From chignons to loose curls and ponytails, Kate varies her hairstyles depending on the occasion. While Prince William's wife hasn't been tempted by radical changes, she has nonetheless dared to try different styles over the years.
Always shiny and impeccably styled, Kate's hair is one of her beauty secrets. A mane that her many fans envy and that she takes care of daily. Soft blowouts to highlight her length or glamorous chignons for special occasions, the Duchess of Cambridge's hairstyles are as much talked about as her outfits.
Her Signature Blowout
This is THE Duchess of Cambridge's signature hairstyle, instantly recognizable, the one she never tires of and that gives her hair softness and shine.
A perfectly styled, curly blow-dry, expertly executed by Amanda Cook Tucker, Kate's personal hairdresser—who cut William and Harry's hair as children—who has been by her side since the Cambridge couple's tour of Southeast Asia in 2012.
To mimic her naturally flowing waves, hairdressers recommend creating ringlets by wrapping sections of hair around a straightener, unrolling them after a few seconds, and separating them with your fingers, without brushing.
Years go by, but Kate still looks stunning with this hairstyle.
Ringlets
In her early days with the royal family, Kate experimented a few times with the famous ringlets, those well-defined and very tight curls... with varying degrees of success.
Because to maintain their shape, ringlets shouldn't be weighed down by excessively long hair. They are therefore best suited to medium-length hair.
Wavy Hair
If there's one trendy hairstyle that Kate has adopted, it's this one! Thanks to this technique, which consists of large, artfully tousled and textured curls, her hair is smooth, supple, and glowy for a natural yet chic look.
Very Long Hair
To achieve luminous hair, the Duchess of Cambridge enhances her chestnut brown by applying oil to the lengths and ends.
As for shampoo, she reportedly uses Kérastase products, particularly Bain Oléo-Relax, which helps tame thick and unruly hair. This is the secret to maintaining her beautiful length.
Shortest Hair
Kate's hair changes are widely discussed by the fashion press and her fans. In 2017, British journalist Kate Proctor put forward a theory about the Duchess's haircuts and her pregnancy announcements. She saw it as "a smokescreen": every time William's wife changes her hairstyle, the media pays more attention to her hair than her figure... A diversion of attention that remains, for now, just a hypothesis.
Nevertheless, in the summer of 2017, a few months before announcing her third pregnancy, Kate sported a new cut, a mid-length bob, shorter than usual.
Caramel color
To maintain her color, Prince William's wife is a loyal client of Richard Ward's salon in London. The Duchess of Cambridge has been going to 82 Duke of York Square, in the Chelsea district, for her coloring services since 2011.
Blonde highlights or honey tones, to bring light to her chestnut brown as naturally as possible, Kate favors balayage, a technique that allows for gentle lightening.
A real "sun-kissed" touch for her hair, without succumbing to the allure of blonde.
Side-swept hair
During her recent official appearances, the Duchess of Cambridge debuted side-swept hair. While the hairstyle—adopted by many stars—isn't new, Kate had never before sported it on the red carpet. At the Royal Variety Performance on November 18, 2021, Kate opted for a curly side-swept style that added significant volume to her hair.
Prince Charles's daughter-in-law had already tried a similar hairstyle a few weeks earlier at the inaugural Earthshot Prize ceremony. The praise was overwhelming.
The art of the chignon
With her beautiful hair, Kate has no trouble creating spectacular chignons, as sophisticated as they are inventive. The most recent example was at the world premiere of No Time To Die, the 25th James Bond film, where Kate made her most spectacular appearance of 2021. With her twisted chignon, the Duchess caused a sensation.
This sophisticated hairstyle perfectly complemented her gold lamé dress by Jenny Packham. "You look absolutely stunning," Daniel Craig even told her.
Elaborate updos are often synonymous with the red carpet for Kate. Low bun, messy bun, French twist, or braided bun—she's tried them all.
The ponytail
While Kate favors a sophisticated updo to shine on the red carpet, the ponytail is the practical and elegant hairstyle for her field visits.
A hairstyle that allows her to show off her face while highlighting her beautiful hair.
For a chic look in no time, she ties up her pre-styled hair, carefully concealing the elastic with a strand of hair.
The wispy fringe
Her various attempts with curtain bangs haven't pleased everyone... In 2012, a few weeks before announcing her first pregnancy, Kate debuted a new hairstyle.
A wispy fringe, a style the Duchess regularly returns to, adds character to her face.
The half-up ponytail
Between wearing her hair down and up, Kate often chooses... not to choose! One of her favorite hairstyles is the half-up ponytail, which allows her hair to show off her face while maintaining its beautiful length. Easy to wear and create, it only requires a few bobby pins. The result is stunning: a polished yet natural hairstyle.
Never short of ideas, Kate, along with Amanda Cook Tucker, likes to add a twist to this somewhat demure hairstyle with pretty twists.
Her wedding hairstyle
The hairstyle for her wedding to Prince William on April 29, 2011, came as a surprise: rather than opting for a traditional updo, Kate left her hair loose, with the strands framing her face held back simply with bobby pins. It was hairstylist James Pryce who styled her long hair.
A choice that sparked much discussion, as former journalist Ashley Pearson recounts in the documentary William and Kate: The Journey, which she directed in 2016.
