Kate Middleton's Natural Hair Is So Different From Her Normal Style

Though her style has evolved in some ways since she married into the royal family in 2011, Kate Middleton has largely stuck with a palace-approved image during her years in the Firm. Like her enviable wardrobe, her hair and beauty game are always sleek and refined, even if she does experiment with smaller details. Her brunette mane has been praised 'round the world for its smooth glossiness while still maintaining its body, and the style icon is most often associated with her signature bouncy blowout. Basically, everybody wants pics of Kate Middleton's hair to bring to their next salon appointment. However, her natural hair seems to be quite different.

Samir Hussein/Getty

Back in 2012, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited the Solomon Islands as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. While touring the humid South Pacific nation, Kate appeared to let her hair revert to its natural state. Though still gorgeous and bouncy with ringlets, her locks were worlds away from the lustrous styles she opts for 99% of the time. Her natural curls also appeared during the couple's tour of Canada the year before, when the princess was competing in a dragon boat event, and then in July 2022 while she was taking part in a sailing expedition in Plymouth, England. Her go-to style might be a refined blowout, but princess or not, Kate seems to embrace her natural hair when the moment calls for it.

The stunning hair transformation of Kate Middleton has shown some unexpected twists and turns in the past, from a blond makeover to trendy mermaid waves. Though she rarely deviates from the polished blowouts unless absolutely necessary, we'd love to see her natural curls make more appearances in the future. And judging from Kate's appearance at the 2026 BAFTAs, it might not be a hopeless wish. 

Kate Middleton's hair in the 2020s has gradually nodded to wider trends, whether they be brushed-out beachy waves or curtain bangs. At the 2026 BAFTAs, though, she seemed to adopt a more vintage curl style much closer to her natural look. The uniform ringlets and movement did appear to be the result of professional styling, but the overall curly silhouette was a step towards the princess' natural hair.

"The hairstyle of Kate Middleton at the BAFTA Awards reaffirms her classic and sophisticated style," hair guru Norismin Hiciano told Hola!, adding that the 'do looked so good with her natural hair type because her strands aren't too thick. At the same time, she does have the density to make the look full. "This type of strand allows the waves to remain light and full of motion without losing their shape, but it also requires careful preparation to prevent the hair from looking flat or losing definition over the hours," Hiciano went on. "The finished look projects fluidity, balance, and a subtle shine that perfectly complements the event." While Hiciano didn't personally style Kate's hair for the BAFTAs, he noted that deep hydration treatments with ingredients like argan oil can work wonders with this kind of curly style, especially on hair prone to frizz. He explained that the hydration smooths the cuticle, but it doesn't weigh the hair down.

Hairstylist Dr. Guncel Ozturk confirmed this, sharing with Purewow that Kate's BAFTA curls may be replicated with smoothing products prior to blow drying. As for these particular curls, anybody can create them with heat styling tools, whether you're more comfortable using tongs or an iron. So even if you don't have natural curls like the Princess of Wales, you can absolutely achieve similar hair looks with the right styling.