15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (2024)

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (1)

When most of us think of “princess hair,” the Rapunzel-esque locks of Disney movies and fairytales (...or Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle) come to mind—and that’s exactly what made Princess Diana’s hair so iconic.The “people’s princess” instead opted for shorter strands, a decision that solidified her as a timeless beauty icon. Though her hair never stretched past her shoulders, she constantly reinvented herself over her 20 years in the public eye (just as she did with her street style and vacation looks). According to her stylist, Sam McKnight, her decision to keep her hair short was in part catering to her adoring fans: “She knew that people wanted to see ‘Princess Diana,’ so that’s what she gave them.” She embraced timely '80s and '90s trends like the feathered mushroom cut and the shorn pixie with her own confident twist—and her impact remains strong today through some of the most popular pixie cuts and bob hairstyles. Keep scrolling to see 15 of the best Princess Diana haircuts of all time—and feel free to steal some truly timeless short hair inspo for yourself.

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Wedding Day Flip

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (2)

For her wedding in 1981, Princess Diana opted to style her chin-length strands in a statement-making flippy style with bangs—topped off with a crown and veil, of course.

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Feathered Mushroom Cut

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (3)

Though “mushroom cut” doesn’t exactly sound like the chicest style on the market, this expertly styled, feathered version will have you rethinking that assumption—plus the look is trending again.

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Bob with Bangs

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (4)

This bob with bangs hairstyle, which Diana wore while pregnant with Prince William in 1982, is truly fit for a princess. The face-framing flip and curtain bangs reveal soft platinum streaks that give the royal’s perpetually radiant complexion an even more breathtaking glow.

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Layered Lob

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (5)

What sets a lob (a.k.a. a long bob) apart from its standard-length cousin is that it hits somewhere between the chin and collarbone—and combining it with side-swept bangs and easy layers, the way Diana does here, adds an eye-catching dimensionality to the look. It’s no wonder this style has stood the test of time.

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Classic '80s Bob

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (6)

Few bobs in history are as iconic as Princess Diana’s, and this photo serves as proof. The perfectly coiffed style here features a flip that looks equal parts regal and effortless.

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Pinned Back

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (7)

On one of the rare occasions that Princess Diana rocked a haircut without her signature bangs, this pinned-back style gets its glamour from its severe side part and loose curls.

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Ultra-Feathered

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (8)

Farrah Fawcett may get the credit for making the feathered cut a thing in the ‘70s, but Princess Diana kept its popularity going well into the late ‘80s—and in true royal fashion, she accessorized it with a wide-brimmed hat.

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French Bob

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (9)

Diana may have been the Princess of Wales, but this French bob haircut takes its inspiration from another nation entirely. We love how classically chic it feels paired with her Remembrance Day look of pearl earrings, a brimmed hat with netting, and a black blazer.

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Short with Florals

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (10)

Diana never let her short strands stop her from experimenting with hair accessories. Here, she dressed up her cropped ‘do with silk flowers (a marked difference from her usual fascinators), plus she took the bold beauty one step further with a swipe of blue eyeliner.

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Bouffant

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (11)

The bouffant may have made its appearance in the ‘60s, but Princess Diana gave it an ‘80s twist by embracing the volume-happy (and hairspray-heavy) vibes signature to the decade.

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Fringed Pixie Cut

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (12)

Legend has it that Princess Diana gave stylist Sam McKnight free rein to do “whatever he wanted” to her hair on the set of a 1991 Vogue photoshoot, and the result was this fringed pixie cut that became her signature style in the years that followed.

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Curly Crop

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (13)

When Princess Diana styled her short strands in a curly crop, the statement-making style showed off the high contrast between her light ends and dark roots.

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Elongated Pixie

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (14)

Taking a page from stars like Meg Ryan and Gwyneth Paltrow, Princess Diana showed off one of the hottest '90s hair trends in the form of this sleek pixie cut with side-swept bangs and chunky golden highlights.

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Shaggy Pixie

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (15)

Equally as iconic as Princess Diana’s sweatshirt and bike shorts combo is the casual, “just woke up like this” pixie cut she wore with it. The unfussy cut feels markedly different than the coiffed styles that defined her days as a queen-in-waiting (this photo was taken after she had separated from Prince Charles), and the full look makes it easy to understand the royal’s relatability.

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Highlighted Pixie

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (16)

Diana’s hair transformation throughout the ‘90s saw her blonde get brighter and her bangs get wispier, giving her a look that would feel just as at home today as it did more than three decades ago.

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution (2024)

FAQs

15 Princess Diana Haircuts That Highlight the Iconic Royal's Beauty Evolution? ›

Princess Diana's hair was shorn into a pixie cut then and there. "When I met Diana, things were changing," explains McKnight. "We were moving on from the '80s romantic frills and going much sleeker with short, sharp hair to wear with Chanel and Versace suits of the time.

What was Princess Diana's hairstyle called? ›

Princess Diana's hair was shorn into a pixie cut then and there. "When I met Diana, things were changing," explains McKnight. "We were moving on from the '80s romantic frills and going much sleeker with short, sharp hair to wear with Chanel and Versace suits of the time.

