Princess Kate looked polished as always when she made her return to the annual St. Patrick's Day parade with the Irish Guards on Monday, March 17. All eyes might have been on the royal's green Alexander McQueen coat—a piece she wore during a 2022 trip to Boston—but there was another subtle shout-out to Ireland in her St. Patrick's Day look that most fans probably didn't catch.
The Princess of Wales has been channeling Queen Elizabeth with her uniform-like approach to fashion this year, choosing a repeat coat and the same hat she wore for St. Patrick's Day in 2019. Adding the Irish Guards' gold Cartier shamrock brooch and an old favorite pair of green amethyst Kiki McDonough earrings, the royal looked perfectly festive for the holiday. However, her twisted updo also contained a tribute to St. Patrick's Day.
Queen Camilla's hairdresser Jo Hansford was one of the elite few to receive a royal warrant when The Queen awarded her first-ever warrants this year, and the beauty pro spoke to the Daily Mail about the Princess of Wales's intricate hairstyle.
The media outlet noted that the royal's hair "looked like it was created to depict a Triquetra which is also known as an Irish Trinity Knot," a symbol of Celtic culture. The design represents qualities like unity, eternity and love.
The Princess of Wales is no stranger to sending hidden messages through her fashion, whether it's wearing the colors of a country's flag or including a detail like a meaningful flower in her outfit. This is, however, the first time in memory she's paid tribute to a culture with her hairstyle.
To achieve a similar look, Hansford said that it's "always better to work with hair that is not freshly washed as it holds the style better, ideally at least one day old hair is best." She added that to achieve the voluminous look, "backcombing is the most effective way to add volume and structure, brushing as close to the root as possible so the top still looks shiny and sleek."
The royal hair pro also called the princess "the essence of elegance and sophistication" for her "carefully selected hairstyles," adding the royal is "an iconic inspiration for women."
During her St. Patrick's Day outing, Princess Kate spent time with members of the Irish Guards and their families, revealing to one reservist that she hopes to bring Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to Australia and New Zealand one day. "I would like to go back there with them now," she said. "It's finding time to do that. But I love to travel–yes, it's a long flight."
