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Kate Middleton smiles with bushy curly hair

Princess Kate’s rarely seen natural curls look unrecognisable in unearthed holiday photos

Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
June 4, 2023
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The Princess of Wales’s hair always looks immaculate. Be it coiffed into an elegant updo, curled into regal ringlets or slicked into a runway-ready pleat, Princess Catherine’s chocolate tresses have long been the envy of royal fans.

Yet one unearthed photograph taken during Prince William and Princess Kate’s post-wedding era shows that not even the future Queen can handle the effects of humidity on her hair.

WATCH: 100 years of royal hairstyles

Rewind to 17 September 2013, when the royal couple visited Tuvanipipu Island as part of their Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East. 

Faced with the elements of tropical island weather, the then-Duchess of Cambridge’s normally sleek and glossy mane had become voluminous and wavy, giving royal fans an extremely rare glimpse of Kate’s natural curls.

Prince William and Princess Kate were visiting Tuvanipupu Island on their Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East on September 17, 2012 in Honiara, Guadalcanal Island.
Prince William and Princess Kate were visiting Tuvanipupu Island on their Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East on September 17, 2012 in Honiara, Guadalcanal Island.

The mother-of-three looked radiant as ever sporting a rarely seen stripped-back, natural look, rocking her mermaid waves with a sleeveless black beach dress and a botanical necklace.

The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Cultural Village in the Solomon Islands, during the nine-day royal tour of the Far East and South Pacific in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
The Princess of Wales' natural curls are wildly different to her usual preened-to-perfection hairstyle

It’s not the first time we’ve been surprised by the Princess of Wales’s ethereal beauty whilst she jet sets overseas.

In other photos taken on the same trip, Kate looks like an Island goddess donning an off-the-shoulder hot pink beach dress and raffia espadrille heels. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales donned the brightest colours© Getty

The Princess's dress was designed and made at Rarotonga, Cook Islands, by Cook Island designer Ellena Tavioni Pittman of design house TAV. 

The Princess of Wales wore traditional Island clothing during a visit to the Governor General's House© Getty

Her famous mane was curled into neat ringlets, which stayed in place as she and William enjoyed a visit at the Governor General’s home in the Solomon Islands. 

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, both wearing traditional island clothing, arrive at Governor General Frank Kabui's house as part of their Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East on September 16, 2012 in Honiara, Guadalc© Getty

Exactly how the Princess of Wales maintains her enviable chesnut locks has remained a mystery among royal fans. Experts have even suggested the 41-year-old royal could have a set of invisible hair extensions enhancing and elongating her Princess-like mane. 

MORE ROYAL HAIR: Princess Beatrice's headbands: The timeless trend that proves she's a royal It-girl

The Princess of Wales' hair is curled and worn in a navy bow
The Princess of Wales' hair is usually preened to perfection

HELLO! formerly spoke to Olia Cutz of The Extensionist, who has more than a decade of experience fitting hair extensions. "Kate could easily have had tapes or ultra bonds, which are incredibly tiny strands of hair extensions," she told us. "They can add thickness and length to any hair type, but are so subtle they are incredibly hard to detect."

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