The Princess of Wales drew attention on Thursday when video from a royal visit to Marina Mill in Cuxton showed her gathering her long hair into a low bun without using a hair tie or clip.
During a series of engagements at mills in and around London, the 43-year-old Middleton removed her suit jacket, tied a black apron around her torso and tried her hand at screen printing. A clip posted to X by a Middleton fan account captured her running both hands through loose waves, twisting the hair into what appeared to be a ponytail and then wrapping it into a bun at the nape of her neck, tucking the ends under with no visible accessory.
The footage shows Middleton maintaining eye contact and conversation with craftsmen and women demonstrating the trade while she pinned her hair up. The fan account wrote alongside the clip, "Just the Princess of Wales effortlessly putting her hair into a bun with no hair ties or clips at all today 💅🏼." Social media users responded with curiosity and admiration, with one commenter asking for "a slow motion video from eight different angles" and others noting the apparent ease and neatness of the style.
Middleton's hair has been the subject of frequent attention in recent weeks. Last week she appeared with longer, lighter-toned hair while visiting the Natural History Museum's renovated gardens in London; days later she was photographed with a darker look, pulled into a half ponytail while attending a Women's Rugby World Cup match. Photographs show variations in parting and highlights, but the mill visit clip emphasized a casual, practical styling choice.
The Princess of Wales has been gradually returning to a public schedule since announcing a cancer diagnosis in March 2024. At the time, she said she had undergone "major abdominal surgery" for what she initially believed to be a non-cancerous condition; the operation led to the diagnosis. She announced in September 2024 that she had completed chemotherapy and entered remission in January, and aides have said it will take time for her to resume a full programme of royal duties.
Middleton, who married the Prince of Wales in April 2011, is a mother of three: Prince George, 12; Princess Charlotte, 10; and Prince Louis, 7. Her return to public engagements has included a mix of formal appearances and hands-on visits to community projects and cultural institutions. Attendees at the mill described her as engaged and focused on the demonstrations, with the hair moment becoming a lighter point of interest among observers and online viewers.
The brief clip circulated widely on social platforms after being posted by the fan account, illustrating how small, candid moments during official visits can attract public attention as the princess continues her gradual return to duties.