Kate Middleton drops blonde hair just days after debuting it — could it have been a wig?

LONDON, ENGLAND: Kate Middleton’s brief flirtation with blonde hair ended almost as quickly as it began. The Princess of Wales, 43, stepped out at the Women’s Rugby World Cup match between England and Australia on Saturday, September 6, with her signature brunette locks on full display.

For the daytime outing at the American Express Stadium in East Sussex, Kate styled her freshly darkened hair in a loose half-updo. The look marked a swift return to her trademark color after she was spotted earlier in the week with lighter, blonde-tinged strands.

Celebrity hairstylist Sam McKnight, who worked with Princess Diana for much of the 1990s, had already spoken up in defense of royal hair choices. “A woman’s hair is very personal to her, it’s armor, defense, confidence and so much more,” McKnight reportedly wrote on Instagram.

Still, there was plenty of chatter on social media, with many observers speculating Kate was wearing a wig.

"Kate Middleton's 'new hair' is a wig, something's clearly f**ked up," one critic posted on X (formerly Twitter).

"I need to talk about Kate Middleton’s hair. it’s clearly a (bad) wig. but why? how?" another wondered.

"I didn't get why everyone was talking about Kate Middleton's wig but then I looked it up and," someone else remarked.

"Kate Middleton's wig is giving Housewife of Atlanta Kim Zolciak minus the lively personality. It's definitely giving Essex girls than Princess," an individual quipped, and another joked, "Someone fix Kate Middleton’s wig."

Prince William attends rival match

While Kate Middleton cheered on England’s rugby squad, Prince William, also 43, supported Wales in their showdown against Fiji at Sandy Park in Exeter. The couple’s split appearances reflected their official patronages: Kate represents the Rugby Football Union, while William has been patron of the Welsh Rugby Union since 2016.

Kate joined the rugby fold in February 2022, inheriting one of Prince Harry’s former patronages after he and Meghan Markle stepped back from senior royal duties.

Royal family rivalry over rugby

Rugby has become a family pastime for the couple and their children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven. According to royal editor Roya Nikkah, William once admitted that the sport fuels a friendly rivalry at home, joking that it had become “quite the thing in the house.”

Their love of the game was most recently on display in March when the couple attended the Wales vs. England Six Nations match during Kate’s cancer treatment. Before the match, they met with injured players supported by the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust and spoke with players’ families.

Kate Middleton and Prince William resume duties

Saturday’s match marked another step in Kate Middleton and Prince William’s return to public duties after nearly seven weeks away during the royal family’s summer break. The pair spent time at Balmoral Castle in Scotland before preparing for a big transition.

Later this year, the family is set to move from their four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage to Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom estate inside Windsor Great Park, just a short distance from Windsor Castle.

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