The women of the royal family are some of the world's biggest style icons, past and present. In recent years, we've seen royal women wear more daring and fashion-forward beauty looks, experimenting with different styles we're keen to try at home. But there's also still a place for classic styles inspired by the '70s, '80s and '90s - there's a reason why these looks never go out of style.
From Kate Middleton's glamorous waves to Princess Diana's hair accessories and Meghan Markles' many masterclasses in how to wear a sleek bun, the royals provide us with plenty of inspiration regarding stylish hairstyles for an evening out.
These are just some of the elegant and timeless royal hairstyles we want to recreate on our next night out.
32 royal hairstyles we want to recreate on our next night out
Princess Eugenie's sleek side parting
Princess Eugenie really showed her fashion prowess on the red carpet for a Vogue event, teaming a show-stopping green dress with incredible jewelled drop earrings and shiny slicked-back hair. The look was a departure from her natural curls and muted tones, marking a new era of fashion-forward dressing for the royal.
2. Meghan Markle's elegant high pony tail
Meghan Markle will forever be our hair crush, with her slick buns and ponytails always looking incredibly flawless. A fan of neatly wrapping her hair around her hair tie in a regal fashion, the Duchess of Sussex may just have perfected the ponytail with this polished look.
Carole Middleton's fascinator and sleek bob
Carole Middleton always looks sleek as the mother of the future Queen of England. Here she wears her brunette hair down and straight, with an elegant baby blue fascinator to match her dress for a day out at the races.
Kate Middleton's '60s style waves
We're used to seeing Kate Middleton with a bouncy blow-dry, but for this look, she takes things up a notch with a '60s-style blowout to match her retro coat. We love this vintage-inspired look for a festive night out - it's a hairstyle that will suit just about anybody!
Meghan Markle's sleek bun
Meghan Markle is often spotted with a chic up-do and usually lets a few stands come down at the front to soften the look. The Duchess of Sussex keeps things simple with a centre parting and a few waved tendrils tucked behind her ears. Add some shine spray to finish the look.
Meghan Markle's centre parting and bun
For a more recent appearance, the Duchess of Sussex wore her long hair slicked back in a slow bun with a neat centre parting and her hair completely off her face. This classic hairstyle was accentuated with fluttery eyelashes and glowing skin for a fresh and elegant look.
Princess Diana's textured crop
Princess Diana always knew how to make an entrance on a night out with impeccable hair and makeup. Showing us that short hair can look feminine and dressy, the late Princess of Wales often wore her cropped hairstyle with plenty of volume and sparkling earrings.
Princess Diana's slicked back hair
Princess Diana went for a completely different look with this sleek, slicked-back hairstyle, accentuated with striking eye makeup - which is perfect for the festive season. The striking sapphire and diamond choker really holds its own with this pared-back style.
Princess Catherine's wavy hair
The Duchess of Cambridge looks radiant, wearing her long caramel-toned hair in loose waves. Kate Middleton will always be our inspiration when it comes to how to wear a '70s-style side-parted fringe well. We love this elegant yet relaxed look for a chic party season style.
Princess Diana's boxy hat and plenty of volume
In another masterclass on how to style a textured crop, the late Princess of Wales looks striking with a pastel pink hat and her cropped hair worn into textured waves. We can see this look working well for a wedding or day out at the races.
Meghan Markle's romantic bob
Meghan Markle looks stunning in this relaxed bun, with the front sections worn down in a loose wave. The Duchess of Sussex often wears simple jewellery to complement her elegant and understated style and this soft bun is paired with a timeless pendant neckless.
Princess Diana's floral crop
Princess Diana wore her short hair parted to the side with an assortment of bright flowers for a royal engagement in Thailand. The late Princess of Wales often used striking hair accessories to elevate her evening outfits, and these silk flowers perfectly complement her vibrant pink and purple evening gown.
Kate Middleton's twisted half-up-half-down style
Kate Middleton's twisted half-up-half-down style shows off the Princess of Wales' long and thick hair with cascading waves and a section pinned back for a chic and elegant look that would work well for party season, but also for formal occasions like weddings or a day out at the races.
Meghan Markle's sleek low bun
For this look, rather than opting for a centre parting, the Duchess of Sussex has combed the hair back over the crown and into the bun for a super sleek look with no visible parting. Often known as a 'ballerina-style' bun, this chic hairstyle is a timeless and romantic choice and will work well with a statement outfit.
Princess Diana's flicked out crop
Princess Diana had many different hair looks during her time in the public eye. She wore her cropped style in every way imaginable - slicked back, curled under, textured and wavy and, in this case, flicked out at the ends. We love this look for a retro '70s style that will work just as well in the modern day.
Kate Middleton's classic curls
Kate Middleton's long dark hair is often worn in wavy or sleek styles, so it was unusual to see the Princess of Wales opt for tighter curls - but we love this classic and feminine look for both the festive season or during the summer for a beachy look. To copy the style, just add some texture spray or sea salt spray and brush through the curls with a wide-tooth comb.
