A paparazzi shot through a car window of the Princess of Wales is currently causing a stir. Not much can be seen in the slightly blurred pictures of Kate, but one thing immediately catches the eye: the Princess’s hair looks much lighter. Instead of the usual hazel shade, the royal is now wearing a medium blonde honey shade, with the light strands falling over her shoulders in soft waves.

When the Princess returned to royal duties after her chemotherapy treatment last year, royal fans quickly noticed that she gradually lightened her hair over the following months. During President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit a few weeks ago, Middleton sported a honey bronde shade – a warm tone somewhere between brown and blonde. At the time, there was still speculation as to whether it was really a dye job or whether her hair just looked lighter in the sunlight.

Fast forward to this weekend, and Kate and Prince William were photographed with their children after going to church in Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral. Under her hat, the long waves shimmer much brighter – and blonder – than ever.

Even though the latest pictures were taken through the car window and the tint of the windows makes it difficult to see the exact shade, the Princess of Wales’s hair is definitely lighter than ever before. We will wait to see the new blonde shade properly at the Princess’s next public engagement.