Times Kate Middleton's Natural Hair Color Got A Chic Upgrade

Kate Middleton has largely sported the same luxe brown hair color since marrying into the royal family in 2011. She's experimented with cut and styling over the years, exploring bangs, layering, and variations in the bounce of her curls. Kate Middleton's natural curly hair texture is also so different from her go-to blowout. But when it comes to her natural brunette tone, there has only been a handful of times when she's had fun with hair dye. The most dramatic was September 2025, when she basically went blond.

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The Princess of Wales debuted the look at a royal outing to the National History Museum. While her roots stayed a darker brown shade, the rest of her long, tumbling curls were a very light brown, with some highlights actually leaning into cool blond territory. Honestly, Kate Middleton's hair color transformation led to one of 2025's hottest trends. "She's a beauty either way," one fan commented beneath an Instagram post of her new 'do. Others praised her for gravitating away from her usual style, regardless of the result: "I love the blonde good for her! Have some fun in life!"

Kate hasn't publicly opened up about what prompted the color change, but she did reportedly acknowledge her lightened locks in a conversation with British actor Su Pollard in November 2025, saying, "It used to be brown, but it's gone light in the sunshine" (via Daily Mail). We suspect that there was at least a little bit of bleach involved in the transition, but however the princess happened upon her lighter hair, we're glad she did. 

Kate Middleton's mane is always making headlines, and her September 2025 color switch to brond has been the most well-documented of her hair moves. However, it wasn't the first time she explored a lighter shade. Back in September 2019, she appeared with a honey-blond shade as she accompanied her son and daughter, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, to their first day of school.

This version was much warmer than her hair was six years later. Although it was reported by the press as brown with highlights, in the sun it looked as if her whole head had taken on a golden-honey shade. At the time, the princess' cut was also quite different from her 2020s styling. Before the days of her long mermaid waves, she was sticking with curtain bangs, choppy face-framing layers, and a shorter length that sat a few inches beneath her shoulders. Rather than going for structured waves or ringlets, she simply had a glossy blowout.

It's difficult to say which version of lighter hair we prefer, but this is definitely a pic of Kate Middleton's hair to bring to your next salon appointment. For those who aren't fans of either, she did take her color in the opposite direction back in 2013.

The Princess of Wales doesn't have to reach for the hair dye to achieve her famous brunette tresses. However, back in November 2013, she was spotted at the SportsBall Gala in London, England, with a darker, richer iteration of her go-to shade. The Daily Mail reported that the color change was the result of a six-hour salon appointment with hairstylist Rossano Ferretti.

"She looked amazing," one witness told the outlet, after reportedly seeing the princess leave the Central London salon. "She was dressed in a tartan cape and was made up. Her hair looked fabulous, really big and glossy, and it was flowing around her shoulders." The Mail speculated that the princess' appointment was prompted by her need to cover up a few sparse grays, and also added that the dye job could have cost the royal $800. It was certainly one of the lesser-known milestones in the stunning hair transformation of Kate Middleton, but it may have been one of the most expensive!

Photos of the rich brown color show that it read differently depending on the lighting, and likely, the presence of flashes. At first glance, it looked like a flat brown color. With more light, the definition of different tones and lowlights was clear, as was the warmth in the brunette shade. But either way, brown hues contrast with Kate's blue eyes and fair skin, so we can see why she rarely deviates from this winning color. Next, check out why Kate Middleton's curtain bangs are the only hair inspo you'll need.