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Meghan Markle’s 'Unconventional' Hairstyle Raises Eyebrows Among Royal Fans

Some thought the casual look was "too messy."
Meghan Markle visits Reprezent 107.3FM on Jan. 9, 2018 in London.
Chris Jackson via Getty Images
Meghan Markle visits Reprezent 107.3FM on Jan. 9, 2018 in London.

Meghan Markle will become part of the Royal Family this year, but she's not letting that stop her from dancing to her own beat.

At her first public engagement of 2018, the former "Suits" star stepped out in London with her fiancé Prince Harry, sporting a rather unconventional hairstyle (for the Royal Family, that is): a messy bun.

It's reportedly taboo for royals to have their hair looking less than perfect, with loose strands falling in their face. The Duchess of Cambridge, for instance, is known for sporting a classic chignon when opting for an updo, and often wears a hairnet as well, to make sure the look stays flawless.

The Duchess of Cambridge in Germany on July 19, 2017.
Sean Gallup via Getty Images
The Duchess of Cambridge in Germany on July 19, 2017.

As a result, royal fans had mixed feelings about Markle's casual hairstyle. While some loved it for being so relatable, others couldn't help but raise their eyebrows.

This isn't the first time Markle has broken an unofficial royal rule though, so it's not surprising the former actress is doing things her way. Previously, the 36-year-old went bare-legged to her wedding announcement in November (most royals would wear pantyhose) and later wore a semi-sheer dress for her official engagement photos with Harry.

The royals have quite a few fashion protocols they have to follow. Some of the biggest "don'ts" include wearing colourful nail polish, showing cleavage, and wearing wedges in front of the Queen.

As a result, not even Her Majesty is exempt from making a fashion misstep. Back in December, for instance, she accidentally matched her guests, Nigerian High Commissioner George Oguntade and his wife Modupe Adewemimo, when they arrived for a meeting at Buckingham Palace.

The trio all wore similar vibrant purple attire, which is the colour that has long been associated with royalty and, in the past, was only allowed to be worn by close members of the Royal Family, Harper's Bazaar reports.

Prince Harry's mother, the late Princess Diana, was also known for breaking royal protocol and famously disregarded the rule to wear gloves in public because she thought the accessory made interactions impersonal.

The late Diana, Princess of Wales meets children in an area of Sarajevo in Bosnia.
PA Images Archive via Getty Images
The late Diana, Princess of Wales meets children in an area of Sarajevo in Bosnia.

"She liked to hold hands when visiting people or shake hands and have direct contact," Eleri Lynn, the curator of a fashion exhibition on Princess Diana, told Hello magazine. "She also stopped wearing hats because she said, 'You can't cuddle a child in a hat.'"

Whether or not Markle is taking a rebellious fashion cue from Diana, we're excited to see how she develops her own style when she becomes a royal.

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