from his salon between her appointments with him. But for this lockdown the package was rather larger than usual.” It’s clear she did a standup job as Kate’s hair has looked more beautiful and bouncier than ever. Regardless of the length or hue, the princess always looks polished to perfection — not a split end in sight. To look back at her best hair moment through the years, keep scrolling!
Credit: Shutterstock
Sleek Side Part
When the President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa made a state visit to Buckingham Palace in November 2022, Princess Kate wore her hair in elegant loose curls underneath a plum fascinator.
Credit: Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Shutterstock
Poised Updo
At the state banquet King Charles III hosted for President Ramaphosa, Kate looked radiant with a chignon. Her look was topped off with the Lover’s Knot Tiara.
Credit: Charlotte Graham/Shutterstock
Effortless Waves
Princess Kate rocked a modern cymotrichous style during a visit to The Street with her husband, Prince William, in November 2022.
Credit: Chris Jackson/Pool/Shutterstock
Regal Curls
The princess wore her brunette crown in bouncy ringlets during a visit to Northern Ireland in October 2022.
Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
Cute Coils
She donned springy tresses while at Royal Surrey County Hospital in October 2022.
Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
An Intricate Bun
The England native was seen with her hair in a braided knot while visiting the Army Training Centre Pirbright in September 2022.
Credit: Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
Bouncy Blowout
The duchess’ locks looked fabulous and frizz-free at the launch of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in June 2021.
Credit: Courtesy of Kensington Royal/Instagram
Tight Waves
On July 23, 2020, the royal wore her hair slightly off-center and debuted tight waves instead of her signature blowout featuring loose curls.
Credit: Courtesy of Kensington Royal/Instagram
Face-Framing Layers
The duchess unveiled her first hair change since the COVID-19 quarantine on July 13, 2020. She lightened up her chocolate brown locks and added face-framing layers, exaggerating her ends with a ’70s flip.
Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage
Lobbed and Lovely
Gasp! The Duchess takes us all by surprise by chopping her signature long chestnut tresses into a lob and debuting the new look at Wimbledon. It takes days for us to recover from the shock, then we go out and get lobs too.
Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty
Bouffant Babe
In a look entirely out of her repertoire, Kate Middleton wore some serious volume at her crown for the royal equivalent of a beehive updo for the BAFTA’s 2017. It was one part Jackie O, one part modern day royal, all of the parts fabulous.
Credit: Getty Images
Pill Box Perfection
In another moment in which she channeled American Royalty (hello, Jackie O) Kate rocked a gray pillbox hat with her personal signature: a rolled-under chignon. Fun fact: she’s pretty much the reason the chignon made a comeback in the first place.
Credit: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
Side Part and Swept Back
Kate is known to wear her hair half-up, but for her appearance in Wales in February 2017, she added a twist into the mix by wearing her strands subtly parted to the side as well as pulled back.
Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
Bouncy and Bountiful
If there’s one thing we can always rely on Kate for, it’s to consistently serve bouncy, voluminous and shiny blowouts like she did while at an appearance for the charity Heads Together in January 2017.
Credit: Eddie Mulholland – WPA Pool/Getty
Fab and Feathered
Consider this closest we’ll ever get to ‘70s hair from Middleton. The Duchess of Cambridge wore lightened and slightly below the shoulder hair with a feathered wave at the front to attend the SportsAids 40th Anniversary dinner in June 2016.
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Side Bun Chic
Leave it to Kate Middleton to take a look as difficult to execute as the side bun and not only do it but with grace. She sported the daring look with a classic wide-brimmed black velvet hat to the 2016 Remembrance Day Services in the U.K.
Credit: KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH/AFP/Getty
(Side) Bangs and Beautiful
The Duchess brought back her side bangs from 2012 in late 2015, but this time they were heavier and she swept them back Bardot-style, like at this appearance in September of that year.
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Side Chignon
The pregnant Duchess, whose second child is due April 2015, selected an intricately woven updo, pinned to one side, for a 2015 church service in London.
Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage.com
Mid-Height Ponytail With Volume
Touring New Zealand with her husband in 2014, the St. Andrews’ alumni finished her tailored ensemble with the perfect sleek ponytail, with hair wrapped at the base and extra volume on top to soften the style.
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Fanned-Out Low Bun
Ballerinas, eat your heart out! To complete her lace dress, worn for a reception at Government House in Australia in 2014, Middleton added a low bun, fanned out to create volume, with smaller pieces spun into loops and pinned in place on top.
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Half-Updo (With a Hat)
Stepping out in her 2014 Easter bonnet in Australia, Middleton worked a half-up style, twisted from above the ear on each side and pulled to the back of the head to leave ample room for her lilac fascinator.
Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Sleek Low Ponytail
Keeping the focus on her pretty plaid ensemble, Middleton slicked her chestnut tresses into a low ponytail that was secured at the nape of her neck to welcome Singapore’s president to London in 2014.
Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage.com (2)
Half-Updo (Without a Hat)
Hats off to this hairdo! Stepping out to visit New York City’s Northside Center for Child Development in 2014, Prince William’s wife styled her highlighted hair into a loosely curled half-updo, with the pieces framing her face pulled to the back of her head and woven into a crisscrossed design.
Credit: Chris Jackson/AFP/Getty Images
Piece-y Ponytail
Ditching her trademark sleek-and-chic ponies, Prince George’s mom teamed her white dress and statement necklace with a youthful take on the style at a London screening of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom in 2013.
Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Straight Hair
The Duchess of Cambridge paired her lace dress with the silkiest straight locks—quite a rare choice for the royal, as she almost always adds a little bouncy curl to her ends—at a screening of Natural History Museum Alive 3D, hosted at London’s Natural History Museum in 2013.
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Pearl-Accented Updo
While touring Malaysia in 2012, Middleton attended a tea party, where she modeled this twisted updo, complete with pearls pinned into the loops.
Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage.com
Fabulous Fringe
Though Middleton’s bangs were short-lived (she debuted them in fall 2012, but kept them only as long as it took her to grow them out), they made a strong statement while they lasted. Here, at the opening of the London Natural History Museum’s Treasures Cadogan Gallery in 2012, the long fringe was blown out into a feathered style, giving her retro appeal. (The peace signs on her emerald dress helped, too!)
Credit: Indigo/Getty Images
Half-Up With Mini-Bun
The best of both worlds! Clad in head-to-toe blush, Middleton was able to rock both a mini-updo and her perfect curls via her elegant hairstyle at a 2012 Diamond Jubilee event marking Queen Elizabeth II’s 60-year reign.
Credit: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images; Indigo/Getty Images
Braided Updo
From top to bottom Middleton stunned at the Olympic Concert, held at the Royal Albert Hall in London during the 2012 Summer Olympics. Not only was her teal lace dress swoon-worthy, but her curly updo, with braids woven throughout, was one of her prettiest to date.
Credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage
Seldom Center Part
Days after debuting her shorter hair, the Duchess takes the world by surprise again by wearing a dead center part.
Credit: John Phillips/UK Press via Getty Images
Royal Wedding Hair
“I do” to this one! Perhaps her most-seen hairstyle (thanks to the 2 billion watching at home), Middleton chose this demure, half-up, half-down style for her 2011 nuptials to Prince William. She finished the look with a lace-trimmed veil, diamond tiara (on loan from the Queen!), and, of course, her magnificent Alexander McQueen dress.
Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images; Samir Hussein/WireImage.com
Classic Blowout
If there’s one thing the Duchess has down pat, it’s her signature blowout! As spotted at events throughput 2011 and 2012 (and well beyond), the glossy style always helps her shine.
According to Middleton’s wedding-time hairstylist, Richard Ward, the royal’s always-radiant tresses can be attributed to the faithful use of a good serum. “It not only takes out the frizz and makes it silky smooth, but it actually helps to hold the curl,” he told Us.
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Windswept Curls
While visiting California in 2011, Middleton attended a polo match, where she sported loose, romantic curls. To recreate the style at home, Ward explained to Us, “Start blow-drying your hair after letting it air-dry 80 percent—and make sure to use a real bristle brush.”