The Princess of Wales has rarely deviated from her bouncy wave hairstyle since 2020, when the look became a mainstay in her hair repertoire. However, in 2015, the wife of Prince William was seen attending the 100 Women In Hedge Funds gala dinner in aid of The Art Room at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where she looked practically unrecognisable with big sweeping bangs that Farrah Fawcett would have been proud of. The royal was seen with her brunette locks cut off to a length that fell just below her shoulders, and rocked swishy curtain bangs that came down as far as her cheekbones.
As far as the lengths, Kate's hair was styled with a subtle flick at the end to add to the sense of volume. For her accompanying outfit, the then-Duchess of Cambridge chose a tiered floral dress by Erdem with statement drop earrings. The event that witnessed Kate's 70s hair transformation was a gala which raised funds for The Art Room, a mental health charity that uses art therapy to help vulnerable children with emotional and behavioural difficulties build confidence.
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© GettyMental health and child development are both areas of interest for Kate, now 43, who, along with Prince William, has championed the Heads Together mental health campaign since 2016 and launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021 to raise awareness of the importance of the first five years of a child's life.
© GettyKate modernises her bangs
The following year, Kate ditched her 70s bangs; however, they made a comeback with a modern twist in 2023. Kate's new do was put on full display on 2 November when she visited Outfit Moray, an award-winning charity delivering life-changing outdoor learning and adventure activity programmes to young people in Scotland. The princess, or the Duchess of Rothesay as she is known in Scotland, wore her hair in bouncy waves with curtain bangs that caught the wind in a way that added a sense of lift and movement to her tresses.
It's a look that Melanie Macleod, HELLO!'s Deputy Beauty and Lifestyle Editor, comes back to every time – and she has an incredible fringe herself. "I'm a sucker for any kind of face-framing fringe, and on the rare occasion Kate has bangs cut in, I always think it's her best look," she said when HELLO! Lifestyle team ranked the royal's hairdos in August 2025. "Casually cool, they bring her timeless hair bang up to date, with the royal cutting in a fringe a few times over the years. In 2015, she went for fairly heavy bangs, while in 2023, she opted for a softer look, and this was the winner for me."
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© Getty ImagesHaving once had a fringe myself, I know that the style can do a lot for framing the face and making your hair look polished. Be warned, though, if Kate inspires you, remember that bangs require maintenance, and you will have to style them daily so they don't end up sitting in opposite directions.
