The women of the British royal family are known for making headlines and setting fashion trends with wardrobes full of amazing dresses, shoes, handbags, jewelry, coats, hats, and even gloves. And the same goes for their varied beauty looks, from smoky eye to nude lip. But their nail style has been largely ignored, and it shouldn't be, because it's one area that royal style lovers can easily and cheaply emulate at home. That may be because the most famous members of the family — like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle — have tended largely to stick to Queen Elizabeth's preference when it comes to nail color: Wear as little as possible, in palest neutral colors.
But the fact is that every once in a while, these ladies and others go off-script by trying something a bit bolder in their off hours (sometimes even while on duty), and luckily for us, a photographer is there to capture it. But honestly, even their Queen-approved toned-down nail styles can be quite beautiful.
When it comes to nail style, one royal woman who has done as much as possible within the constraints of being a working royal is the Duchess of Sussex. That will be missed now that she and Prince Harry are off doing their own thing and we likely won't see them for a bit while they reinvent themselves. But thank goodness that there are at least a couple of other royals who have pushed the envelope here or there — or flat out gone their own way when it comes to nail color and art.
Even the Duchess of Cambridge, who is under a lot of scrutiny, has developed her own method for showing off her nails — whether that means going a natural route on her fingernails, while at the same time getting a bit edgy with her toenail color. Whatever their strategies, these women all have one thing in common: great manicures that show off their nails in the best way possible, through colors that range from pretty and delicate to colorful and bold.
Here are 10 royal nail looks that we love and that are easy to try at home.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Clearly There
Yup, that's a duchess and future queen consort rocking bare nails while wearing a tiara, a grand necklace, and a custom Alexander McQueen gown to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. That's how devoted Kate Middleton is to clear nails. In case we hadn't noticed, Kate has generally given up wearing nail polish. It may be a personal preference (other celebs, like the uber-fashionable Sarah Jessica Parker, never wear any, either). Or it maybe that as a hands-on mom and busy royal, she'd rather just keep things simple.
Clear Nail Polish
Kate may largely wear her nails color free, but that doesn't necessarily mean she doesn't take care of them or have regular manicures to shape, file, and buff. And there's also the likelihood that she wears clear polish to protect her nails — like this perennial drugstore favorite that is formaldehyde-free and offers a healthy-looking shine.
Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear, in Invisible ($2, Amazon)
Pretty in Pink
There were plenty of ways that Meghan and Harry's royal wedding was different than others in the past, but Meghan's manicure was not not one of them. Meghan went strictly by the royal protocol book on her bridal nail look, wearing the Queen's favorite shade of pale pink. Her square-cut nails were perfectly cut and shaped and covered in several coats of the fresh polish for a demure but stand out look.
Pink Nail Polish
Queen Elizabeth is a wonder of consistency, including her nail color. She's not one to experiment with the latest nail trend — and she never has been. She's worn Essie's Ballet Slippers for decades. The barely there shade is probably on every royal woman's collection, because that's pretty much the only nail look what the monarch likes them to wear, if any, on official outings. It's on our dressers as well and is a go-to look to keep things fresh and pretty.
Essie Ballet Slippers ($9, Amazon)
Daring Purple-Black
Gasps went up worldwide when Meghan made a surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards in December 2018 wearing a stunning one-shoulder floor-length dress and what was probably the darkest nail polish ever seen on a royal woman: a shade that was nearly black but had hints of purple. Some were gasping because she supposedly broke royal protocol with the nail color (*eye roll* she wasn't … this wasn't an official appearance).
The rest of us? We just wanted to know what shade she was rocking, because it was perfect with her sleek and ultra-modern outfit and the spirit of the event.
Purple-Black Nail Polish
OPI describes Lincoln Park After Dark as "where midnight meets purple," and that pretty much nails it. The shade has become a classic, perfect for those looking for a dramatic look without going all the way goth-black. When light hit it, the hint of purple shines through, just enough to give the varnish a whole different dimension. For polish lovers everywhere, it's a modern classic.
OPI Lincoln Park After Dark ($9, Amazon)
Blue-Based Patriotic Nail Art
Princess Eugenie is not a working royal, so she doesn't work for the queen or represent her whenever she's out and about doing what princesses do. So for a charity bike ride — for which she earned a participation medal — she rocked nail art featuring the Union Jack (the British flag), and it was gloriously different from what other royal women usually wear.
Long live nail freedom!
