Kate Middleton's BAFTAs hair is one of the season's chicest styles - here's how to recreate it

Glamourous but laidback, this romantic look has been everywhere in February

Aleesha Badkar's avatar
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Kate Middleton attending BAFTAs 2026
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The Princess of Wales showcased one of the season's most talked-about hairstyles yesterday evening, as she stepped out on the red carpet for the 2026 BAFTAs event.

After a two-year hiatus from the prestigious British film and TV awards evening, she created a look that was all about elegance and style, with her naturally-textured loose and deep waves.

"Styles like this are very in line with what we’re seeing right now, softer, more wearable glamour rather than rigid Hollywood curls,". explains Fudge Professional Global Ambassador, Jonathan Andrew. "There’s a real shift towards hair that feels expensive but effortless, with movement, width and texture doing the work instead of heavy styling. It’s a look that translates from red carpet to real life easily, which is why it resonates."

Kate Middleton attending BAFTAs 2026

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The hairstyle, coined 'Wuthering Heights hair', after Emerald Fennell's February 2026 adaptation of the 1847 Emily Brontë book, has had the beauty industry abuzz ever since the film's star Margot Robbie donned it throughout the January press tour.

A glamourous but laidback look that heroes the natural texture of the hair, while still offering an elegant wave, it's one that we've seen more and more people wearing over the past few weeks - so we can only imagine that its popularity will continue to grow.

So we spoke to the experts on how to recreate this romantic look for all the year's most important occasions.

How to recreate Kate Middleton's BAFTAs hair look

"This look is super simple to achieve and is something that everyone can do at home - providing obviously you've got that longer hair," says Andrew. "The key to achieving this is to create those waves and wave them away from the face, so that it opens up the face brings out all of those cheek bones, jawline eyes and allows you to have that more polished finish."

"The difference between “nice curls” and Princess Kate waves is brushing and restraint," adds Becky Sutherland, Brand Ambassador for haircare brand OSMO. "Don’t over-curl. Don’t over-spray. And always keep the movement soft and controlled rather than tousled."

To recreate the look, Sutherland advises to follow these steps:

  1. Prep for polish: Start on dry hair and mist evenly with your best heat protection spray to protect from heat and smooth the cuticle.
  2. Add texture: Follow with a texturising spray (woman&home's Beauty Shopping & eCommerce Editor, Aleesha Badkar, loves the Fudge Professional Sea Salt Texturising Spray), concentrating through the mid-lengths. This gives the waves grip and prevents them from dropping too quickly - especially important if your hair is naturally silky.
  3. Create structured waves: Using a medium-barrel curling wand, take medium sections and curl away from the face. Hold each section for just a few seconds - you’re creating shape, not tight curls. Alternate the placement slightly so the waves don’t merge into one big curl. Leave the ends straighter for that modern, elongated finish. Let the curls cool completely. This part matters more than people realise.
  4. Brush into softness: Once cooled, gently brush through with a boar-bristle brush to transform the curls into smooth, flowing waves. Flip your part slightly to one side if you want that subtle royal lift at the crown. You can even use your fingers to encourage the front pieces to sweep softly across the cheekbone.
  5. Lock in shine: Mist lightly with an extra firm hairspray from a distance to hold the structure without freezing it solid. I recommend finishing with a light veil of OSMO Blinding Shine Illuminating Finisher Shine Spray to enhance that glassy, red-carpet gloss.

When it comes to styling for different hair types, Sutherland explains that "it’s also a very adaptable look," adding: "On fine hair, prep is everything, building grip and lift so the waves hold.

"On thicker or textured hair, smoothing and sectioning properly will keep the movement soft rather than heavy.

"Naturally wavy or curly hair can lean into its own texture and simply refine the front and mid-lengths for that polished finish, rather than fully re-styling the whole head."

Products to recreate the look...

Aleesha Badkar
Aleesha Badkar
Beauty eComm Editor, woman&home

Aleesha is Beauty eComm Editor at woman&home, where she gets to share her expertise into all the best techniques, sharpest tools and newest products—with a particular savvy in skincare and fragrance.

Previously, she was Deputy Editor and Beauty & Fashion Editor for My Imperfect Life, where she headed up the beauty, fashion and eCommerce pages. In the past, she has contributed to a number of women's lifestyle publications, including Women's Health and Stylist, and has earned an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London and an AOP awards nomination for her past work on woman&home's news team.

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