Catherine, Princess of Wales, is known for her flawless hair and stunning looks, but there was one hairstyle from her past that didn’t quite work. This was long before she married Prince William and became a royal figure, during a time when she was still known as his girlfriend. Back then, Catherine had a distinct personal style, often opting for low-rise jeans, bold fascinators, and even bangs—one of which became an unforgettable hair misstep.
In the early years, before her official royal duties, Catherine was not yet accustomed to being in the spotlight. She didn’t expect to be as heavily photographed, which meant she had more freedom to experiment with her look, including her hairstyles.
However, once she became a member of the royal family, Catherine’s style underwent a dramatic transformation. She quickly honed her image, refining her look to reflect her future role as queen consort. Like many people, her early fashion and beauty choices weren’t always perfect, and her hairstyle choices were no exception.
One notable example was in June 2006, when Catherine attended the grand opening of The Shop at Bluebird in London. She wore a stylish pink blazer, a white floral dress, and accessorized with a pink handbag and elegant jewelry. While her outfit was on point, her bangs were another story. The fringe was unusually long, hanging too far down the center of her face and obscuring her eyes.
Bangs, especially full-front ones, are tricky to pull off, and Catherine’s look that day was no exception. Ideally, bangs should be no longer than eyebrow length for a flattering and balanced look, but Catherine’s style in 2006 missed that mark. Her bangs seemed caught in an awkward in-between stage, as if she were trying to grow them out but hadn’t quite gotten there yet.
Despite this misstep, Catherine later embraced bangs again, but with more success. By 2015, she was sporting a much more polished look, with bangs styled neatly away from her eyes. We can confidently say that the 2006 hair flop was just a bad hair day, and Catherine certainly learned how to rock bangs as her royal journey continued.