Throughout the many years Meghan Markle has been in the spotlight, she has undergone several notable beauty transformations. When Markle first entered the public spotlight, she rocked gorgeous natural curls. However, as time went on and she became more high-profile in Hollywood, she evolved these bouncy looks into sleeker ‘dos, straightening her hair regularly. Another change came when she started a relationship with Prince Harry and eventually became a working royal. Over the decades, she has experimented with several hair trends, making changes to her length, color, style, and more.
Since childhood, she took hair risks
As a child, Meghan Markle’s hair was a deep brown color with an ultra-curly texture. Markle told Ellen DeGeneres that when she was around 10 years old, she cut her hair after seeing Andie MacDowell in “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” However, she was unaware that ethnic hair wouldn’t have the same effect, and the cut led to bullying in school. As a result, she decided to go longer and stay away from short hair in the future.
Her “Deal or No Deal” cut
Some people might not remember this, but Meghan Markle was once a briefcase girl on “Deal or No Deal” from 2006 to 2007. She wore long, layered, soft curls that were voluminous with a glossy aesthetic. The long layers kept her hair bouncy and packed with body, with Victoria’s Secret model energy.
Simple, no-fuss styles in her early acting days
When Markle first got on everyone’s radar, she often wore her hair pulled back in a casual ponytail, like she did at the 2006 George Lopez and Great Chefs of LA charity event for the National Kidney Foundation at The Ritz-Carlton. The result was natural and authentic.
Sleek and straight in the mid-2000s
From 2010 to 2011, she went sleek and understated. She experimented with color. She dyed her hair a lighter tone, infusing reds into her browns and opting for an auburn look. This was when she married her first husband, Trevor Engelson. This aesthetic was more refined and modern. It was a bit shorter than in previous years, and slightly straighter as well, completed by cooler undertones for an effortlessly chic finish. She then switched to a deeper shade of brown.
Another change at the beginning of “Suits”
When she became known for playing Rachel Zane on “Suits,” she carefully styled her hair, which mostly remained in glossy blowouts in that classic auburn tone. As the seasons went on, she started sporting a darker brown color, which Markle wore off-screen as well.
After skyrocketing to fame, she went ultra-groomed
Curly looks were far in the past for Meghan Markle after she became a popular topic in many households for dating Prince Harry, whom she met in 2016. This turned her into the most Googled actress of 2016, leading her to adopt a sleek and polished look at public events, with nary a hair out of place.
Meghan Markle changes her hair again after dating Prince Harry
As she officially became the girlfriend of a royal, the two were spotted at the 2017 Invictus Games, which was their first public appearance. She opted for a more casual look by wearing her long hair down with a middle part, creating a casual-chic yet tousled effect that was breezy and relaxed with major California vibes.
When she got engaged, her hair launched a trend
Announcing their engagement in November 2017, Meghan donned a look that inspired countless others in her engagement photos — the aesthetic was sexy yet fresh. She inspired full-bodied, voluminous looks with relaxed curls for women with long hair. Who doesn’t love bouncy layers with loose and wavy curls?
Meghan Markle goes effortless and romantic for her wedding
On her wedding day, the future Duchess of Sussex opted for a chic, low bun, complete with a middle part and face-framing pieces, which took less than an hour to style. This look was timeless and effortless, especially when compared to the styles of many other brides who spend hours in the chair on their wedding day. This allowed the tiara and the veil to shine as well.
Her favorite look was a chic bun when she was a working royal
As a working royal, Markle’s go-to look was a loose and undone bun, paying tribute to the look she chose on the day of the wedding. She settled on the style because it was appropriate yet not overly formal. Her former hairstylist, George Northwood, called it “refined imperfection.”
She used box dye on her hair
Despite having lived in Buckingham Palace and being on all the magazine covers, it turns out that Meghan Markle is just like us. During COVID-19, she couldn’t book a salon appointment and used boxed hair dye while social distancing protocols were in place.
Meghan Markle retired her messy bun for a middle part
After an appearance on “CBS News Sunday Morning” in September 2024, people were wondering how Meghan’s hair looked so thick and luscious. Her stylist said that it wasn’t hair extensions, as rumors said, but that it was well-styled hair with an off-center parting. The stylist explained that a Hollywood wave, starting from the cheekbone, created an illusion of added volume.
She switches to a modern, relaxed curl in “With Love, Meghan”
For her Netflix series, Meghan Markle often wore her hair with modern and elegant styling, going with wavy, loose curls and a very smooth texture. She’s settled into wearing her long hair down, representing the new post-royal chapter of her life that doesn’t require such strict protocols.
