Power moves, shocking statements, and a straight-up Carmen Miranda impersonation: Royals aren't always allowed to say what they think — so they let their hair do the talking for them.
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00:00Power moves, shocking statements, and a straight-up Carmen Miranda impersonation.
00:05Royals aren't always allowed to say what they think, so they let their hair do the talking
00:10for them. Princess Charlene's royal tenure has been far from traditional. From her tear-stricken
00:16wedding to Prince Albert II in 2011, to her alleged residence away from her kingdom of Monaco,
00:22many curious details about her life have attracted attention from the media.
00:27One such moment came about in 2020 when Charlene stepped out for Christmas with a haircut that most
00:32people would never imagine a royal might wear. The asymmetrical style put one side of Charlene's
00:38shaved head on display, while the other half lay covered under a short bob.
00:43The Monegasque princess is no stranger to experimenting with her hair,
00:47but this half-hawk made a statement like never before,
00:50evident in the buzz it created among royal fans. Charlene herself told local publication
00:56Point de Vue,
00:58"[This haircut was my decision.] It seems that it has provoked all kinds of comments."
01:02She added that this transformation even surprised her husband,
01:06who grew to like it only after some time had passed. Although her twin children,
01:10Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriela, apparently offered more positive reactions.
01:15Even so, she remained undaunted by the Führer, adding,
01:19"'Certainly, of all the members of royal families,
01:22I'm probably the one who has tried the most different hairstyles. And I'll continue.'"
01:27Princess Charlene changes her hairstyles like she changes outfits.
01:31The Monegasque royal is well known for her love of fashion,
01:34and she doesn't hold back from showing off her style at public appearances.
01:37She was a figure to behold at Monaco's Rose Ball in 2024,
01:41when she stepped out looking like the very personification of that year's theme, disco.
01:46We just washed the hair. You know, I work on my hair a long time, and you hit it. He hits my hair."
01:54Charlene went all-out glam in a glittering Elie Saab jumpsuit,
01:58which she accessorized with matched earrings, a box clutch, and, of course,
02:03an appropriate hairstyle. The layered golden bob was reminiscent of the short bleached pixie cuts
02:08that helped define the hair revolution in the 1980s. More specifically,
02:13Charlene's was what's known as a bixie, a cross between a bob and a pixie,
02:18bringing the best of both styles into one.
02:20Charlene's dazzling impression at the Rose Ball was especially notable considering this occasion
02:25marked the first time in 10 years that she had attended the charity event. Her prolonged absence
02:30from the annual gala fanned longstanding rumors of a rift in her marriage with Prince Albert.
02:35Her return to Monaco's biggest social event, however, appeared to put that speculation to rest.
02:41Yes, it's Princess Charlene again. The former Olympic swimmer never ceases to
02:46amaze with each public outing she makes, always flaunting an impeccable and often
02:50unexpected get-up. At the Monaco Grand Prix in 2022, she debuted a never-before-seen pixie cut
02:57that was blonde in color, conservative in length, and chic by definition. The new hairstyle paired
03:02perfectly with an elegant baby blue jumpsuit immediately made headlines. This appearance
03:08was also momentous, however, for the fact that Charlene returned to the racing event
03:12after a year of absence, during which she had reportedly been undergoing health issues.
03:17Charlene's peroxide-pixie look stayed on her for weeks after the Grand Prix
03:21and must have required regular upkeep, since this kind of a cut is only easygoing in appearance.
03:27As celebrity hairstylist Callie Borg explained to The Express,
03:31this cut is super easy for day-to-day styling,
03:33but higher maintenance when it comes to keeping it neat and tidy. Hair expert Luke Benson,
03:38meanwhile, couldn't help but point out Charlene's unmistakable likeness to pixie hair icon
03:43Charlize Theron. He said,
03:44"...a perfectly executed short haircut for a woman that stays feminine, soft, and beautiful."
03:50Princess Diana wore many iconic hairstyles during her time as a British royal. The most famous was
03:56her blonde bob. Diana sported several recognizable variations of her haircut throughout her life as
04:01a public figure, never growing her tresses too far past her nape. While the flat fringe she wore
04:07when she joined the royal family inspired a trend known as the Lady Diana haircut,
04:12the real game-changer came in the 1990s. Stylist Sam McKnight, who gave Diana her
04:17legendary pixie cut, later told Vogue,
04:19"...when I met Diana, things were changing. It was all about the power woman look."
04:24McKnight recalled the moment from a Vogue shoot in 1991
04:28when Diana granted him full authority over her tresses.
04:31"...she had a lot of hair, so it was very, sort of, you could do anything with it, really."
04:35Diana wore this cut through one of the most crucial eras of her life,
04:39as she transitioned out of her broken marriage into independence. It challenged the silhouette
04:44of what a princess could look like and, per her own claims, gave her a renewed sense of self.
04:50As she herself once said,
04:51"...I suppose last summer when Sam cut my hair differently, it let out something quite different."
04:57Meghan Markle's rebellion against the British monarchy emerged in many ways,
05:01right down to the way she styled her hair. During official engagements,
05:04she was often seen wearing her dark locks up into what can only be described as a messy bun.
