We all caught a tantalizing glimpse of Kate’s new hair color at the end of last month when she was being driven to church near Balmoral. The eagle-eyed among us zoomed in on the photo on our phones. Does it appear lighter due to the sun? Has Kate finally decided to move away from her trademark shiny, conker hair color?

Well, today we got our answer. The Prince and Princess of Wales went on an official visit to the Natural History Museum in London and nearly broke the internet. There she was, smiling broadly, looking just like her old self but with an air of lightness in her step, and not just because she was wearing £199 flats by Pretty Ballerinas. She appeared more modern. Her skin had a radiant glow.

I can only describe the new color as ‘buttery’ or ‘ash’: not brassy in the slightest. The parting is slightly off-center, as a center part can be harsh, while the curls are much curlier.

Kate has not gone grey so far as we know, but this lighter shade will certainly hide any snaking, wiry, annoying grey hairs (and it’s worth knowing that the sudden onset of grey can be more common after chemotherapy).

Very dark hair against ageing skin can look a little, how can I put it, late era Catherine Zeta Jones. Cleverly, over the last year or so, Kate has gradually transitioned from very dark to chocolate to dark caramel – a wise move that won’t shock the follicles with too much bleach and risk breakage.

What this new, more modern colour is telling us is that Kate has grown up. Having endured treatment for cancer, this looks to me like a new start, a freshen up. It’s fearless, too: she is unafraid of what others might think because who can be bothered to sweat the small stuff now? She is pleasing only herself.

The Princess of Wales showed off her new hair colour on an official visit to the Natural History Museum in London today

The lighter shade will certainly hide any annoying grey hairs, which can appear suddenly after having chemotherapy

Of course, moments after her new look was revealed, the internet exploded, and the comments were for the most part a little harsh. Anything this different and new feels like a big change for fans to get used to.

‘Makes her look older… and tired,’ said one. ‘Lose the Rapunzel locks,’ opined another. ‘Kate is now in competition with Angela Rayner’;‘ Hideous.’

Oh get over it. By 3pm, there had been 4,000 posts on X about her hair, and many of them negative, which is maddening. No one else seems willing to confront it so I will: This trolling is revolting.

You can’t have it both ways. A while back, celebrity hairdresser Nicky Clarke called Kate’s old hair colour, the shade she has sported all her life, ‘unadventurous’. Well, today she’s the sartorial equivalent of Bear Grylls.

Prince William and Kate visited the museum for a tour of the gardens

And there were nice people out there too: ‘Kate brings the sunshine in the rain,’ said one.

As for so many women, Kate’s hair has always been her comfort blanket, and to me this reveal is a clear sign she has new-found confidence. Critics online also added today that her hair is far too long, questioning whether she is using extensions or even a wig. But why are women always told to cut their hair once they pass 40? It’s our superpower, something to caress, show off, to pull back in a chignon or unleash in soft curls. Sometimes, it’s useful to hide behind, too.

Kate’s style today is very feminine, but a look that tells us she is well and truly back, means business and, well, we all know that blondes have more fun… I bet William loves it. Although doubtless he didn’t have a say, which is exactly how it should be.