When it comes to breaking royal protocol, Kate Middleton isn’t typically high up on the list of offenders. Middleton, who became the Princess of Wales last year, is almost exclusively known for her simple, minimal outfits, and she even has a few signature silhouettes that she tends to gravitate toward for every appearance.
The same can be said about her beauty choices. Unlike Meghan Markle, who has been known to push the royal boundaries quite often, Middleton isn’t always as bold – especially when it comes to her hair, makeup, and nails. The princess is fairly polished and tends to follow protocol to a T, often sticking with neutral makeup, beige manicures, and bouncy blowouts. However, there have been a few times when she hasn’t quite met royal expectations and instead has chosen to do something a little different.
Most recently, she was seen wearing brightly colored nail polish at a church service – a far cry from her (and the late Queen Elizabeth II’s) usual pale pink hue. Keep scrolling for a few of our favorite ways the princess has pushed royal beauty boundaries.
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Kate Middleton's Red Nail Polish
On April 9, Middleton attended a Sunday church service for Easter at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. She wore a bright blue ensemble with a matching clutch, but despite the bright outfit, all eyes were on her manicure, which caused a serious media frenzy. The princess showcased bright red nails – a huge departure from her natural nails, which she most often wears.
Bright nail colors are seldom seen on the royal family, and the queen was known to almost always wear Essie Ballet Slippers, a pale pink shade.
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Kate Middleton's Bright Lipstick
When it comes to makeup, Middleton is known to keep things minimal. She typically opts for a brown smoky eye with a black wing and a bit of blush. When it comes to her lips, she’s rarely seen wearing anything other than her signature lipstick shade, Bobbi Brown Lip Color ($29) in the color Sandwash Pink – a very muted, rosy pink that matches the natural color of her lips. So in 2022, while she attended day four of the Royal Ascot, we were a bit surprised to see her in a much brighter lipstick. Although we aren’t sure of the exact color, it looked to have more orange undertones, and it looked as though the princess had overlined her lips as well.
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Kate Middleton's Toenail Polish
Although there are no hard and fast rules regarding the royal family’s pedicure habits, one can only assume they’re expected to keep things neutral and natural, just like their manicures. While it’s rare that we spot a glimpse of a royal’s toenails, in 2019, not only were we surprised to see Middleton’s toes peeking out of her silver shoes at a reception in Pakistan, but we were even more shocked to find that her nails were painted red. The shade was berry toned and completed with a glossy topcoat, which, in our opinion, looked stunning.
