There are a lot of weird rules that Prince William and Kate Middleton are forced to follow as high-ranking members of the royal family. And for the most part, they seem happy to fall in line. But while the Prince and Princess of Wales aren’t as big of rebels as the Sussexes, both William and Kate have been caught breaking the rules on occasion. In fact, one of hers actually occurred on the day she married the heir apparent to the British throne — when Kate made a beauty decision that eschewed a centuries-old royal tradition.

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For 350 years, it was customary for the bride at a royal wedding to wear her hair up. But when she tied the knot with William back in 2011, Kate made a point of wearing her hair down and loose instead. Of course, this didn’t happen without pushback from inside The Firm. “Royal sources tell me that the royals indicated very strongly to Kate that they would prefer her to wear her hair up for this very special occasion,” royal expert Ashley Pearson dished in the documentary “William & Kate: The Journey” (via Express). 

She continued, “Kate had her heart set on wearing her hair down with long flowing curls,” adding that this particular hairstyle was not only the princess’ favorite, but that William was quite fond of it too. So, the other royals relented. “They ended up compromising on her look,” Pearson confirmed. And, as royal commentator Amanda Matta exclusively told The List, the beloved royal’s choice actually says a lot about her personality.

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According to royal commentator Amanda Matta, Kate Middleton probably wasn’t trying to deliberately irk the royal family by wearing her hair down for her wedding. Rather, she was likely just remaining true to herself and the Princess of Wales’ middle-class roots, even as she joined the extravagant (and often extremely traditional) world of the British monarchy. As Matta opined, “The late [Queen Elizabeth II] was known for valuing tradition, but Kate’s polished yet relaxed approach to her wedding day look showed that she could honor royal expectations while still being herself.” 

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The royal commentator added that her ability to look right at home among the royal family while also keeping her own unique personality intact is part of the reason she’s so well-liked among fans. Matta added that Kate, a future queen consort in her own right, has only continued to strike that balance, even all these years after initially tying the knot with Prince William — and the princess shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. 

Matta noted, “While she hasn’t been known to push boundaries outright, she has made subtle adjustments to royal norms: Repeating outfits, championing high-street fashion, and adopting trousers while on official engagements,” thus concluding, “As queen, she will likely continue to embody a thoughtful mix of tradition and modern relevance — adapting to the times without straying from the core values of a very traditional monarchy.”

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