The Biggest Royal Hair Mistakes That Were Caught On Camera

There's nothing we like more than examining a royal outfit. From Princess Catherine of Wales' flawless designer looks to the late Queen Elizabeth II's matching skirt suits and King Charles III's tartan kilt obsession, we've been there through it all — and we've seen some things. Royals may spend a great deal of time making sure they're properly turned out before making a public appearance, but there are times when their perfectly preened locks have gotten gloriously out of control. Thankfully for us, and unluckily for them, there's nearly always a photographer nearby to capture the moment. 

We mere mortals might be able to hide at home to avoid a bad hair day, but royals have to style it out (pardon the pun) as they go about their official duties. From Catherine's battle with humidity and toddlers to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex's gloriously wild mane of red hair and that royal wedding hairdo, here are the best royal hair mistakes that we just can't forget. Let this serve as a lesson to you — a can of expensive hairspray is always worth it!

There's no doubt that Kate Middleton's style has changed over the years. She went from being the university girlfriend of William, Prince of Wales, to the mom of the future King of England, and her fashion has only become more refined as time has ticked by — but there's one thing that even Catherine, Princess of Wales, can't always control: humidity. 

Back in 2012, newlyweds Catherine and William visited Singapore, and while Catherine's outfits were lovely, her usual sleek and polished 'do became a crown of frizz. According to the Mirror's royal reporter, who was part of the press pack on the trip, the weather was incredibly hot. This was certainly not the usual look we had already come to expect from Catherine, but somehow she still managed to pull it off and look radiant. Even so, it's not a hairstyle that the mother of three has chosen to return to very often, for obvious reasons. 

Interestingly, Catherine was asked by a fan at one point on the trip how she was going to manage her crowning glory in the stifling heat. Singaporean Ella Major told the Daily Mail, "I asked her how she kept her hair so perfect in this weather, because it's so humid. Mine always poufs up. She was afraid that her hair might be the same way in a few minutes. She said that her hair would pouf up soon enough." She wasn't wrong!

Queen Camilla is somewhat of a divisive figure among royal fans, as she was once King Charles III's mistress during his marriage to much-loved and sorely missed Princess Diana. Camilla and King Charles made things official in 2005 when they tied the knot, but to say that Camilla didn't quite have Diana's fashion knowledge would be an understatement. Camilla isn't known as one of the best-dressed royals, and she has also been known to struggle with hair on occasion. 

Shortly after marrying her longtime love, Camilla attended an event in Regent's Park alongside her hubby, where they opened a brand new sports pavilion. The new Duchess of Cornwall played it relatively safe with a black dress and coat combination with a three-tiered string of pearls, but the particularly blustery day wreaked havoc with her trademark short, blond locks. 

The wind seemed to attack Camilla from every angle, throwing the style every way it shouldn't have been. The result was a less-than-flattering moment caught on camera, making this a royal outing that Camilla might rather forget. Sadly, for the wife of the future monarch, it wouldn't be the last time she would get picked on by adverse weather conditions.

How can we forget 1980s fashion? It was bold, over-the-top, and, looking back, often a little ill-advised. There's a reason trends from this decade rarely make their way back around. Princess Diana changed royal fashion forever when she married King Charles III (then Prince Charles) in 1981. She was undoubtedly one of the most influential members of the British royal family. Throughout the decade, Diana wore her short hair big and blown out, which was a very popular look at that time. However, that doesn't mean that it was without its faults.

In 2022, famed photographer David Bailey told Lucy Davies of The Telegraph, "[Diana had] terrible hair. You know, from the hairspray. Solid as a plastic dummy." However, while the 'do wasn't exactly natural and flowing, Bailey admitted that it ended up saving Diana from a nasty bump on the head when, while photographing her on a shoot in the '80s, his assistant accidentally dropped a light on the People's Princess. Davies joked that the sheer amount of hairspray used for Diana's helmet head hairdo prevented any bumps and bruises.

To say that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, hasn't had it easy since marrying Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in 2018 would be somewhat of an understatement. Meghan was put under the microscope a lot, and her battle with the British press has been widely documented. Before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex opted to step down from their senior royal duties in 2020, Meghan did her best to integrate into the House of Windsor. 

