At the close of last month, a teasing preview of Kate’s updated hair color was spotted when she was seen heading to a church near Balmoral. Those with keen attention zoomed in on their phones. Was it just the sunlight making her hair appear lighter? Has Kate made the decision to move away from her iconic, glossy chestnut hair?

We received clarity today. The Prince and Princess of Wales paid an official visit to London’s Natural History Museum and captured online attention. There she was, radiantly smiling, resembling her usual self yet… with a seemingly lighter presence, not solely due to wearing £199 flats by Pretty Ballerinas. Her appearance was refreshed, with a healthy glow.

The new color can only be described as ‘buttery’ or ‘ash’: devoid of brassiness. The parting is slightly off-center, mitigating the harshness of a centered one, and her curls are notably more defined.

To our knowledge, Kate hasn’t gone grey, but this lighter hue will certainly disguise any pesky grey strands (it’s useful to note that a sudden onset of grey hairs can be more common post-chemotherapy).

Very dark hair against an aging complexion can appear somewhat, shall we say, reminiscent of late-era Catherine Zeta Jones. Over the past year, Kate has wisely transitioned from dark shades to a rich chocolate and then to deep caramel – a strategy that ensures her hair isn’t damaged by excessive bleaching.

This updated, more contemporary color indicates Kate has matured. After undergoing cancer treatment, it seems like a renewal, a refreshing change. It’s bold: she shows disregard for others’ opinions because who has time for trivial matters now? She is choosing to satisfy herself.

The Princess of Wales showed off her new hair colour on an official visit to the Natural History Museum in London today

The lighter shade will certainly hide any annoying grey hairs, which can appear suddenly after having chemotherapy

Of course, moments after her new look was revealed, the internet exploded, and the comments were for the most part a little harsh. Anything this different and new feels like a big change for fans to get used to.

‘Makes her look older… and tired,’ said one. ‘Lose the Rapunzel locks,’ opined another. ‘Kate is now in competition with Angela Rayner’;‘ Hideous.’

Oh get over it. By 3pm, there had been 4,000 posts on X about her hair, and many of them negative, which is maddening. No one else seems willing to confront it so I will: This trolling is revolting.

You can’t have it both ways. A while back, celebrity hairdresser Nicky Clarke called Kate’s old hair colour, the shade she has sported all her life, ‘unadventurous’. Well, today she’s the sartorial equivalent of Bear Grylls.

Prince William and Kate visited the museum for a tour of the gardens

And there were nice people out there too: ‘Kate brings the sunshine in the rain,’ said one.

As for so many women, Kate’s hair has always been her comfort blanket, and to me this reveal is a clear sign she has new-found confidence. Critics online also added today that her hair is far too long, questioning whether she is using extensions or even a wig. But why are women always told to cut their hair once they pass 40? It’s our superpower, something to caress, show off, to pull back in a chignon or unleash in soft curls. Sometimes, it’s useful to hide behind, too.

Kate’s style today is very feminine, but a look that tells us she is well and truly back, means business and, well, we all know that blondes have more fun… I bet William loves it. Although doubtless he didn’t have a say, which is exactly how it should be.