The best plaits in royal history: Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more hairstyles

Last modified on Aug 25, 2020 16:44 BST Sophie Hamilton

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There's no hairstyle quite as chic as pretty plaits.

From loose single braids to fishtail looks and multi-plait styles, the pretty-yet-practical hairdo never goes out of fashion.

It's no wonder, then, that some of our favourite royal ladies are partial to a plait on occasion, with the Duchess of Cambridge and Queen Letizia of Spain often choosing the style for their regal engagements.

Here are some of the most stylish royal braids ever...

Queen Letizia

Queen Letizia's loose fishtail is plait heaven. We just love the romantic feeling of the style, braided gently from each side to meet at the back.

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Queen Letizia wore her hair up in a beautiful plaited chignon for the New Year Military parade 2020 celebration at the Royal Palace in Madrid in January. Along with her vibrant blue coat dress and stunning sapphire earrings, Letizia has had a stylish start to 2020.

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Letizia's double plait up do is seriously chic and a fun take on the standard French plait. The royal chose the look for a function in Madrid in 2017.

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The Duchess of Cambridge

Duchess Kate's sophisticated up do with small plaits woven in is absolutely gorgeous. The wife of Prince William showcased this style at the Royal Albert Hall back in 2012.

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Kate looks so beautiful with her hair in this half-up half-down style at the wedding of Emily McCorquodale and James Hutt. The Duchess secured her style with some elegant plaits which joined together behind her fascinator.

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Princes Beatrice

Princess Beatrice's fishtail plait is just perfect! The royal wore her hair in the pretty style at Royal Ascot in 2017. We adore the sweet ribbon at the bottom.

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Another fun look from Beatrice. Here we see the Princess add a cute plait into the front of her hair, giving her down look a twist at the Teenage Cancer Trust concert in 2009.

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Charlotte Casiraghi

Charlotte Casiraghi shows how to carry off the ethereal plait look at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. The wispy braid is so pretty with her floral frock.

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Here's Charlotte again with a more classic plait worn to the side. It's simple yet so glamorous! The royal showed off the sexy braid back in 2011 in Venice.

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Crown Princess Mette-Marit

Crown Princess Mette-Marit was stunning with her hair in this sweet half-up plaited style on a visit to Norway.

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Don't you love the unusual detail in this style? Mette-Marit wove a beautiful, blue satin ribbon into her plait for the 25th anniversary of the ascension of King Harald and Queen Sonja to the throne.