As the wife of King Charles III, Camilla, Queen Consort has taken on a highly public role as a senior royal. With constant appearances and public engagements, her style and grooming are often under scrutiny by fashion watchers. One question that frequently comes up is whether the Queen colours her hair to maintain her signature blonde tone.
Queen Camilla’s Natural Hair Colour
Queen Camilla has worn her hair in a shade of blonde for decades. However, her natural hair colour is believed to be a light brown. Childhood photos show Camilla with a brown hair colour, which darkened as she aged. It’s a common trait for natural blondes to become darker haired with age as colour pigments change.
As a young woman in her 20s and 30s, Camilla lightened her hair to achieve a fashionable blonde look. Her preference for golden tones has continued over the years as she has aged. Now in her mid-70s, the Queen Consort is still sporting light blonde locks.
Evidence Queen Camilla Dyes Her Hair
Several factors indicate it’s highly likely Queen Camilla regularly dyes her hair to maintain a light blonde shade:
- Her regrowth is never visible – Camilla’s hair always appears evenly coloured from root to tip. Without regular touch-ups, grey regrowth would be apparent.
- Her colour is very light at an older age – natural blonde tones tend to dull and darken significantly after menopause due to hormonal changes. At 75, Camilla’s blonde shade looks artificially boosted.
- Her colour is consistent – there is no evidence of subtle variations in Camilla’s hair tone over the decades, suggesting she maintains the same dye colour.
- Her brows and lashes are darkened – the Queen appears to dye her brows and lashes a darker colour to harmonise with the blonde tone. This is common practice with bleached hair.
Analysts point out it would be almost impossible for Queen Camilla to achieve such bright, flawless blonde colouring without regular salon visits for root touch-ups and all-over colouring. While she may have been a natural blonde originally, dyeing is now almost certainly part of her beauty regimen.
When Did Queen Camilla Start Dyeing Her Hair?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when Queen Camilla began dyeing her hair, as the transition from natural to coloured was likely subtle and gradual. However, we can make some educated guesses:
- Late teens/early 20s – Most analysts agree Camilla started lightening her brown hair as a young woman to achieve a fashionable blonde look.
- Mid 30s – As she reached her mid-30s, more intensive colouring was likely needed to counteract fading and darkening of her natural tones.
- Early 40s – By her early 40s, regular root touch-ups were probably part of Camilla’s routine to hide greys and maintain even colour.
Of course as she progressed through her 40s and 50s, her colouring schedule became more frequent. Now in her 70s, diligent salon visits every 4-6 weeks are required to keep her hair looking so blonde.
Does Dyeing Damage the Queen’s Hair?
Long-term dyeing does carry risks of dryness, brittleness and hair damage. However, with professional care Camilla’s hair condition remains excellent for her age. The Queen likely has access to high quality salon treatments and products to counteract any adverse effects from colouring. Her hair always looks smooth, shiny and healthy in appearance.
It’s probable Queen Camilla’s hair is double-processed – bleached first then toned to get an extra light shade. This can be damaging but isn’t a concern with the right conditioning and Olaplex treatments. Her hairdresser takes care to minimize risk.
Why Does Queen Camilla Dye Her Hair?
There are several motivations for Queen Camilla maintaining dyed blonde hair:
- Aesthetics – Camilla prefers how she looks as a blonde, as it flatters her skin tone and eye colour.
- Identity – She has had blonde hair for so long it has become part of her signature look and personal brand.
- Vanity – Blonde hair is associated with youthfulness, an incentive for Camilla to avoid going grey.
- Expectations – There may be external or internal pressure to meet beauty norms for public figures.
Overall, Camilla seems most comfortable with blonde as her hair colour of choice. As a recognisable public figure, consistency in her look also avoids distraction or speculation.
Does Queen Camilla Do Her Own Hair?
While Queen Camilla could easily afford in-palace stylists, she reportedly still visits a public salon in London for her hair care. This indicates that even with a busy schedule, hair maintenance remains a personal priority for the Queen Consort.
According to sources, Camilla schedules a salon visit every 3-4 weeks for a full colour service and cut. This routine indicates she does not colour her own hair at home. Doing roots oneself can lead to uneven results that wouldn’t be ideal for someone so photographed. It’s safer to entrust colouring to a professional colourist.
However, sources say Queen Camilla does style her own hair day-to-day. She likely has a trusted roster of products and tools to maintain her signature voluminous blowout shape between salon visits. But when it comes to applying hair dye, she puts her tresses in the hands of a pro.
Does Queen Camilla’s Hairdresser Travel With Her?
Queen Camilla does not have a permanent hairdresser who travels as part of the Royal Household. However, for important foreign tours and state visits, it’s likely a hair stylist would temporarily join her entourage.
This ensures Camilla can maintain her regular colouring schedule while abroad. Even a few weeks of regrowth can be visible on light blonde hair, so touch-ups are essential. The Queen also likely has a trusted hairdresser on call for occasional between-salon trims and styling.
Have Any Other Royals Dyed Their Hair?
| Royal | Natural Hair Colour | Dyed Hair Colour |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Elizabeth II | Light Brown | Grey |
| Princess Diana | Blonde | Blonde |
| Queen Noor | Brown | Blonde |
Queen Camilla is by no means the first royal to artificially enhance her hair colour. Princess Diana and Queen Noor were also famous for lightening their naturally dark hair to fashionable blonde tones. However, Camilla’s dedication to consistent dyeing well into her 70s is quite notable in royal history.
Does the Queen’s Hair Set a Double Standard?
Some critics have accused Queen Camilla of setting an unfair double standard by embracing hair dye herself while King Charles has gone fully grey. However, others counter that the Queen Consort should not be shamed for choosing to colour her hair just because she is an older woman.
There are certainly gendered social pressures around ageing and appearance. But in the modern era, women should have agency around personal grooming choices without judgement. Queen Camilla’s flawless blonde locks may draw commentary, but ultimately her hair remains her own personal decision.
Conclusion
While Queen Camilla’s natural hair colour is likely a light brown, she has prioritized blonde tones for most of her adult life through careful dyeing. Extensive colouring comes with hair health risks, but the Queen’s mane continues to look glossy and robust. As a style-conscious public figure, maintaining her signature blonde look is likely important to Queen Camilla’s self-image. While hair colour standards for older women are evolving, the Queen Consort shows no sign of embracing her inner grey any time soon.
