Catherine, Princess of Wales and her beloved late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, have a lot in common. They both held the title Princess of Wales, they both wore that beautiful sapphire and diamond engagement ring and of course they were both married to the heir to the throne. But there is one thing these two royals definitely don’t have in common: their looks. Sure – they are both beauties – just in very different ways. And if it wasn’t already clear how different these two princesses look, one sight like Kate Middleton with Diana’s signature haircut will surely convince you.

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Diana’s short, blonde hair was iconic, and it’s quite a far cry from Kate’s long, flowing brunette locks. Like so many of us, both princesses have always tended to stick with subtle variations on their favorite haircut. Kate is known for her signature style and love of fashion, and she rarely strays too far from the aesthetic she knows suits her best. As such, we don’t expect Kate to have a major hair makeover anytime soon. But after the year she’s had, a change might be in order. And since she swapped her engagement ring for a flashy mystery ring in her latest video appearance, she might be ready to switch things up a bit. So, should Kate head to a royal hairdresser with an inspiring picture of Diana in tow? We’ve used a little photo editing magic and will leave the judgement to you.

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After editing a photo of Kate Middleton to give her a blonde bob, it’s clear that this drastic hair change would truly transform the princess. I’m sure we can all agree that Princess Diana looked stunning with her short-cropped blonde locks. However, this haircut doesn’t suit Kate quite as well as her real brunette waves. For starters, this color doesn’t go as well with Kate’s skin tone and dark brows. Plus, the cut makes her look older than long, brown hair. This haircut simply gives Kate a stiffer, more businesslike look compared to her real hair.

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In the ’90s, bobs like Diana’s were much more popular than they are today. Stylist Sam McKnight gave Diana the famous cut for the first time in 1990, and in an interview with Vogue, he recalled Diana asking him, “What would you do with my hair if I just said, ‘Do anything?'” According to McKnight, he said, “I’d cut it all off and just start over.” And the rest is hair history. McKnight noted that this hairstyle was becoming increasingly popular and fit what he called the “sharp, more androgynous business chic of the ’90s.” In 2024, however, this look gives off very different vibes. So while we’d love to see Kate with a new hairstyle soon, this may be one of the few areas where she shouldn’t take inspiration from Diana.

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