Princess Kate Ditches Blonde Hair After Backlash — Returns to Her Signature Brunette in Latest Outing

Kate Middleton turned heads on September 4, when she debuted blonde hair during a visit to London's Natural History Museum. The Princess of Wales, known for her trademark chestnut locks, marked her boldest hair transformation to date. The look, however, didn't sit well with royal watchers, who criticized her for experimenting with harmful hair color so soon after her battle with cancer and chemotherapy. Shortly after the backlash, Middleton subtly returned to her brunette tresses, as seen during an appearance at a Women’s Rugby World Cup match.

On September 6, Middleton attended the Women’s Rugby World Cup match between England and Australia. At the daytime event, her hair appeared much darker as she styled it in a loose half-updo. Interestingly, while Middleton was at the England vs. Australia game, Prince William attended the Women’s Rugby World Cup match between Wales and Fiji at the Sandy Park stadium in Exeter, England.

The Princess of Wales was first spotted with blonde hair on August 24 during a church service at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral, although this was not a public appearance. After Middleton's photos with blonde hair went viral on X (formerly Twitter), royal watchers couldn't help but say the same thing. A netizen commented, "This looks so weird. It makes me feel like she's covering up hair loss from chemotherapy with a bad wig, and her PR is making up these horrid excuses." In a similar vein, another echoed, "Going blonde for headlines!... Shouldn’t someone who’s 'recovering from cancer' keep away from chemicals?" A critic slammed, "Every woman I know who endured cancer has stopped coloring her hair." As the comments poured in, another agreed, "After having cancer, I stopped using dyes. Seems she isn’t too worried about recurrence."

In light of the backlash, the late Princess Diana's stylist, Sam McKnight, slammed the critics in a statement on Instagram. It read, "I am shocked, horrified, dismayed, and disgusted by all the nasty comments about the Princess of Wales today. A woman's hair is very personal to her, it's armor, defence, confidence, and so much more." He continued, "I'm sure she would rather be away from the public arena. She has brilliantly and quietly, unselfishly represented our country, the soft power we still have as a nation. Cancer affects individuals differently, but it is life-changing for everyone."

As for Middleton's outing with William to the Natural History Museum, the couple was spotted spending time with children from Kender Primary School in New Cross, South London. When it began to rain, she held her umbrella over some of the children and urged their teacher to let them go inside. The museum’s garden serves as a living laboratory for visitors and scientists. The visit also marked their first appearance together after the royal family’s summer break at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, and since their children began a new school year at Lambrook.