UPDATE 5/19/18:
It's finally happened: Meghan Markle is officially a royal, and shall be known as Her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Wales, not Princess Meghan. And while I'm crying, and you're crying, and we're all crying over Harry choking up when he saw Meghan walk down the aisle, I'm choking up over Meghan's gorgeous hair.
Meghan opted for a low, twisted-and-pinned updo for her wedding-day hairstyle, along with a very classic veil, and, of course, the tiara. Her short, face-framing layers were split down the middle for a very 2018, center-parted finish.
Though, underneath the veil, it appeared as though she had gone with a low chignon, we can see from side views that her shoulder-length waves have been twisted, coiled, and pinned in the back of her head for a voluminous finish.
My only complaint: The one strand of hair that's been threatening to come loose from her updo for the last 40 minutes. PLEASE, TUCK IT BEHIND YOUR EAR, MEGHAN! I can't handle this suspense.
I'll update this story with more photos and details as we get them!
PREVIOUSLY:
There may be a million strict royal protocols Meghan Markle will have to follow once she's married, but when it comes to her wedding-day hairstyle, Meghan will have completely free reign.
"There's no protocol that they have to wear it up or down," says British bridal designer Caroline Castigliano, MarieClaire.com's exclusive royal wedding expert. "Brides can do as they see fit." Which means she could wear a braided half-up bun, or a wispy low knot, or even wet-look finger waves if that's what she wanted to do—after all, it's her (and Prince Harry's) wedding day. Still, Castigliano has some guesses.
When Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011, she opted for a classic, half-up knot with soft, romantic waves—a look that was relaxed, yet still regally polished. In an interview with People, Kate's wedding-day hairstylist Richard Ward said the Duchess had a say in all the decisions.
“Catherine was very involved in her chosen style, and the bridal look was based on her own personal preference,” Ward said. “It was really a matter of getting a fine balance of feeling natural but also reflected the occasion.”
Queen Elizabeth walked down the aisle with perfectly coiffed, shoulder-length curls. And Prince Harry's mom, Princess Diana, rocked an extremely short bob when she married Prince Charles. But when Princess Margaret married photographer Anthony Armstrong, she chose an elegant, voluminous topknot. So it's safe to say, the royals really do have total control when it comes to their wedding-day hairstyle.
For Meghan's hair, Castigliano says it's likely she'll choose a very similar style to that of her soon-to-be sister-in-law's: "I'd imagine she will do it sort of half-and-half."
"Bring the hair up in the front, so she can get a nice little bit of height behind the tiara, and that, of course, with her fantastic dark hair, will look sensational," says Castigliano. "And then I think she's going to have a silk veil, and that will obviously extend the whole way over the dress and the train."
When it comes to her everyday hairstyles, Meghan can be quite the royal rule breaker, like that time she "forgot" to cinch her messy bun with a hairnet, and, subsequently, had lots of flyaways. Since she's been accompanying Prince Harry to events this year, Meghan has showcased a number of different hairstyles, including messy chignons, twisted knots, and long, loose waves.
As a seasoned red carpet-goer from her time working on Suits, Meghan already knows what it's like getting her hair done for big events. But will Meghan get a new hairstylist when she becomes a royal? It's unclear right now, but she's reportedly borrowing Amal Clooney's hairstylist Miguel Perez for her wedding day look (a.k.a not an official royal stylist). The two were introduced by Amal herself, who, along with her hubby, George Clooney, will reportedly be there for Meghan and Harry's nuptials.
Perez, who works at a salon based in London, confirmed to The Mail that he's been the hands behind the hair for Meghan's most recent appearances, and will be the one creating her wedding day look. If both Amal and Meghan's sleek waves are any indication of Perez's signature styling, we can expect to see something very similar on May 19.
No matter what she chooses, it's probably going to be everyone's wedding hair inspo for years to come.
