Kate Middleton has left fans awestruck after a new picture was posted. In the snap, she debuted her new hair in a black-and-white picture. The picture was posted by Prince William along with a tribute to her and her “strength.” Catherine turned 43 on January 9th, 2025 and The Prince of Wales made sure to make his wife feel special on her birthday.
Kate Middleton has had a particularly difficult year. The royal revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer in an announcement posted in January 2024. Kate revealed that she had undergone abdominal surgery and was recovering from it. The nature of her cancer has not been revealed yet. The Princess of Wales started receiving chemotherapy in February 2024.
Jennie Bond, who is a royal expert, shared his thoughts on Kate’s 43rd birthday. “This birthday is going to be memorable in so many ways – it will mark the start of a new and hopefully happier year and the end of one that has been brutal for the whole family,” Jennie shared.
The 43-year-old also took the rest of the year off from her royal duties while recovering away from the public eye. William took the opportunity to acknowledge his wife on her birthday and called Kate the “most incredible wife and mother” in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
He continued, “The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable.” Prince William also wrote about how their three children George, 11, Charlotte, 9 and Louis, 6 are proud of her. He signed off the tribute with, “Happy Birthday, Catherine. We love you. W”
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The birthday message was accompanied by a black and white portrait photo of Kate Middleton. The Princess seemed to be beaming as she smiled for the camera. She wore a pair of comfy jeans and a white top paired with a blazer. The royal posed with both her hands in the front pockets of her jeans.
Fans were quick to gush over the adorable message written by the Prince. Several others found themselves admiring Kate’s gorgeous hairdo. The hairstyle seemed to be her signature Chelsea blow-dry with a few minor tweaks. In the photo, the royal’s hair seemed to be longer than the usual length and she sported a gorgeous blowout with a side part.
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Kate Middleton’s new hair started trending on social media the day that the picture was posted. Tom Pike who is a professional hairstylist gave his expert opinion on the matter. “Essentially, Kate has upgraded the style known as the ‘Hollywood Wave‘”, Pike told Hello! Magazine in an interview.
He also revealed how Kate has put her own twist on the Hollywood wave. “She’s parted her hair at the back and then pushed it forward, so it looks like you’ve got that real,” he explained. The stylist gave Kate’s hairstyle a new name by calling it the “royal wave”.
Tom also explained the key steps to get the perfect royal wave. The hairstylist instructed the first step to be to dry your hair smoothly. The second step entails using a large barrel wand. “Twist the hair round the tool, taking slightly thicker sections as you work,” he added. Pike explained the last step to achieve the gorgeous look is to gently brush out the hair.