Why did Princess Diana keep her hair short? ›

Her hairstylist, Sam McKnight, suggested cutting off her hair, and to his surprise, she agreed immediately. The sleek and bold hairstyle became a statement of her individuality and marked her growth as a humanitarian. The pixie cut also had a profound impact on fashion, inspiring women worldwide.

What hair products did Princess Diana use? ›

Ladove Funsch used a special kind of gum resin to create Princess Diana's go-to "Helicopter Hairspray." So in order to create the perfect so-called "helicopter hairspray," Ladove Funsch embarked on several international trips to explore forests and terrains to source exotic ingredients fit for the Princess's hair.

How to do Princess Diana haircut? ›

Follow the head's natural shape as you cut so that you end up framing the head. Comb the hair straight and hold it between your middle and first finger. Pull it away from the head so it's tight, then cut downward at a 45-degree angle. For this cut, the hair is supposed to be longer in the back and shorter in the front.

What is the name of the princess haircut? ›

The hime cut (Japanese: 姫カット, IPA: [çime katːo], HEE-meh; lit. 'princess cut') is a hairstyle consisting of straight, usually cheek-length sidelocks and frontal fringe. The rest of the hair is usually worn long and straightened.

When did Diane cut her hair? ›

In Season 5, Diane cuts her hair into a short bob, with layered bangs that are styled to the left, and a shaved undercut that is partially covered on the right side and appears as a faded purple color. Her neck is considerably long, a feature that becomes more noticeable after she cuts her hair short.

How small was Princess Diana's waist? ›

As Vogue also reported, her wedding dress designer said when they began fittings for the big day, Diana's waist measured between 26 to 27 inches. But by her wedding in July 1981, her waist dropped to 23 inches. Later in life, the princess used her experience to become an advocate for others, according to Elle Magazine.

Did Princess Diana wear false eyelashes? ›

Princess Diana's makeup artist has shared that she would never use false eyelashes on the late Princess, as she never wanted anything too "flashy". Mary Greenwell, Diana's longtime friend and makeup artist throughout her life, revealed the secret behind creating her famously gorgeous looks.

Did Princess Diana have a Down syndrome daughter? ›

No. However, Diana did have a goddaughter who has Down Syndrome — Domenica Lawson, daughter of Diana's close friend, Rosa Monkton and not a secret at all. Silly question! If she really had a secret daughter then nobody would know about it would they?

What did Diana use on her lips? ›

Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Skincare range was the Princess's go-to for skincare and she loved using this range on her lips in particular. It is this product that gave the Princess silky soft lips at every engagement and it's a timeless product that has been popular for nearly a century.

Did Princess Diana wear perfume? ›

Fragrance preferences are extremely personal, but celebrity perfumes are a good starting point for finding a new signature or addition to your collection—and, according to an interview with Princess Diana's make-up artist, Mary Greenwell, “she always, always, always wore fragrance”.

What was Princess Diana's beauty routine? ›

"Diana was very aware of her beauty regime, cleansing, toning and moisturizing twice a day," her former makeup artist Mary Greenwell told Stylist.

How did Princess Diana get her hair like that? ›

McKnight decided to try something new with Diana's hair, which at that point was close to shoulder-length and still had some classic '80s volume. In his book, Hair by Sam McKnight, he explained how he did a bit of follicle manipulating magic, tucking her hair behind a tiara to fake a shorter 'do.

How to recreate Diana hair? ›

To create Di's hairstyle, she curls her hair away from her face section-by-section using a blowdry brush and heat protectant. (The Babyliss Hydro Fusion Air Styler is a great option to use.) Then, she runs a paddle brush through her hair before setting everything with hairspray.

What is an e girl haircut? ›

Heavily inspired by 2010s fashion and a mix of indie subcultures, the e-girl hair look is usually completed with chunky face framing highlights, contrasting hair colors and fun hair accessories like butterfly clips.

Did Diana wear a wig to go out? ›

In real life, the Princess did wear different disguises at points, with Vogue UK writing, "Diana did, in fact, wear dark wigs and sunglasses when venturing out with Khan in his Chelsea neighbourhood or queuing with him outside jazz clubs." Princess Diana and Khan had a two-year relationship, from 1995 to 1997, until ...

What is Diana's style? ›

Her habit of wearing wide-shouldered gowns and lavish fabrics earned her the nickname "Dynasty Di". Diana wore hats that featured texture as well as "feathers, veils, and bows". Her early fashion choices were described as "demure and romantic", featuring pastels and ruffles.

What is an emu haircut? ›

Emo hairstyles are a popular and iconic look that have been embraced by many individuals who want to express their unique style and personality. These hairstyles are characterized by long, layered cuts with choppy, textured ends and side-swept bangs that cover one eye.

What does a short bob haircut look like? ›

Very Short Bob Haircut

Also known as the micro bob, the look goes above chin-length and can feature a blunt cut or have more C-shaped layers.

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