Catherine, The Princess of Wales, is subverting the classic 'dark hair for winter' rule by debuting yet another transition from her signature brunette shade. This week, the royal unveiled an even brighter blonde than her recent bronde update – a gilded taupe colour we’re calling 'antique blonde'. While we've yet to see a clear shot of the princess's new hue, the fresh shade can be viewed from a candid photo taken during her church service attendance at the royal family's Scottish summer break this week.

While Kate Middleton's coveted chocolate shade has long held an unwavering allure, recent months have seen her signature colour gradually lightening with summer's progression. Now, heading into autumn, the princess has unveiled one of her brightest looks yet: a vintage blonde tone that marks a striking departure from the rich hues we've come to expect from her.

crathie, aberdeenshire august 24: prince william, prince of wales and catherine, princess of wales depart by car at crathie kirk after attending the church service on august 24, 2025 in crathie, aberdeenshire. (photo by jeff j mitchell/getty images)
JEFF J MITCHELL//Getty Images

The new shade, reminiscent of aged golden metal, carries the same neutral undertone as her previous mushroom bronde colour, which she notably wore throughout Wimbledon. The update? Her 'antique blonde' tone features a paler depth and a newfound sunkissed reflectivity. If you're seeking the perfect transitional colour from late summer into autumn, look no further than this luxe auric shade, which is subtly different from summer's viral 'bronze blonde' trend, also seen on Beyoncé and Sydney Sweeney.

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london, england july 12: catherine, princess of wales attends day thirteen of the wimbledon tennis championships at the all england lawn tennis and croquet club at all england lawn tennis and croquet club on july 12, 2025 in london, england. (photo by karwai tang/wireimage)
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london, england july 12: catherine, princess of wales as she arrives to attend the ladies' singles final during day thirteen of the championships wimbledon 2025 at all england lawn tennis and croquet club on july 12, 2025 in london, england. (photo by jordan pettitt wpa pool/getty images)
WPA Pool//Getty Images

'We've seen this look evolve over the last few years, but it's officially here to stay,' celebrity colourist Harriet Muldoon previously told ELLE UK. 'The base is taken to a rich, warm blonde tone, with the undertone lifted to allow a natural warmth to come through. Balayage highlights are worked through the midsections and ends to create contrast. The weaves are slightly thicker so they don’t get lost in the hair. You want these pieces to stand out.'

While we wait for further images to emerge of the royal's latest beauty transformation, we're sure her shiny new blonde will not disappoint.

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Katie Withington
Beauty Writer

Katie Withington (she/her) is the Beauty Writer, at ELLE UK and Harper’s Bazaar. Working alongside the ELLE UK Beauty Team, she covers all things beauty for both print and digital, from finding backstage make-up trends at London Fashion Week and investigating buzzy skincare ingredients, to unzipping the beauty bags of Hailey Bieber and Margot Robbie. Prior to joining ELLE UK in 2022, Katie studied (BA) Fashion Journalism at London College of Fashion and has previously contributed to Red, Good Housekeeping and Prima.