Meghan Markle's messy bun
Never underestimate the power of a messy bun! Meghan Markle shows us that while she can master a sleek bun, sometimes it's just as effective to wear the bun a little looser and less defined, with sections of hair loose and wavy to complete the laid-back and relaxed style. This type of bun is flattering on everybody and less severe than a tight, slicked-back bun.
Princess Diana's sleek crop
For a truly regal look, Princess Diana's sleek crop is the perfect choice. The late Princess of Wales wears her shorter style smooth and shiny with a little bit of volume at the crown and a full fringe. Teamed with sparkling jewellery, Princess Diana looks sophisticated and elegant. Add a smoothing balm to keep the look sleek and polished.
Kate Middleton's sleek centre parting
Kate Middleton opted for a dramatically different look for a red carpet appearance, wearing her long hair sleek and straight, without a hint of her signature bouncy blow dry. The Princess of Wales wore a striking centre parting to complete the look, matching her monochrome outfit - we love this bold style for Princess Catherine.
Princess Eugenie's elegant waves
Princess Eugenie has had countless flawless style moments in recent years, with the royal taking her looks to the next level and switching up her image with sleek and fashion-forward looks. We love this timeless combination of bouncy waves and a netted hat for an elegant look at the races.
Princess Anne's volumised bun
Princess Anne is hitting all the right style notes with this evening outfit. The Princess Royal teamed the striking blue ensemble with glittering jewellery and a simple hairstyle that fit the elegant look. Princess Anne's signature style is to create some volume around the hairline for a flattering style and it works well with her elegant bun.
Kate Middleton's glamorous blow-dry
There have been many iterations of Kate Middleton's bouncy blow-dry over the years, but this has to be one of our favourite looks of all time. The Princess of Wales wears her hair down with loose waves and plenty of volume in the crown. The Princess' look is given a '70s feel with shorter sections at the front blown off the face for a glamorous evening look.
Princess Beatrice's jewelled side-sweep
Princess Beatrice looked incredibly elegant with this jewelled hairstyle on the red carpet. The Princess wore her shoulder-length hair in waves, brushed to the side, and secured with jewel hair clips for an old-school Hollywood look. A bold red lip completed the look perfectly.
The Queen's perfect curls
During her long reign as Queen, Queen Elizabeth II was rarely pictured with a hair out of place. Here we see the late Queen wearing her hair in her signature style of perfectly set curls and a side parting for an appearance on the red carpet wearing a glamorous purple and blue embellished gown.
Princess Beatrice's glam blow dry
Princess Beatrice pulled out all the style stops for an appearance on the red carpet, wearing a chic floral black dress with sheer panels and her hair sleek and volumised. Princess Beatrice went for the classic side-parted style with her hair curled under and some height at the crown. We love this sleek style for the Princess!
Queen Letizia's curly bob
Queen Letizia is one of the most stylish royals in the world, and her long bob always looks flawless. The royal styled her dark hair with a centre parting, and curls flicked away from her face for an elegant evening look. The vibrant red shade looks stunning on the Spanish Queen.
Princess Beatrice's 'undone' blow dry
Full marks to Princess Beatrice for this extremely glamorous evening look. The royal wore her long hair with a sleek 'undone' blow-dry that looked relaxed with plenty of movement and a sparkling ensemble that screamed festive parties. We also love the stylish metallic clutch bag as a finishing touch.
Princess Diana's side parting and waves
Virtually any picture of Princess Diana will inspire us when it comes to fashion and beauty looks and this picture is no exception. The late Princess of Wales teamed a chic side parting hairstyle with plenty of volume and a gothic-style lace and velvet evening dress in a deep midnight blue shade - we also love the stylish jewelled choker.
Princess Charlene's elegant crop
Princess Charlene of Monaco has emerged as a real style icon of our times. Here, she wears a pixie crop hairstyle in a side parting with a bit of texture for a simple and elegant look. The asymmetric blue top with subtle embroidery makes a bold statement and we love this ethereal look for an understated evening outfit.
Sophie Wessex's layered bob
Sometimes, the most simple hair looks are the most effective. Here, Sophie Wessex teamed a sparkling evening gown with her bob-length hair worn with a slight curl and tucked behind her ears for an understated hairstyle that showed off her statement earrings.
Queen Rania of Jordan's structured waves
Queen Rania of Jordan's structured waves are the epitome of old-school Hollywood glamour. To get the look, use a medium-barrel tong and curl the hair in medium-sized, even sections away from the face. brush through with your fingers and seal with plenty of hairspray for perfect waves that will last all night.
Kate Middleton's deep parting and big waves
A classic evening look that will stand the test of time, the Princess of Wales perfectly masters a deep side parting with half of her long brunette hair worn over her shoulder in big waves. This volumised look will work any time of year and is reminiscent of vintage Hollywood styles.
