Kate Middleton Switched Up Her Signature Hairstyle And Royal Fans Can't Get Enough

Kate Middleton wasn't always a fashion icon, but in the years since she joined the British royal family, she's made waves with her head-turning hairstyles and elegant clothes. The Duchess of Cambridge, beyond being royalty, is famous for her beauty routine and chic sense of style. Her appearance at the Design Museum in London this week was no exception (via People). Middleton wowed everyone with a new hairstyle for her dark brown locks, which she debuted earlier this year.

Instead of her usual waves or a fanciful updo, Middleton appeared with pin-straight hair parted down the middle. Her hair was tucked behind both ears to keep it out of the way as she gave out The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design (via Pure Wow). This beautiful new look showed off two statement-making gold drop earrings as well. Royal fans loved the stylish change, with one person tweeting, "I have serious hair envy!". Royal correspondent Rebecca Russell said, "The Duchess of Cambridge looked absolutely breath-taking," (via Twitter).

It's clear that the duchess pulled out all the stops for the event, which focused on advancements in British fashion and trends.

Kate Middleton's hair isn't the only thing that has people talking. As per usual, the dress she chose for the event at the Design Museum was stunning and understated. The knee-length dress, from Edeline Lee — a British-Canadian designer — sported a flared skirt, tied sleeves, and a matching belt with a gold clasp (per People). It also let Middleton show off a pair of dark green pumps and her blue engagement ring, which originally belonged to Princess Diana (via Pure Wow). Although Edeline Lee isn't based in the United States, there are some stateside distributors, so if you're interested (and lucky enough), you might be able to purchase the dress for yourself.

Middleton mingled with other fashion icons and industry professionals during her visit to the museum. She also got a look at some designs from the British Fashion Council Foundation, which provides opportunities for grants, education, and mentorship in the fashion industry (via People). She managed all of that on top of presenting a major award — pretty impressive stuff!

Kate Middleton was recently out and about in London to present The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, according to Pure Wow. It's the first time she's had the honor of presenting the award, which was created in 2018 (per People). Past presenters include Queen Elizabeth, Princess Anne, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Countess of Wessex (via the British Fashion Council). The council says the award highlights "the role the fashion industry plays in society and diplomacy and to spotlight young designers who are talented and making a difference to society through either sustainable practices or community engagement."

This year, the recipient was designer and choreographer Saul Nash. The council pointed to Nash's efforts to bring together luxury sportswear and menswear with designs that prioritize movement as reasons for his selection. He's also known for using natural fibers like cotton and merino wool in his work (via Elle).