Princess Diana's Hairdresser Opens Up About Cutting the Royal Locks

Princess Diana’s hair always looked beautiful, just like the rest of the beloved late royal. Now, the man who cut her hair for more than a decade is opening up about what his experience was like. In an exclusive interview with Town & Country, Richard Dalton explained the enormous responsibilities that came along with trimming the lovely royal locks.

“I was with her every day for 12 years,” he told the publication.

Dalton first met Diana when she was just 17 years old, when he was cutting her sisters’ hair at Fenwick of Bond Street’s in-store salon. He said he wasn’t responsible for the People’s Princess’s famous flicked-and-feathered haircut. That was the work of another stylist named Kevin Shanley — who also styled Diana for her wedding to Prince Charles. But not long after Diana got hitched, Dalton was put in charge of making sure that her hairdo remained royally stunning. If you ask us, we think he did a pretty phenomenal job — especially considering the big challenges that came his way.

princess diana hair

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

One task he remembers is the process of cutting Diana’s hair to a “shorter, easier” style for a trip to Africa — which took a lot longer than a standard trim. And by a lot longer, he means weeks. The princess was concerned about the impact that a big change right away would have, so she and Dalton decided to do the haircut in increments.

“Whatever I did to her hair became front page news,” Dalton said. “We had to be very careful. We had to do it one-fourth of an inch at a time over several weeks.”

Dalton, who also gave Prince Harry and Prince William haircuts, didn’t reveal truly personal information about the princess out of respect for her memory and her sons. But he did say that watching the royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle brought back memories for him. He also approved of the bride’s look for her big day.

“Her hair looked very elegant,” he said. “It not only complemented the gown, but also balanced the tiara and veil.”

meghan markle hair

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

He added, “What people don’t realize is the magnitude of that monarch length veil and the significance of the tiara. It’s a crown jewel, and must be respected and protected. You have to be extremely careful and gentle with it, and absolutely no hairspray or styling product can touch the stones.”

Dalton also noticed all the subtle tributes paid to Diana at the royal wedding, such as her favorite hymn, saying that “she was there in many ways.”