05:10The chic updo, which seemed to be Meghan's favorite hairstyle,
05:13allowed generous amounts of strands and flyaways to escape,
05:17giving her the look of someone who had swished up their hair before getting out of the car.
05:21Of course, it would presumably have been anything but a last-minute choice for Meghan,
05:26who always presented a neat turnout as the Duchess of Sussex.
05:29Meghan's messy bun dues began making the news even before she joined the royal family in 2018,
05:35when she sported one at a public appearance with Prince Harry.
05:38Her hairstyle could hardly be pinned down to an ignorance of royal protocol,
05:42since Meghan continued to flaunt it on many occasions after, including her wedding.
05:47This made for a welcome departure from the sleek hairstyles one usually sees on a royal butt.
05:52According to some experts, it was more than just a gesture of relatability — it was a power move.
05:58Sociologist Dr. Anna Ackberry told Elle,
06:01"'My guess is it took more than it does when you put your hair in a messy bun
06:05to go to a workout class.'"
06:07That's not to say you can't pull it off yourself, though. George Northwood,
06:10who styled Meghan's hair for her wedding,
06:12tells Women's Wear Daily that it's possible to pull it off in 20 minutes.
06:16It sounds crazy, but once you got good at it, I think it's totally doable."
06:22Princess Catherine's tresses appear to be something of a force of nature.
06:25But while her hair may be thick, luscious, and shiny, few would ever call her styles
06:30adventurous. For the better part of her royal career, the Princess of Wales has
06:34stuck to hairdos that maintain an equal measure of both style and safety.
06:38Elegant buns and voluminous blowouts have become Catherine's go-to signatures,
06:42falling obediently within the traditional boundaries of royal propriety.
06:46But there have been times when Britain's favorite royal has gone rogue, within reasonable limits.
06:51In 2023, Catherine gave her tresses a creative refresh that invited the most unexpected of
06:56comparisons — Farrah Fawcett. The Charlie's Angels star was famous for her hairstyle,
07:01which became known to many as the Fawcett Flip.
07:04Catherine reincarnated the actor's dramatic curtain bangs in all their glory for fall season,
07:10most notably at a charity event in Sutton, where she sported the fringe alongside a
07:15smart navy suit. Many fans also caught hints of Brigitte Bardot in Catherine's hair.
07:20And it turns out that both styles are two sides of the same coin,
07:24as hairstylist Roy Nadine told Vogue France.
07:27To get a cool Bardot vibe, blow-dry it all forward just with your hands or a brush.
07:32Or blow-dry it back to get a more voluminous Farrah Fawcett vibe.
07:37In a world that prefers its women look ageless, those who flaunt their graying
07:41roots with pride are few — and fewer still in royal circles. Over in Spain, however,
07:46Queen Letizia has chosen not to cover up the silver streaks that have begun to show in her hair.
07:51A former journalist, Letizia has been known for her bold looks ever since she joined the
07:56Spanish royal family in 2004. In recent years, the 51-year-old has struck a particular chord
08:01of relatability with the common public, thanks in part to her gloriously gray tresses.
08:06This new look began making headlines in 2019, and she has worn her hair at least
08:11part-gray at countless public appearances since 2020. The queen's defiance of beauty standards
08:17in the face of her advancing age has invited both positive and negative comments on social media.
08:22Choosing to ignore the naysayers, Letizia has clearly been having fun
08:27with her newfound style statement. While she left just one bold streak of silver on display
08:32to compliment her chic trench coat and trousers ensemble at a journalism event in Logroño,
08:38she went ahead and sported a full head of salt-and-pepper locks while meeting King
08:42Charles III in the UK. Her natural look isn't just fashionable, either, but healthy, too.
08:48As hairstylist Nicole Petty told the Express,
08:51She steers clear of coloring her hair often to preserve its shine.
08:55Sarah Ferguson has certainly worn some shocking outfits over the years,
08:59and her unique sense of style was on full display when she and Prince Andrew
09:03visited the United States in 1988. Following their wedding two years earlier,
09:08this tour marked one of Fergie's earliest official engagements as a royal,
09:12and she definitely made it count. For one of the looks, which she sported at the
09:16Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Ferguson's hair was swept back up into a neat tuck
09:21that left ample space for miniature flags of both Britain and the United States.
09:26On another occasion, she wore a wide-brimmed hat that spelled out
09:30L.A. in 3-D. Fergie took the theme of cross-country relations seriously.
09:35God bless America.
09:37While her satin wrap gowns and beaded hair nets were sights to behold,
09:41the excess novelty of her outfits didn't please everyone in the British press.
09:45The Sunday Times disapproved of her turnout most sharply, stating,
09:50While the stars of Hollywood dressed in discreet black and stayed in the shadows,
09:54down the stairs walloped someone who looked as if she'd just won third prize
09:58for her Carmen Miranda impersonation in an end-of-peer show at some forgotten resort.
10:03According to the Los Angeles Times, this did not sit well with the
10:06Duchess' American allies on the tour, many of whom came to her defense.
10:10A spokesperson for an event sponsor said,
10:13Her style is refined, in very good taste.
10:16She dresses with substance, elegance, and sophistication.