Why did Kate Middleton debut her blondest hair ever? Princess shares the real reason behind the look

Kate Middleton's blonde hair transformation turned into a major talking point in royal style this fall. Fashion fans and royal watchers all over the globe focused on her lighter locks. The Princess of Wales, famous for her shiny brunette hair, explained why she went for the noticeable change during a rare behind-the-scenes chat in London.

On November 19, the Princess attended the Royal Variety Performance alongside Prince William. During a backstage chat, actress Su Pollard complimented her appearance, saying,

"I like your hair, it looks a lot lighter."

In response, Kate explained the natural inspiration behind it, replying,

"It used to be brown, but it’s gone light in the sunshine."

Her comment was the first time she mentioned the drastic hair color switch.

The change had already sparked plenty of buzz online after her public appearances earlier in the season.

Royal hairstylist says Kate Middleton’s ‘dramatic’ blond hair is ‘likely to spark a trend’ https://t.co/NdGWPT06W9 pic.twitter.com/9pTNr1ndig

— Page Six (@PageSix) September 4, 2025

Kate Middleton’s blondest hair transformation drew major attention during her September royal appearances

Kate Middleton showed off her blondest hair yet when she resumed her royal duties in early September after her summer vacation. On September 4, she attended an event at the Natural History Museum, marking her first big appearance with the lighter, honey-colored hairstyle.

People also noticed her hair seemed longer than usual, styled in loose curls with a subtle off-center part.

The lighter hair color didn't stick around long. On September 6, during the Women’s Rugby World Cup game between England and Australia, her hair already looked darker.

The half-up hairstyle she chose made it tricky to tell the exact color. By September 8, during an event commemorating Queen Elizabeth II’s death, her hair was back to its rich brown shade, a look she has kept since.

Royal hairstylist Neville Tucker, who previously worked closely with Queen Elizabeth II, commented on the transformation and its potential technique.

He told Vanity Fair that the Princess had likely received “a full set of highlights.” He added,

“Kate’s gone for a strong look that is really noticeably different to how we are used to seeing her.”

Tucker explained that while the Princess has experimented with lighter tones before, the contrast felt more dramatic this time.

“She has been playing with blonde tones for a while, but last year she was the darkest she had been in a while,” he noted.

According to him, this made the change especially striking.

“It was seen as more fashionable, but with Kate going blonder, it’s likely to spark a trend where more people are going to be asking for blond or honey-toned highlights,” he said.

Kate Middleton has returned to her usual brunette style. Her short experiment with a blonde has sparked chatter about royal fashion.