“What feels nice about Kate’s hair in these pictures is that it feels very modern and of-the-moment,” notes the leading British hairdresser Luke Hersherson. “We’ve always seen her with quite prim, classic blow-dries, whereas with this softer hairstyle, she looks younger and more at ease.” For Hersheson, the effortlessness of the style is more of a reflection of our times. “Kate doesn’t look uptight, or too ‘done’, whereas in the past her hair always looked freshly cut and completely polished. This is much freer.” The texture of Kate’s hair looks more natural, too, which Hersheson puts down to a mousse or foam to add texture and ‘grit’ to the look.

The good news is that for this less laboured approach to hairstyling, it is relatively easy to recreate. “Much of this style comes down to the haircut, as a good haircut lends itself to easier styling,” says Hersheson. “I would describe Kate’s hair in the photographs as ‘six weeks later’ hair. It’s not chunky or bluntly cut, rather a style that has grown out a little which looks more whimsical and effortless.” For any length of hair that has weight, he suggests asking for invisible layers throughout the lengths, as well as ends that don’t look too perfect or blunt. As for styling wavy hair, Hersheson suggests using a medium-sized hair tong on the mid-lengths of the hair, but importantly, “leave the ends out, so it doesn’t start looking like prom hair.” With this new, relaxed style, the Duchess is seeing in her new decade with a nod to the effortless approach to hairstyling that feels very right for 2022.