Kate Middleton has maintained her reputation for a calm presence and reserved nature throughout her decades in the monarchy. Princess Catherine rarely speaks in public, so even a few words capture widespread attention and scrutiny.
This week, the Princess of Wales accompanied her husband, Prince William, for a glamorous appearance at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall.
The mother of three dazzled in a lush, off-the-shoulder emerald-green velvet gown that featured a figure-hugging and graceful mermaid silhouette. Her shoes perfectly matched the gown’s richness: she chose pumps in dark green velvet. To complete the look, she wore the late Queen Elizabeth II‘s spectacular, historic Greville Chandelier Diamond Earrings by Cartier.
While backstage at the Royal Variety Performance, the Princess had a brief interaction with actress Su Pollard, and she was asked the question on everybody’s mind.
Princess Kate was quizzed about her stunningly lighter hair color. She surprised many, for the typically silent Princess Catherine gave a brief, charming explanation for her lighter, sun-kissed hair color. Pollard complimented the Princess’s notably brighter locks, saying, “I like your hair, it looks a lot lighter.”
The Princess of Wales responded with this simple, light-hearted reply: “It used to be brown, but it’s gone light in the sunshine.”
The comment sparked debate over whether Middleton is being fully transparent about her hair color, whether she dyed it, or whether a few weeks in the sun could significantly lighten it.
Backers of Princess Kate say that her answer is truthful because it aligns with reports that the Wales family spent part of their summer break sailing around the Greek islands, suggesting the Mediterranean sun played a natural role in the transformation.
Celebrity hairstylist Adem Oygur claimed there was no dye job involved in the dramatic hair change, just blame the lighting for the confusion: “It doesn’t look like she’s suddenly dyed it; you can even see in the post-match photos, under brighter lights, her golden tones are still very much there.”
The Heartbreaking Lie: Hair Loss Speculation
However, a majority of people, including hair experts and even those who normally support Princess Kate, have come out to say this is a lie, one they place in the same category as the previous controversy regarding who did her makeup for her wedding.
Royal author and Daily Mail reporter Liz Jones stated that Kate Middleton is not sharing all the details about her hair, suggesting this may be due to the effects of her chemotherapy.
In her article, she mentioned that Pollard should have avoided leaking Kate Middleton’s comments, and the royal should have chosen dignified silence when she was complimented. Here are some excerpts of her piece.
Su Pollard Is To Blame For Kate’s Lie Being Exposed
“What a blabbermouth! Off with her head! The actress Su Pollard has broken the circle of trust upon meeting a royal, and now? Well, all hell has broken loose. It has been revealed by the Hi-de-Hi alumna that, when she met the Princess of Wales backstage at the Royal Variety Performance earlier this month, she brazenly made a very personal comment: ‘I like your hair, it looks a lot lighter,’ Su commented. Catherine replied: ‘It used to be brown, but it’s gone light in the sunshine.’ Cue much guffawing and incredulity on social media.”
Social Media Mocks The “Sunshine” Explanation With Incredulity
“Umm, love Princess Kate, but that didn’t come from the sun. And she’s also wearing extensions,’ one commenter wrote. ‘There’s no way on God’s green earth the “sunshine” did that to her very dark tresses,’ wrote another. I imagine as soon as Catherine opened her mouth to reply, she knew the comments, should her response be made public, would come thick and fast.”
Kate Is Lying: She Did Not Want To Share The Hair Dye She Used
“Catherine perhaps would not have wanted to name her hairdresser or the shade on the box. She might not have wanted to dampen a lovely evening with talk about how cancer can change your hair texture and colour. And so she replied with something bland and innocuous, but, of course, these days proved to be anything but.”
Royal experts believe that there is a heartbreaking truth behind Kate Middleton’s purported lie. She might have been caught off guard by the question and said the first thing that crossed her mind, because the reality is that, like millions of people who experience cancer treatment, she might have suffered hair loss or damage and had to come up with clever wigs and/or extensions to hide it.
The speculation suggests that if she did lighten her hair, it might be to better blend with hairpieces or new growth, making the use of clever wigs or toppers the heartbreaking reason for the sudden, dramatic, and otherwise inexplicable color change.
Medical professionals confirm that not all chemotherapy treatments lead to hair loss. While some medications are well-known for causing significant hair thinning or loss (which typically begins 2-4 weeks after starting treatment), others have less severe adverse effects.
Since the specifics of her preventative chemotherapy were not shared, it is medically possible that the drugs she received minimized or prevented hair loss entirely. However, hair loss remains one of the most distressing side effects for patients, and the debate over the Princess’s hair volume has been ongoing since her return to public life.
Sources close to the royals believe it is regrettable that a light-hearted, simple comment made in passing backstage should be subject to such unpleasant scrutiny, particularly at a time when Her Royal Highness continues her recovery journey and is gradually returning to public duties.
The princess would prefer that the focus be placed on the incredible work of the artists and the charities supported by the event.
