Royals We've Never Seen Rocking Super Short Hair

Throughout her 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II was a master of royal branding. "I have to be seen to be believed," Elizabeth reportedly explained (via The New York Times). Elizabeth wore bright-colored outfits with matching hats as part of her visibility strategy. The queen also adopted a signature hairdo to make herself easily recognizable. For Elizabeth, that style was consistently a short hairstyle that was always curled. Like the queen, other royals have stunned with shorter hairstyles. It's hard to imagine Princess Diana without her iconic short blond locks. While Diana briefly went longer with hair that just touched her shoulders, she went back to shorter looks that had the bonus of being easier to style. 

Some royals have taken a more experimental approach. Zara Tindall, daughter of Anne, Princess Royal, has rocked styles ranging from a pixie to longer styles that stretched well past her shoulders. Similarly, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, seems to gravitate towards longer hair that can be styled in multiple ways. However, early in her romance with Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, she was sporting a Diana-esque cut.

Then there's a third category: royals whose signature style is comprised of exclusively long locks. For the royals who are part of this group, although they might vary things up by a few inches here and there, fans would be completely floored to if they ever got a significant chop.

Long locks seem to be a requirement for Anne, Princess Royal. Her penchant for a bouffant is renowned, and she can quickly style it with minimal time and fuss. On the unusual occasion Anne switches up her hairstyle, she often gravitates to an updo. While it's rare to see Anne with her hair down these days, some of her past pics reveal some pretty lengthy strands. In this photo from 1988, Anne's hair reaches about halfway down her back. When Anne opted for a similar style six years earlier, her hair seemed to be a few inches longer.

Catherine, Princess of Wales is blessed with naturally curly hair that adds plenty of body to her strands. While Kate Middleton sometimes opts for straighter styles and even bangs, length remains a mainstay. She never goes above her shoulders, and most of the time her hair is considerably longer. Here, when Kate stepped out for the BAFTAs in February 2026, her bouncy ringlets reached the middle of her back. Not only does this length showcase Kate's healthy chocolate-brown strands, it's also convenient for restyling on the go, and she can easily twist it into a bun in a pinch. 

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has had quite the hair transformation, and her proclivity for longer styles may stem from a shorter cut that received negative feedback. "I went to school, and they said I looked like Krusty the Clown from 'The Simpsons,'" Meghan recalled to Ellen DeGeneres in 2021 (via Page Six). In this pic from April 2022, Meghan proved that those days are far behind her. Her long strands were sleek and wavy, and she's recreated this look many times. This versatile length is ideal for anything from ponytails to updos, including Meghan's favorite messy bun. 

While Princess Eugenie briefly opted for a chin-length style, her sister, Princess Beatrice, has maintained her loyalty to longer lengths. On one occasion, Beatrice reportedly donned hair extensions to add a few extra inches. Pictured above at Royal Ascot 2025, Beatrice's long wavy locks look reminiscent of Catherine, Princess of Wales' go-to style. Maybe it's the natural lighting, but Beatrice's hair looks more strawberry-hued here. In contrast, in indoor lighting, her hair appears more coppery. Either way, Beatrice's decision to wear her hair long and loose is an ideal way to spotlight her eye-catching red hair.  

Princess Michael of Kent is Queen Elizabeth II's cousin by marriage. While she might not be as well known as some of the other royals mentioned here, with these curls, she seems to have eclipsed even Princess Anne's notably voluminous hair. Princess Michael joined the royal family in 1978, and she's worn her long hair in a number of styles: sleek and straight, piled high on her head, or inconspicuously pulled back with a dramatic hat. In contrast, in the above 2011 photo, Princess Michael's mane is definitely stealing the spotlight.   

After leaving toddlerhood behind, Princess Charlotte of Wales has consistently sported long hair. As this photo from June 2026 shows, Charlotte has the same thick, wavy tresses as her mom, Catherine, Princess of Wales. The young royal's ends look healthy and freshly trimmed, too. While wearing it half-up half-down and pulled back in a bow appears to be one of Charlotte's favorite styles, she's also rocked a cool braided variant of this look. Since she has plenty of hair to work with, Charlotte's hair was styled into a stunning braided updo for King Charles' 2023 coronation.