Kate Middleton's Latest Hair Muse Is Princess Charlotte Herself

The young royal is queen of a braided 'do.

Kate and Charlotte Braids
(Image credit: Getty Images)

While mommy-and-me styles are nothing new (especially around the holidays), there's something about a royal take on the trend that changes everything. Instead of saying "oh, how cute, their dresses match!" I'm sitting here wishing an entire upcoming episode of The Crown would feature Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte braiding each other's hair.

They must braid each other's hair, right? Or *at least* decide to sport the look together. On Monday, December 25, the royal duo stepped out for Christmas morning mass wearing matching braided hairstyles—a look that's sure to go down in mother-daughter style history.

While Charlotte has been known to favor a braid since she was tiny, Kate's look was a little more novel—especially because she's been rocking curtain bangs as of late. For the service, she wore her gorgeous dark brunette locks straight, with an expertly placed braid and fascinator keeping any hair out of her face.

Kate and Charlotte Braids

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Charlotte, for her part, wore a much more pronounced style, with two longer braids tied together behind her head. To complete the look, she chose a black ribbon, putting her mark on one of 2023's biggest trends.

Last year, Prince William shared that doing his daughter's hair is a "nightmare," noting that he only had one style under his belt. "I can do [Charlotte’s] ponytail, but that’s about it as I don’t have enough hair to practice on!" he joked. Perhaps he graduated to braids and helped out both his daughter and wife?

Kate and Charlotte Braids

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Regardless of their hairstylist(s), the royals' locks looked absolutely enchanting, especially when paired with their wintery coats—a royal blue for Kate and green for Charlotte. The Princess of Wales chose the apt color for her entire look, from her shoes to her feather-and-bow topped fascinator and earrings.

Now, excuse me while I go practice my braiding skills. Just in case a royal New Year's Eve invite comes through.

Freelance Writer

Sophia Vilensky is a freelance beauty writer at Marie Claire, where she writes about the latest and greatest skincare launches, hair colors, and Cardi B manicures. Her work can also be found at Byrdie, Bravo, and Us Weekly. You can find her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.