Kate Middleton's New Haircut Is Actually a Return to Her "Mum Fringe"

The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Visit Ireland - Day Two

(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo)

published 6 March 2020

After fans noticed that Kate Middleton had debuted much shorter hair with fringe bangs on her tour of Ireland with Prince William, they remembered that she actually debuted the cut in 2015.
At one point calling the look her "mum fringe," Kate first showed off the look after she gave birth to her daughter Princess Charlotte.
Kate's recent successful tour of Ireland was filled with a lot of gorgeous green looks.

Every time Kate Middleton gets a new haircut, I am delighted by the changeup (and I imagine straight-haired girls everywhere print out a picture, take it to their hairdressers, and explain, "I'd like to look exactly like this, please."). Her recent trip to Ireland with husband Prince William was no exception—she debuted shorter hair and pretty curtain bangs that, once she took off her Gossip Girl headband, framed her face beautifully.

But it turns out that this actually isn't the first time she's worn that haircut—per HELLO!,

"Fans may remember she once dubbed her 'mum fringe', after she debuted the style following the birth of Princess Charlotte. This time around, it's a little more subtle—which may be because the Duchess was reported to be a little unsure about the haircut when she first trialled it back in 2015. Since then, she's experimented with a number of styles, but she does appear to prefer some shorter lengths to frame her face."

The last time she had the haircut, it was blunter and more pronounced (and there was more hair in the fringe, making it look super-thick). I am delighted by this new, subtler look. Busy mom, lots of events: easy haircut!

For contrast, here's Kate's (much longer) hair on February 25, during a SportsAid Stars event at London Stadium:

The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Attend A Charity Performance Of "Dear Evan Hansen"

And this is a look at her "mum fringe" in 2015:

And here she is now:

I love it!

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.