From her first days in the royal spotlight, style fans have fawned over Kate, the Princess of Wales' regal "princess hair."
From luxurious blown out locks, to slicked back, straight, twisted, pinned and perfected, Kate's hair is often a subject of discussion in the beauty and fashion press.
According to Prince Harry, the princess' tumbling locks even found a firm fan within the royal family itself, at the very top.
In his 2023 memoir, Spare, the prince wrote that his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, voiced praise for her grand-daughter-in-law's look, recounting how "she often commented on 'Kate's beautiful mane.'"
Though the royal hasn't dramatically deviated from her classic look, she has experimented within her own parameters to great affect, with cut and style.
In September 2023, the princess debuted an updated style of blown out bangs framing her face for an England rugby game and more recently a charity visit in London.
Here, Newsweek looks at six of the Princess of Wales' top hairstyles from the past and present.
Princess Blowout
One of Kate's most enduring (and widely praised) hairstyles which she has relied on time and again is the classic "princess blowout." This is achieved by using a blowdryer and barrel brush to apply volume at the root and a gentle curl at the base of the hair.
The princess' thick hair makes any volume adding technique take on a more dramatic effect and this style is often adopted in the summer months. In climates where humidity is higher, such as during royal tours, Kate has ditched her hairstyle mainstay, which is prone to fly-aways, for a more manageable slicked back look.
Twisted Bun
For important ceremonial events, Kate often sports elaborate hairstyles involving a platted or twisted bun, or chignon.
The complicated hairstyles are time-consuming and labor-intensive and reportedly require a trusted stylist to create.
Often the royal's most intricate styles have been worn on Remembrance Sunday in Britain, where members of the royal family gather to honor those who have died in conflict for their country.
The black dress code sees Kate wearing different styles of hat each year, which display her hair in different ways.
Bond Girl Updo
Kate relied on classic royal glamor for her red carpet appearance for the London premiere of the James Bond movie "No Time To Die" in 2021, debuting a towering vintage-inspired hairstyle to go with her glittering Jenny Packham gown.
The platted, curled and gathered style had volume and height, balancing the proportions of the caped dress, which can have a shortening effect on the wearer.
The princess hasn't worn her hair in this style before or since, making it a powerful outlier in her chic catalogue of hairdos.
Chic Slicked-Back
In the hot and humid climate of Belize, during a royal tour of the Caribbean in 2022, Kate switched from her blown out waves and intricate updos to a slicked back and sleek style straightened from the root and tucked behind the ear.
The style not only stayed as intended through the evening reception, held outside in the humidity, but also added a stark and modern contrast to the glittering fairy tale pink evening gown chosen for the event.
High Ponytail
Kate channeled her inner Sporty Spice for a training session with an England rugby team while promoting her "Shaping Us" early years awareness campaign.
With her chic sports kit as England's rugby patron, the princess wore a slicked-back high ponytail, displaying to full advantage the length of her silky hair.
Farrah Fawcett Bangs
Kate's most recent style debut is an update on the 1970s Farrah Fawcett style blown out bang, which she has experimented with in previous years.
The princess attended a charity visit in London in September wearing the flicked out bangs with a gently curled base style and minimal accessories.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
