When it comes to royal hair tips and beauty secrets, the royal family tend to be quite private about its favourite products. However, over the years, we've gleaned some insider intel from hair stylists and sources close to the royal ladies on the secrets behind their perfect hairstyles.
The royals always look impeccable, with polished and often understated styling. The Princess of Wales is known for her signature bouncy blow dry, while Meghan Markle easily styles out a high pony or low bun. The late Princess Diana inspired many with her chic French-style crop and bold accessories.
We've looked through the royal hair achieves to find some stunning hairstyles from the royals. You can easily recreate these royal hair looks at home for an elegant and regal look.
The best royal hair tips to inspire your next look
1. Use a smoothing shampoo
Good hair starts with good prep and Princess Catherine is said to favour the brand Kérastase when it comes to shampoo and conditioner, with the Kérastase Discipline Bain Oleo-Relax smoothing shampoo rumoured to be the product she uses to keep her hair smooth and shiny. This smoothing shampoo will deeply nourish the hair and also boost shine.
2. Use tongs for subtle waves
One of Meghan Markle's signature styles is loose waves, likely achieved with a large-barrel tong. Her glossy hair is shown here with subtle, relaxed waves that don't look too 'done'. To achieve the look, hold the barrel down and away from your face and then brush out the curls once the hair has cooled down.
3. Start with the right products for a bouncy blow dry
The Princess of Wales' bouncy blow-dry is legendary. Her hair stylist, Richard Ward, has previously revealed some secrets behind it - including using the right products. He told People Magazine, "It’s very important to apply the products in the right way - don’t do it all at once, do it in small little sections. This is where we need to get the root lift and have a little bit of hold on the curl. That is your foundation for your beautiful blow-dry."
4. Don't be afraid of a slicked-back look
Princess Diana was rocking the slicked-back hair look decades before we saw it on today's red carpet. The former Princess of Wales often wore her hair with a wet look style for a glamorous evening look with statement earrings to finish the look. This look is particularly effective with short hair like Diana's.
5. Embrace rollers
Princess Catherine's bouncy blow dry isn't just down to tongs - it's been publicised how she uses rollers to get that signature bouncy look. Catherine's hair stylist, Richard Ward, said rollers can create the perfect blow dry. He told People Magazine that each section needs to be “tightly rolled” and lightly twisted around the fingers to get the right look.
6. Use texturising spray for extra bounce
One step on from dry shampoo, texturising spray creates volume in the hair. "There is nothing like a hair flip," US Magazine reported Meghan said during her Suits days. "When my hair is feeling a little weighted, Suanne, my hair artist on set, has me bend forward, and she sprays a little Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray or nothing at all, and then has me ‘flip back hard’ to give my hair a little extra bounce."
7. Soft waves and a hat are a winning combination
Princess Eugenie is a pro at elegant daytime style and this smart casual look shows the power of a classic hat with soft waves and simple makeup. Eugenie's chocolate brown hair looks effortless in loose waves with a relaxed finish - it's a look we'll be copying for weddings or race days in the future.
8. Don't be afraid of bold accessories
Princess Diana was a fashion icon and this translated to bright and bold hair accessories in her signature crop. The former Princess of Wales wore multi-coloured silk flowers in her hair to attend a dinner in 1988 in Bangkok, Thailand. The vibrant hairstyle perfectly complemented her chiffon pink and purple Catherine Walker dress.
9. How to elevate a simple ponytail
Meghan Markle knows how to do perfectly sleek hairstyles. She elevates a simple ponytail by wrapping hair around the base for a chic look. To get the look, brush the hair back into a high ponytail, slicking back the front sections and securing with hairspray. Wrap a small section around the hair band and secure it in place.
10. Use multi-toned highlights for a soft and elegant look
Multi-toned highlights create a soft and natural look, and the Princess of Wales pioneered the 'expensive brunette' trend. Catherine's stylist, Richard Ward, previously told the Daily Mail (via The Sun), “Ask your stylist for three different shades of lowlights, one lighter than your natural base colour, one about the same and one slightly darker to create a multi-tonal effect in the same hues."
11. Embrace natural styles
The now Princess of Wales may be known for her polished looks, but she looks equally as beautiful with her natural waves. Wearing her hair down and loose with a natural curl, the Princess of Wales looked radiant for a visit to Tuvanipupu Island on her Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East with her husband Prince William, back in 2012.
12. Keep hair thick and healthy with regular trims
Princess Catherine is clearly no stranger to the hairdresser's chair, with her long hair always appearing in tip-top condition. Get thick and healthy hair like Catherine by committing to regular trims and using a shampoo and conditioner suited to your hair type, as well as using deep conditioning masks once a week.
13. Frame the face with waved sections
Meghan Markle always wears an updo well, but one of our favourite looks from the Duchess of Sussex is a low bun with tendrils framing her face with a slight wave. This romantic look is easy to recreate and works well as a formal or casual look. Give the front sections a gentle spritz of hairspray if you want the wave to hold.
14. Opt for a long, round layer for a regal look
Queen Elizabeth II was known for her signature style, always perfectly polished. The late Queen's haircut, styled by personal hairdresser Ian Carmichael, a senior stylist at the Trevor Sorbie salon in Covent Garden, apparently had her hair cut in “a long, round layer” so that “all of the hair is the same length all over”, according to reports from Harper's Bazaar.
