Kate Middleton's Bronde Hair Transformation Is Setting the Tone for Summer
The Princess of Wales debuted a noticeably lighter hair color on her 14th wedding anniversary.


Warmer weather is finally here (at least in the NYC area), and it's that time of year when women start craving lighter, brighter hair colors. It seems like Kate Middleton—who kicked off a two-day visit to Scotland on April 29—is no exception, debuting a new sun-kissed shade just in time for the approaching summer months.
During an appearance on the Isle of Mull on her 14th wedding anniversary with Prince William, the Princess of Wales debuted a gorgeous new brown Holland Cooper blazer along with a fresh bronde hair color. Her usual brunette color was replaced with a honey blonde shade mixed in with darker brown roots.
Hairstylist Jennifer Korab tells Marie Claire that the royal's new bronde color "is a stunning and timely transformation" along with an easy way to brighten up hair for spring.
The princess showed off a much-lighter shade on April 29.
Kate's hair color features darker roots with a honey blonde color mixed in.
The Prince and Princess of Wales shared a sweet photo for their anniversary.
"This blend of brunette and blonde tones is one of the biggest trends right now because it adds soft dimension, a sunlit glow, and natural brightness, perfect for the warmer months," Korab says.
She adds that instead of making a dramatic transformation to full blonde, Kate's shade "is a chic, low-maintenance way to go lighter while still looking polished, sophisticated, and effortlessly modern."
Along with her new bronde hair, which she wore down in soft curls, the Princess of Wales showed off a new blue Boden blouse during her trip to the Isle of Mull. The royal added an old pair of super-skinny Massimo Dutti pants to the look and her go-to See By Chloé combat boots—a perfect choice while visiting a local farm with Prince William later in the day.
As for their anniversary getaway, the Prince and Princess of Wales showed off a sweet photo on Instagram that also happened to perfectly reveal the back of her new hairstyle. "Wonderful to be back on the Isle of Mull," they wrote. "Thank you to everyone for such a warm welcome ❤️ W&C."
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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.
Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.
Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.
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