A new season of Netflix’s smash hit The Crown is returning to our screens this November, and with it comes a resurgence of Princess Diana mania. But as we turn our attention to Lady Di for the umpteenth time, we simultaneously look towards a new Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton. There seems no woman better suited to fill Diana’s elegant shoes than her. Just like Diana, Kate has been flawless in her example of fashion and beauty since she entered the public eye in the 2000s. We look back at their signature looks over the years:
Princess Diana
The People’s Princess was the queen of the short haircut. From shaggy blowout bobs to manicured pixies, there was no cropped cut that Diana could not flawlessly pull off. Here are her best looks and how they convinced women everywhere to get the chop.
1981 – The 80s Shaggy Cut
A young Diana Spencer is introduced to the world as Prince Charles’s blushing bride, with a soft fringe and elegant shag cut. It epitomised demure femininity for young women in the early 80s.
1984 – The Soft “Princess” Curls
Now fully immersed in her role as Princess of Wales, Diana sports a shoulder-length cut that is curled into loose ringlets and pinned from her face. The height of elegance.
1984 – The Modern Bob
Side-parted, gently tousled waves give Diana a grown-up, elegant appeal that women around the world try to emulate.
1989 – The Signature Diana Cut
As Diana enters a new chapter, and the world a new decade, she assumes a cropped, sexy pixie cut that becomes her signature look. Whether slicked back, blow-dried straight or gently curled, the length and shape of this cut defines her style, and influences trends for women everywhere.
Princess Kate
If Diana mastered short hairstyles, Kate is the bastion of long locks. Her cascading curls have been the envy of women everywhere throughout the 2010s and 20s, and she has shown time and again how she can transform and update her cut through up-dos and accessories, without making drastic changes.
2010– The Perfect Blow Out
Kate Middleton was very easy to love when she exploded onto the scene as Prince William’s fiancé in 2010. Tall and statuesque with tumbling brown hair that curled perfectly, she was every bit the fairy-tale princess for the modern era.
2016 – The Classy Bun
Kate’s long hair makes it versatile for playful up do’s, the best of which are her perfectly coiffed low buns and pin-ups that show off her lovely neckline. Whether simple or intricate, the princess remains fresh with every look, proving that a simple long hairstyle need not grow stagnant.
2018 The Honey Coloured Highlights
The Princess occasionally plays with her colour, and in 2018 showed how a subtle touch of highlights can re-energise your look. Subtle copper tones showed off her radiant and youthful complexion and brought new life to her.
2021 – Deep Side Parting
A signature Kate look is the deep side parting, bringing a sexy change up to her usual look. She showed how formal occasions can be embraced without much effort, whilst maximising the allure nonetheless.
2022 – Sleek and Smooth
This year, Kate has brought back 70s glamour with long sleek locks pinned back in a middle parting. We love the regal look this creates, and the sophisticated glamour it brings to her royal flare.