For instance, In 2018, she accompanied the late Queen Elizabeth to the opening of the Mersey Gateway Bridge and Chester's Storyhouse Theatre. Meghan's cream outfit was very chic and understated compared to Elizabeth's bright lime green ensemble, and she certainly had her duchess slant down to a fine art, but royalists couldn't help but notice that Meghan's hair seemed to lack a little direction. Meghan's windswept locks criss-crossed her parting to create a messy, unglamorous look that was, unfortunately for her, caught on camera. As it is, Meghan's best accessory is her beautiful smile, which helped to distract eyes from her hair faux pas.

Spoiler alert: The truth about Prince William and Kate Middleton's kids is that they're just as mischievous as any non-famous, non-royal tot out there. We may not see it, but life must be very busy for the Prince and Princess of Wales behind the scenes as they grapple with raising three young children. In 2014, Catherine proved that kids will be kids no matter their title when she brought little Prince George along on a trip to New Zealand and Australia. 

During a visit to a play group in Wellington, George was quick to grab fistfuls of Catherine's sleek, shiny locks as she held him in her arms. Any mom knows just how difficult it can be to stay perfectly primped when babies are this young, so while it may have been a hair mishap for Catherine, it was also an endearing moment that moms across the globe could relate to. Thankfully, Prince George isn't quite so handsy these days. 

Even the House of Windsor men have been known to fall victim to a blustery day, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is no exception. Harry's mane of fiery red hair is part of what makes him so recognizable, but while he has managed to keep it under control in more recent times, when he was a youngster, it was a little wild. In 2008, a baby-faced Harry played a rousing match of polo for charity, alongside his older brother, William, Prince of Wales. The horses weren't the only ones whipping up a storm on the pitch that day, as the wind became a key player in the fashion stakes, turning Harry's mop of ginger hair into a hairstyle his mother may have worn in the 1980s. 

Luckily for Harry, he didn't have to feel too embarrassed, as he wasn't the only one battling a windswept hairdo. His then-girlfriend, Chelsea Davy, looked on from the sidelines as her blond locks also took flight at the same time. Princess Catherine, then just Kate Middleton, was also snapped trying to keep her brunette tresses in place as she cheered William on.

Sarah Ferguson isn't shy about her experience with marrying into the royal family. In fact, the Duchess of York has been more open and honest than any other member of the House of Windsor has ever been, partly because she is no longer an official part of the brood. Although Sarah and Prince Andrew's toxic marriage led to a scandalous divorce in 1996, Sarah has continued to make public appearances and often attends royal events — though, her right to a stylist paid for by the Crown may have ended when the papers were signed. Her fashion has always been a little avant-garde by Windsor standards, and Sarah isn't always as polished as some would like her to be. 

In 2022, she was photographed arriving by boat at the Hotel Excelsior in Venice for that year's International Film Festival. Perhaps the wind on the water was to blame, but Sarah arrived looking a little worse for wear. Her famous red hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and headband combination that did nothing to tame the flyaway frizz. Even so, the duchess kept calm and carried on, proudly waving to photographers as she made her entrance.

Princess Charlene of Monaco has always beat to the march of her own drum when it comes to fashion, often wearing outfits or styling her hair in a way that other royals from different monarchies would never dream of. In 2020, Charlene surprised members of the public (and press) when she debuted a fashionable half-shaved haircut at a royal Christmas party held at the palace. Needless to say, some people raised eyebrows — so much so that Charlene felt the need to defend herself in an interview with Point de Vue. 

"This haircut was my decision," she explained. "It seems that it has provoked all kinds of comments. But it turns out that I wanted it for a long time; the style pleases me. That's all." Charlene did admit that she seemed to be the most fashion-forward member of any royal family across the globe, but she had an unapologetic stance on it: "Certainly, of all the members of royal families, I'm probably the one who has tried the most different hairstyles, and I'll continue. That's my choice."