15. Use a real bristle brush for a smoother look
The right brush can make a world of difference when it comes to perfecting the finished hairstyle - as the royals well know. According to reporting from The Sun, Catherine's hair stylist, Richard Ward, has previously stressed the importance of investing in a real bristle brush to complete hair styling.
16. Opt for a side fringe to soften an updo
A sweeping side fringe can look really elegant, particularly with an updo as the Princess of Wales demonstrates with her chic low bun and blow-dried bangs. She's known for wearing her long layered hair with a side fringe to soften the overall look.
17. Detox your hair before a big event
To get soft and shiny hair before a big event, a detox shampoo can help, as Daniel Galvin Jr, son of legendary hair stylist Daniel Galvin, who was Princess Diana's personal hairstylist, told Marie Claire US. "It's like a table in the garden and you left it all winter. If you wipe the dirt off, you're going to have a film. It's not the dirt, it's the film. Hair is exactly the same. A detox treatment will give your hair spring again because it makes it more translucent and shiny", he said.
18. Go for a side parting
A chic side parting will always look elegant for an evening look, as Meghan Markle shows with this simple yet effective hairstyle, with her curls swept to the side. Apply a gloss through the ends for a high-shine finish like Meghan's.
19. Tuck your hair behind your ear for effortless style
Meghan Markle's mirror-like shine is unmatched and her updos are always polished. To soften the look, Meghan often tucks a piece of hair behind her ear to keep it away from her face. This looks stylish and relaxed and isn't as severe as sweeping the whole front section back and off the face. Curled front sections look elegant with this style.
20. Use a shine-sealing hair gloss
It's rumoured that Princess Catherine relies on Kiehl’s Creme with Silk Groom as a glossing product. Royal style expert and TikTok creator Miranda Holder told her TikTok followers that the royal uses this product, which “adds shine and keeps everything in its place,” while Kiehl’s describes it as “a favourite amongst stylists”.
21. Embrace retro hairstyles
Princess Catherine looks radiant in a retro-style printed coat with a high-volume blow-dry to match the vintage style. To get the look, create volume at the root and flick out the ends with a curly tong. Seal in place with plenty of hairspray and try a little back-combing if you really want to amp up the volume.
22. Add volume to shorter styles
Princess Diana wore her hair short, first with a shoulder-length bob and later with her famous crop, but that doesn't mean she ever dialled down the glamour. The late Princess of Wales used accessories to dress up her hairstyles and usually created plenty of volume with her blow dry and sometimes curls, as with this elegant look.
23. Team slicked back hair with statement earrings
Princess Eugenie stunned on the red carpet with this high fashion look, teaming slick and smooth hair with statement earrings to finish the styling - the perfect accompaniment to her stunning dress. For the red carpet Vogue event, Eugenie wore an emerald green Fendi silk dress designed by Kim Jones.
24. The power of a bold headband
Bright and bold headbands can really elevate a look, as in the case of Sarah Ferguson's multicoloured band, which matched her vibrant top, pulling the outfit together. Meanwhile, daughter Princess Beatrice looks stylish with a simple black headband to complement her vintage-style purple tea dress - a lesson in how to style headbands.
25. Hairspray is the classic finishing touch for a bouncy blow dry
Royal style expert and TikTok creator Miranda Holder has previously shared that Catherine relies on an affordable product to keep her hairstyles in place. Miranda explained in her TikTok video on royal hair secrets that the royal's finishing step is "Everyone's favourite, good old L'Oreal Elnett hairspray to keep her work in its place."
26. Pony tails can work as a formal updo
Queen of the elegant updo, Meghan Markle, shows us how a stylish ponytail can look just as effective as a low or high bun when it comes to formal styles. The Duchess of Sussex wore a high ponytail with hair wrapped around the base and polished curls through the length during a panel discussion, and it's a look you could easily replicate for a summer wedding or evening out.
27. Fascinators can make all the difference
Carole Middleton looks radiant with a baby blue fascinator that matches her pastel-coloured blouse for a royal day out. Princess Catherine's mother is no stranger to stylish headgear, often pictured in wide-brimmed hats, trilby hats and with a variety of colourful fascinators that finish off her groomed looks.
28. Knot the hair for a sophisticated half-up-half-down style
Catherine's Princess-worthy half-up-half-down hairstyle looked polished and understated. To get the look, sweep the front sections of the hair back and then create a 'knot' effect by pinning sections in place at the crown. The look works particularly well with blow-dried hair.
29. Use a wide tooth comb for natural curles
This Meghan Markle red carpet look wowed us all, with the Duchess of Sussex teaming her statement red dress with loose curls. To achieve the look at home, comb through natural or tonged curls with a large comb to make the curl more natural and then finish with shine spray for a wet look effect.
30. Opt for a low bun for a chic look
A signature style for Meghan Markle is a low bun, with the sections wrapped around the bun for a chic French-girl style. The Duchess of Sussex looks effortlessly groomed with this look, her front sections slicked back and presumably kept in place with hairspray.
31. Create some volume around the hair line
Princess Anne uses volume around the hairline to uplift her hairstyle. This creates a flattering finish, adding some interest even with an updo. According to The Express, Princess Anne is said to use texture spray throughout her hair to improve grip and make sure there are no flyaway hairs.
32. Flatter a centre parting with volume and waves
An on-trend centre parting can look a little more harsh, but Kate Middleton is a pro at flattering hairstyles that look soft and elegant. Here, the Princess of Wales wears her long hair with volume at the roots and big brushed-out waves for a soft and natural look that nods to the '70s style - a great everyday option.
