The lipsticks the royals wear: From Kate's favourite to the Queen's classic shade
You might think a lipstick is pretty innocuous but when you're a royal, it comes with its own rule book. While you won't find the royals swatching an entire lippy range on the back of their hand, you will find most of them following protocol – that means sticking to a neutral, natural shade to avoid any makeup mishaps. The Queen, though, doesn't follow such a rigid routine and loves to wear a much brighter lip than her younger counterparts. Well, she is the Queen after all. From Duchess Kate's never-without-it nude to Lady Kitty Spencer's lipstick mash-up, you might find your new favourite shade in a royal makeup bag…
RELATED: Meghan Markle's fave mascara is 50% off on Amazon - hurry!
The Duchess of Sussex
For the royal wedding, Meghan shunned lipstick to stick a more natural lip duo; she layered Dior Lip Glow in Coral Glow, a sheer balm that enhances your own lip colour, with a lip crayon underneath, specifically Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayon in Sheer Chestnut Kiss.
Meghan loves Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks
Wedding aside, Meghan is said to love Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution Lipstick in Very Victoria, a spicy brown shade created for Victoria Beckham.
Matte Revolution Very Victoria Lipstick, £25, Charlotte Tilbury
SHOP NOW
The Duchess of Cambridge
Duchess Kate is a Bobbi Brown fan, and relies on the brand for her lip colour too. Kate always, always wears a nude, natural lip with Bobbi Brown's Sandwashed Pink Lipstick her handbag essential.
Kate Middleton is never without her Sandwashed Pink Lipstick from Bobbi Brown
For her wedding to Prince William, she is believed to have popped a swipe of Bobbi Brown’s Sheer Colour Lip Gloss over the top for extra shine.
Bobbi Brown Sandwash Pink Lipstick, £26, ASOS
SHOP NOW
Lady Kitty Spencer
Princess Diana’s niece, Lady Kitty Spencer, hit all the best-dressed lists from the royal wedding back in May. Perfectly complementing her beautiful green floral Dolce & Gabbana was her perfect pout.
Lady Kitty Spencer often mixes and matches lipstick shades from Charlotte Tilbury
Lady Kitty actually used two lipsticks to create her own bespoke lip shade - Charlotte Tilbury's Lipsticks in Super Cindy and Pillow Talk. We think she's onto something – if you can't find your perfect nude, mix them up!
Pillow Talk, £25, Charlotte Tilbury
SHOP NOW
Princess Diana
Princess Diana did, on occasion, wear a reddish orange tone, with hints of brown (a good copy would be NARS Audacious Lipstick in Jane) but more often than not, it was a much more natural lip that Diana sported.
Princess Diana was a fan of natural lipstick shades
One colour we know she did wear, on an engagement shoot for Vogue, was Max Factor’s Tint of Pink Lipstick. Although discontinued, Max Factor's Colour Elixir Lipstick in Pink Brandy is a good dupe.
Charlotte Casiraghi
Stylish Charlotte, the daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco and Stefano Casiraghi, is definitely one of the coolest royals – and her makeup game is a lesson for us all in effortless chic.
Charlotte Casiraghi often combines a dark eye with a bold red lip
She's been quoted as saying her go-to look is "red lips and a bit of black around the eyes", the red lip in question being Gucci's Iconic Red Lipstick.
The Queen
Her Majesty loves a lippie, and she's rarely spotted without her signature shade – she's been photographed many times reapplying like the good lipstick queen she is.
The Queen swears by Elizabeth Arden
As well as having her own personalised shade of red from Clarins (to match her ceremonial robes), HRH is said to favour Elizabeth Arden’s Beautiful Colour Lipsticks. We're hazarding a guess that it’s the Electric Pink shade she’s a fan of.
Princess Grace of Monaco
The grand dame of timeless chic, Grace Kelly was all about her iconic red lip – and was said to be faithful to Dior for her beauty as well as her style.
Princess Grace of Monaco was famed for her love of Rouge Dior
Since she was a muse for the fashion house, it was only right that she championed their makeup too; she was a fan of Rouge Dior, the exact shade we don’t know but we can guarantee you’ll find a similar darker, soft rouge in shade 999 Satin.
Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.
HELLO!'s selection is editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items our editors love and approve of. HELLO! may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. To find out more visit our FAQ page.