There are some royal styles from the '80s we wish would make a comeback, and others that we never want to see again. Sarah, Duchess of York, has always had a camp element to her style, often pushing it a little further than other members of the British royal family. In 1988, Sarah and her then-husband, Prince Andrew, embarked on a trip to Los Angeles, where they visited several important spots, such as the LA County Museum. Sarah pulled out all the stops (or should we say hair accessories) for the occasion, including a trio of sparkly flags that were pinned into an elaborately large chignon.

At that time, all eyes were on the immaculately dressed Princess Diana and her husband, Prince Charles. Diana was intentional with her royal wardrobe, while Sarah was viewed as over-the-top. It's hard not to see where the media and royal fans were coming from when looking back at this interesting hairdo. After all, less is often more, especially when it comes to bedazzled hairpins.

King Charles' biggest wardrobe malfunctions are often slightly bemusing to behold, from a patchwork jacket to his penchant for kilts. His style choices may be purposefully questionable, but we can't help but think that Charles wouldn't have chosen to sport this particular look. During a 12-day tour of the Caribbean in 2019, Charles donned a relatively inoffensive grey checked suit and lilac shirt to speak in St. Lucia. 

Unfortunately, whatever Charles had to say was upstaged by his wild hairdo, which may have fallen victim to the extreme heat. His thinning grey strands took on a somewhat curly appearance as the wind worked its magic, allowing us to see what Charles presumably looks like when he rolls out of bed in the morning. We usually see the monarch as sleek and put together as the women of the royal family, so this was a rare, relatable moment for the British people and beyond. 

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is known for her chic low bun, which gives her an element of California cool-girl chic. However, when it was time for her to marry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in a very public, televised ceremony in 2018, many people felt that Meghan and her team of stylists failed to deliver a hairdo suitable for the magnitude of the day. Royal weddings are a big deal in the United Kingdom, and all eyes are always on the bride's look. Her hairdresser, Serge Normant, told People: "It's a messy bun, we call it. Messy in a controlled way — making sure it doesn't become a whole mess after a few hours!"

Perhaps something got lost in translation, as many onlookers felt that the loose strands of Meghan's hair were unintentionally messy, which led to a lot of criticism. In fact, it was part of the plan all along, according to Normant. "I really wanted it to be loose," he explained. "There were a lot of little bits [around her face]. I wanted her to be able to tuck it behind her ears if she wanted to do, because that is what she normally does."

Making sure one is presentable for a royal occasion is a key part of being a member of the House of Windsor. If anyone knows what it's like to come under scrutiny from the public eye, it's Queen Camilla, who battled her way through the press storm of King Charles III and Princess Diana in the '90s. While Camilla is well-versed in keeping up appearances, she isn't immune to the odd photo fail. In 2024, for instance, she stopped by the Royal Air Force Base in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, where she spoke to personnel about the importance of mental health. 

Camilla looked radiant in an electric blue dress with embroidered detail, but while there may have been plenty of grounded planes on the base that day, her hair was ready and waiting for takeoff thanks to the Great British weather. Camilla did her best to greet personnel out in the exposed airfield, all while trying to battle with her appearance. There are some things one simply cannot change, and the weather is something Camilla doesn't reign over. Though, judging by this unflattering photo, she would if she could!

We have to preface this by saying that Princess Diana was a style icon who totally flipped the script on royal fashion. Her transition from wide-eyed '80s ingenue to sleek mother-of-two was a sight to behold. We're still taking fashion cues from Diana all these years later — but that doesn't mean she was infallible. When she attended the Fashion Designers of America Ball in 1995, Diana wore a form-fitting, full-length blue dress with black pumps and a statement pearl necklace. Her outfit was flawless, but her unusual choice to slick back her trademark short hair didn't go down well. 

Scotland's Daily Record even ran a story with the headline, "Di-saster." Journalist Trudi Wallace didn't hold back on her scathing review of Diana's crop: "In just 12 hours, Princess Diana wowed the Big Apple as first lady of style ... then blew it in spectacular fashion with a teddy boy cut straight from a back-street barber." However, for every critic there's also a fan, and former Elle fashion editor Jo Barker was all for the new look, per Wallace, praising Diana for taking a step out of her comfort zone. Either way, it's worth noting that Diana didn't rush to recreate this look.