Photographer from the '80s Claims Princess Diana's Hair Was Like Plastic: "The Strands Were Like..."

Sam McKnight, a hairstylist who met Princess Diana during a 1990 Vogue photo shoot, was mostly responsible for the Princess' famous pixie cut. According to InStyle, to better suit her charm and the zeitgeist of the period, McKnight styled her hair into the famous short length."I could feel that she wanted to change," McKnight recalled in the documentary Diana: Queen of Style. "I said I was going to cut it all off. Cut it all off and start over. So she said, 'Okay, let's do this,'" he said. However, British fashion photographer, David Bailey revealed that the late princess was obsessed with setting her hair in 'perfect' waves and spoilt the texture. "Terrible hair. You know, from the hairspray. The strands were as solid as a plastic mannequin," he said. 

As per L'officiel, he continued by saying that her hair actually appeared much less smooth and was nearly plastic-like. During the 1980s, Bailey had done several portrait photoshoots with the Princess of Wales. "Princess Diana’s iconic pixie cut was representative of a new, empowered woman," hairstylist  Annagjid "Kee" Taylor said. "Her hair was more than just a haircut; it was a farewell to the notion of a traditional princess and a nod to becoming the 'people’s princess.'" Diana is heard discussing how significant this haircut was to her in the 2017 documentary Diana in Her Own Words: "I think last summer, when Sam cut my hair in a different way, it set something completely loose. different." 

In 2023 royal cosmetic chemist revealed that she had worked on creating a unique hairspray for the Princess' blonde locks. Diana requested a naturally formulated product that would maintain her youthful, sophisticated appearance while maintaining a tight hold, according to Ladove Funsch. Hence the CEO of LaDove Inc. crafted two special variants of hairsprays which she says were refined following several "trials and tribulations." To find unusual suitable components worthy of the princess's hair, Funsch made numerous overseas journeys, exploring unique landscapes and exotic forests. 

“We found this gum resin from a tree and that’s how we were able to create this formula for Diana,” Funsch exclusively told Page Six, "I was literally in [the lab] formulating myself, figuring out what’s the melting point of this resin, how do we get it so that it’s not so sticky and tacky? How do we get it so that it doesn’t harden?” she explained. “It’s just a whole creative recipe.” The royal cosmetic chemist formulated the 'Helicopter' hairspray, which ensured Diana's hairdo held up even after a hectic flight in a helicopter. And the 'Tiara' hairspray that didn't leave any chemical traces on the Princess of Wales's millions of worth of diadems when she wore them on formal occasions. 

“She didn’t want anything that would make her hair look glued down because she was so young and so beautiful,” she says. “She didn’t want a helmet-head kind of look.” Funsch shared. She also recalled meeting Diana and feeling overwhelmed. “It was in England and it was incredible. I got a big hug from her and it was just magical. And there was no press, so it was just a beautiful moment,” she concluded.