Princess Diana’s Hairdresser Feared He’ll Be ‘Put in the Tower of London’ at Prince Harry’s First Haircut

Richard Dalton, Princess Diana’s personal hairstylist for over a decade, had the privilege of cutting the hair of not only the most famous woman in the world but also her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, However, Dalton’s role in the royal family wasn’t without its nerve-wrecking moments, especially during Prince Harry’s first haircut, where a simple gust of wind could have ignited a royal scandal. In his new book, It’s All About the Hair — My Decade with Diana, Dalton reveals the pressure he felt when cutting a young Prince Harry’s hair for the first time. Dalton recalled, "The first time I cut Harry’s hair, the windows were open, and I was holding his lock of reddish hair, thinking, "Oh, if this blows away, I’m in trouble. I’ll be put in the Tower of London.”

Thankfully, the lock of hair was saved, and Princess Diana lovingly placed it in Harry’s baby book, immortalizing the memory. Dalton was more than just a hairstylist to Diana and her boys; he was a trusted confidant, responsible for both William and Harry’s haircuts until they were 10 and 7 years old, respectively. He remarked, “They were so sweet, the boys. I would cut their hair in their nursery. Every time they saw me coming into the nursery, William would get terribly excited. He’d run and get the little white chair and would put it on top of the square coffee table. They would sit in the chair and watch television while I cut their hair. They always knew they got ‘extra’ TV when we had haircuts, so they thought it was great,” as reported by Express.

The memory paints a charming picture of William and Harry’s childhood, highlighting the normalcy that Princess Diana tried to provide for her sons despite their royal status. Dalton also took on the responsibility of cutting Prince Charles’ hair after Diana's recommendation. Dalton revealed that the late princess “wanted me(Dalton) to fix it and make it a little more modern.”

As per People magazine, Dalton highlighted, “I think Charles was reserved, as he was brought up with an understanding of how to behave in front of staff. He was very nice, but you would not see him express himself openly or passionately.” In the book, Dalton reflects on the deep affection Diana had for her sons. He wrote, “She absolutely loved and adored her boys, and she also craved affection. Her boys gave her that. The princess was at her very best as a mother.”

Renae Plant (who collaborated with Dalton for his new book) highlighted, “Diana will one day soon become the king’s mother when William becomes king, and I hope that the work I have done will inspire future generations to understand who Diana really was. It’s just so sad that we never got to see her become a grandmother, and I always imagine what she would be doing today if she were alive.”