Blue Nail Polish
Eugenie's patriotic look is totally cool, and the colors are the same as for the American flag — something to consider for Memorial Day Weekend or the Fourth of July. At the base of the design is a bright blue that can work great on its own as well. Essie's version is beautiful and has light-catching shimmer to boot.
Essie Nail Polish in Aruba Blue ($11, Amazon)
Palest Off-White Manicure
When someone's a royal woman in service to a queen who likes her family members to stay away from nail polish in bright or dark colors (imagine telling grown women what makeup to wear!), then it's time to order ALL the pale shades to try. Nothing else to do. For Princess Eugenie's wedding, Meghan wore a palest pink hue in a typically perfect manicure.
Palest Off-White Nail Polish
This look that can work for any occasion — from work to wedding — is worth spending a bit of cash to achieve, because it is key that the nail polish not streak or clump as layers are added. Chanel's nail polish line is top-notch in terms of gorgeous color and quality, and this shade is pale perfection.
Chanel Le Vernis in Blanc White ($28, Chanel)
Red, Red Wine
Though she usually keeps her fingernails clear, Kate is known to rock dark toenails from time to time. For a private dinner at a posh members-only club that she attended with Prince William, Kate brushed on some dark wine red polish that was unmissable thanks to the high slit on her otherwise covered-up gown, and those hawt, metallic snakeskin Jimmy Choo platform sandals.
Dark Wine Nail Polish
Anyone who remembers Chanel's revolutionary Vamp nail polish knows that it defined the '90s and set off a spate of similar shades from other brands, that are available to this day. In a very now twist to the dark wine shade, this one from Deborah Lippmann's bestselling Gel Lab Pro line, offers a healthy, breathable, patented polish designed to last like gel.
Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro, in Single Ladies ($20, Deborah Lippman)
Just Peachy
Did we mention that Princess Eugenie loves fun nails? Yup, she does, and here's more evidence of that. Eugenie rocked out with her peach nails out at a Freddie Mercury tribute concert for charity. We're loving that she's unapologetically being herself when it comes to fashion, and that includes a cheery but not super loud shade that screams positivity and summer, too.
Peach Nail Polish
Aaah! So fresh and lovely. This fruity hue just has sun and fun and brunch with our bunch written all over it. Now we just need to add a woven basket and beach towel to our Amazon cart, and boom! We're ready for a picnic this weekend.
Essie Nail Polish in Peach Side Babe ($11, Amazon)
Red-Orange Manicure
Eugenie took inspiration from her lovely Erdem floral dress and got a manicure in red-orange to match the big flowers. It's such an interesting and uncommon color to go with just as everyone is expecting one to go with a plain old red. This the same dress that Eugenie wore for her engagement photos as well, to show off her stunning, rare pink sapphire engagement ring.
Red-Orange
This burnt orange-red shade is a stunner (so unexpected) and universally flattering. The best part is that, while often an unusual hue that's so intense lasts for maybe a day or two, but thanks to Revlon's formula, it stays put — looking fabulous for at least a week.
Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy in Long Shot ($8, Amazon)
Rebel in Red
We can pretty much track Princess Diana's infamous break with the royal family, following the breakdown of her marriage, by her nail color. Once she felt like the Queen, and the rest of the family turned against her, she no longer cared about keeping to royal nail protocol. Here she is, making sure photographers capture the fiery red nail polish she matched to her evening gown.
Classic Red Polish
Lots of people love red nail polish, but finding one that suits their particular skin tone can mean trying on tons of different shades. The great thing about this one is that it's a classic red that's neither tomato-ey nor pinkish. It's just a straight-up red that anyone can wear.
Worth the cash.
Dior Nail Polish in Rouge 999 ($28, Dior)
Lady in Gray
Sophie Wessex, wife of Prince Edward, the Queen's youngest child, has a quietly sophisticated style to which she sometimes adds a touch of trendiness. In February, she visited a kids' center and wore gray nail polish, a chic departure from the usual royal pale colors. For anyone wondering if she was lambasted in the press for it, as Meghan was for her dark polish, the answer is no.
Gray Nail Polish
Call gray nail polish the new neutral. There are tons of shades of it available, and they pretty much go with anything, but not all are created equal in terms of quality and finish. To nail a gray manicure, go for a shade that won't dry as a dull as a mouse. This one is a great shade that looks beautiful, is not too dark, and lasts a long time.
Zoya Nail Polish in August ($10, Amazon)
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