Kate Middleton's New Blond Hair Has Us Feeling Deja Vu (& Not In A Good Way)

Royal fans were thrilled to catch a glimpse of the Princess of Wales en route to church this weekend, but it wasn't the chestnut-haired future consort they were used to seeing. Instead, Kate Middleton was sporting a much blonder hue — and it kind of reminded us of another time she switched her trademark locks. Yes, we're talking about the bangs.

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As with the bangs — which some loved and others felt didn't do her any favors — Middleton's blonder hair has sparked a ton of debate. Some have loved the lighter look, with one X, formerly Twitter, user writing, "Her hair keeps getting lighter & I LOVE IT!" Another mused that she may have had it lightened for the summer, while another still pointed out that it may even have been less blond IRL. "I believe someone highlighted the picture so we could see them better hence a blonder shade," they wrote. As for those who weren't fans of the new look, let's just say they were... vocal. Countless social media users believed the specific blond used was the wrong shade for the Princess of Wales. In addition to some Instagram critics saying the color washed her out, others also felt the lighter shade aged Middleton. 

Of course, some have also pointed out that the noticeable hair color change was a helpful distraction from other goings-on in the Waleses' lives. As many will know, the family is planning to move to Forest Lodge, a private home within the Windsor Great Park. Not everyone is thrilled about that, and one Instagram commenter who believed the color change had been strategic didn't hold back. "It's a distraction. Still going to talk about your forever home, all the vacations you take, your laziness and whatever we feel like," they wrote. Tough crowd! 

If Kate Middleton has bleached her hair to divert attention away from her and Prince William's impending move, we doubt we'll be hearing anything official from their press team. Having said that, we wouldn't rule out the possibility that her hair color comes down to more than just wanting to be blond for the summer. After all, it's long been pointed out that major changes in her hair tend to happen around the same time as major announcements, like her pregnancies.

Granted, that's not to say the future queen consort might be hiding something (and no, we're not buying into the rampant pregnancy rumors). Quite the contrary, it's also possible that such a major change could be linked to her tragic journey with cancer. Speaking to Fox News, psychologist Carolyn Mair explained, "She may be reclaiming agency and visibility, and leaving her illness behind." On the other hand, stylist Sarah Gadsdon told the Daily Mail that there was also a possibility Middleton simply wanted a lower-maintenance color as she aged. "As Kate embraces the natural changes that come with aging, such as the increasing presence of gray strands, she's made a thoughtful shift in her hair color strategy. Rather than covering grays with darker dyes — which often require more frequent maintenance — she's opted for a lighter, blended tone," Gadsdon explained. 

Again, it's unlikely (read: literally not ever going to happen) that Middleton or her staff will ever confirm the reasons why she opted for a blonder 'do. However, as one aside, we couldn't help but notice that her hair looked a whole lot like her daughters'. While we're floating all the possible reasons for her lighter hair, let's add a sweet mommy and me moment with Princess Charlotte to the list.