After more than a decade of being an official member of the royal family, it goes without saying that Kate Middleton always looks flawless when she's in public. Her makeup is always perfect, her outfit is well put together, and she doesn't have a single hair out of place — but then again, that's part of her job! The Duchess of Cambridge follows certain beauty rules when it comes to her hair, makeup, and even the accessories she wears on her head. There's a lot to keep up with when living the royal life, but she does it with style.
For anyone who's watched The Crown or even paid attention to Queen Elizabeth over the years, it's obvious that royal life is all about protocol and etiquette, even when it comes to one's appearance. Whether it's her makeup, hair, or even her nail color, Kate has to keep up with a lot of different regulations, but she never seems to mind it one bit.
Keep scrolling for the beauty rules that Kate never breaks. Some of these might actually work for our own, non-royal beauty routines, too.
Wear Neutral Makeup
We've never seen Kate sporting any particularly bright or trendy makeup looks, and there's a good reason for that. The royals all seem to keep it neutral and natural when it comes to their cosmetics, so we'll see a lot of browns and pinks in the looks Kate wears regularly.
No Bright Lipstick
We've never seen Kate wear bright lipstick, and there's a good chance we never will. Eye-popping colors on lips are not really an option for the ladies of the royal family (and that definitely seems to include Queen Elizabeth, too). Mostly pinks and subtle reds for this lady!
No Bright Nail Colors
Though some might imagine that getting her nails done is part of Kate's royal beauty routine, it doesn't seem to be. In fact, more often than not, Kate's spotted with totally natural nails that don't even have a coat of clear polish, so it seems like staying natural is the name of the game here.
Only Go Glam for Truly Special Occasions
It's rare that we see Kate wearing heavy makeup, but when she does take it to the next level, it's always for a special occasion. She never overdoes it on the eyes or lips on a regular day — if she's glammed up, that means there's a red carpet event on the agenda.
Don't Phone It In for Zoom
While many of us take working from home to mean sweatpants are our new uniform, that's not so for the Duchess of Cambridge. Even while doing Zoom engagements, she always looks absolutely perfect — and we can almost guarantee she's not wearing leggings, even if the camera doesn't show her legs!
Keep Hair Fresh
Over the years, we've seen Kate with a few different hairstyles and lengths — she's never been afraid to experiment with cuts and colors, even if she does keep her hair close to the shade of brunette we know and love her for. Switching things up means she always looks fresh!
Don't Let Makeup Run
Whether Kate is attending a gala, visiting children at a school, or showing off her sailing prowess on a boat, we've never seen her makeup run, and there's a good reason for that. She always has to look her best, and there's no doubt she or her makeup artist use all their best tricks to help achieve that goal.
There Are No Days Off
Even when she has a good reason to skip doing her hair and makeup entirely, Kate never does. Every time she's left the hospital after having a baby, we'd totally forgive her if she wasn't wearing makeup and threw her hair up in a messy bun, but she always emerges from the Lindo Wing looking flawless.
Don't Overdo the Jewelry
We've seen Kate wear some impressive jewelry pieces over the years, but she always makes sure that, no matter how fancy the occasion, she never wears too much or looks too gaudy. If she's wearing an obvious statement piece, the rest of her look is always toned down, though she typically sticks to more low-key accessories on a daily basis.
Keep It Simple
This is a philosophy that all the royal women seem to follow, and it might actually be a good one for us to adopt ourselves. They always keep their makeup looking simple, and there's no doubt it makes their lives easier. There's definitely a time and a place where more complicated makeup is fun, but creating one routine to follow could be a time-saver.
Don't Touch Up in Public
This isn't something most people think about often, but Kate's never seen in public touching up her hair and makeup — she saves that for when she has a bit of privacy. It's taking the idea of "never letting them see you sweat" to the next level, royal style.
No Gray Hairs
Now in her 40s, there's no doubt that Kate has at least a few gray hairs — hey, she's royal, but she's still human! But we've never seen them, and that certainly must be due to her regular hair appointments. Her color is always so flawless, and that's thanks to her impeccable beauty routine.
Tiaras Aren't Everyday Wear
As the Duchess of Cambridge and the future king's wife, Kate is one of the lucky few allowed to wear a tiara — but only when the situation calls for it. She (and the other women of the royal family) can only wear their tiaras for formal events that take place after 5 p.m.
Wearing Hats to Formal Occasions
For royal events that take place during the day, Kate will be seen in a hat instead of a tiara or even a bare head — it's just royal protocol for her and the rest of the women in The Firm. Whether it's a wedding, Trooping the Colour, or Commonwealth Day celebrations, Kate will be seen in a hat or fascinator that perfectly matches her outfit.
Get Regular Blowouts
Ever wonder how Kate's hair always looks so perfect? As it turns out, she gets pretty regular salon blowouts. Reportedly, Kate used to get three blowouts a week — which is more than most of us can afford in our hair budgets — to keep her hair looking voluminous and sleek.
Try Out New Styles While Traveling
Something we've noticed Kate does when it comes to new beauty looks, especially recently? She debuts new looks and styles while she's traveling. During her 2022 tour of the Caribbean with Prince William, Kate sported stick-straight hair — so different from the loose curls we've come to expect from her over the years.
Avoid Wearing Black
Another one of the Queen's reported preferences? That black be saved for periods of mourning, not everyday looks, which she prefer to be bright (much like her own wardrobe). For the most part, Kate tends to follow this rule, though she'll pull out an all-black look for a formal event every so often.
