I transformed my hair for the first time in 15 years - inspired by Princess Beatrice
It's no secret that red hair is having a bit of a moment.
'Cowboy copper' became one of 2024's major hair trends thanks to Dua Lipa's cherry cola hair transformation for her Future Nostalgia tour, with Kendall Jenner, Sydney Sweeney and Khloe Kardashian amongst the biggest names going for gold in the hair department last year.
I've been blonde since birth, which stayed an icy blonde hue until I hit my school years and it naturally darkened.
By the time I was at secondary school, I was a regular in my sister's salon chair (she was a trainee hairdresser at the time) topping up my blonde dip-dye, and have continued getting highlights throughout my twenties.
From platinum blonde to golden balayage and even a wince-inducing box dye bleach job, I've been pretty much every shade of blonde you can imagine.
But as I've embraced a more natural approach to beauty in my late twenties, I've had an overwhelming urge to go back to my roots - pun intended. I can't remember what I look like with my naturally dark blonde hair, which I think sits somewhere between a mousy blonde and a light brunette.
I got engaged last year, a milestone that sparked a strong desire to feel as much like 'me' as possible on the big day, and so I embarked on a very lengthy wait to grow out two decades of bleaching. As I patiently waited for my roots to grow past my cheekbones, however, I felt the urge to experiment.
Cowboy copper started taking over my social media feed, and the desire to go cherry-hued for the winter was too irresistible.
I was inspired by a royal
My source of hair inspiration? Princess Beatrice. A royal who has unapologetically embraced her beautiful auburn hair throughout her life.
The wife of Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi has been seen experimenting with several different hairstyles over the years, not shying away from dramatic transformations in length and ultra-glamorous Hollywood curls that challenge the royal status quo of conservative dressing.
While royal fans have debated whether the Princess of Wales has worn hair extensions for years, Princess Beatrice appears to be far less discreet about her ever-changing hairstyles. And I’m totally influenced by her glamorous ginger locks.
You may also like
Princess Anne debuts new hair for first time in 50 years
The Princess of Wales' new spring highlights are the hair trend for 2025
7 times Princess Beatrice proved she has the best hair in the royal family
Royal redheads
The British royal family is not short of natural redheads. Prince Harry is famously recognised by his fiery red hair, and his children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet have inherited his golden hues.
The vibrant red hair, a signature Spencer family trait, was naturally passed down to Harry from his mother, Princess Diana, and is shared by all three of her siblings - Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and Earl Spencer.
Sarah Ferguson, another natural redhead in the royal family has passed on her beautiful hair to her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Yet what makes the royal’s golden, berry-hued hair so alluring isn’t just because it’s trendy for 2025, but because it tells a fascinating story about her approach to natural beauty.
HELLO!'s Fashion & Beauty News Editor, Laura Sutcliffe - also a natural redhead - explains her take.
"As a redhead, I feel I have embraced my colour so much more as I’ve got older. Growing up, I always wished it was blonde or brown like everyone else’s. I don’t think red hair was celebrated as much as it is now. It’s such a vibrant, rare, and beautiful shade, it only makes sense that people are paying significant amounts of money to achieve it.
"I would never dye my hair another colour now; being red is part of my identity,” she adds.x
"Princess Beatrice is such a great role model for redheads because she’s never really deviated from her natural colour."
