Prince Harry’s hair evolution over the years – see photos

When the prince was born, he already had a sprinkle of red hair on his head, thanks to his mother’s side of the family. 

All three of Princess Diana’s siblings, including Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Charles, 9th Earl Spencer, have red hair, making it a pleasant but not wholly unexpected surprise when Harry arrived with ginger locks.

As a toddler, Harry’s hair softened into a strawberry blonde colour, unlike his older brother, Prince William, who rocked brunette hair.

Growing up, Harry often sported a neat bowl cut, with his straight fringe giving him a polished appearance.

Harry began to experiment with his ginger hair as a teenager, often wearing it shorter and spiked up with gel in line with the popular ’90s style.

When the prince entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for officer training in 2005, he opted to wear his hair in a close-cropped style in keeping with tradition.

Harry began to grow out his beard for the first time in 2008 while on tour with the British Forces in Afghanistan.  

By 2013, Harry had fully embraced his facial hair, a look which went on to become part of his signature image.

As he entered his 30s, Harry’s hair began to thin around his hairline and the crown of his head, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Prince William.

Harry had his beard on full display for his wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018, yet kept it neat and sharp for the big day.

Although Harry has never confirmed nor denied whether he underwent a hair transplant in his 30s to achieve a fuller look, many royal watchers speculated as to why his tresses looked healthier than ever.  

Jay Dharamshi, a hair specialist and founder of Sky Clinic, spoke to HELLO! in 2023 and noted that the prince had “fuller and thicker” hair.

“In my opinion, Harry has likely had a non-surgical treatment, which made his hair appear more restored and fuller,” Jay said. 

“He could have a PRP hair restoration treatment or hair restoration mesotherapy, which involves micro-injections of active ingredients in mesoderm. Those are very effective treatments for slowing hair loss and increasing hair volume.”

As he enters his 40s, Harry has become known for his bushy beard and cropped hair, embracing the ageing process naturally.

Harry’s two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, appear to have inherited their dad’s ginger genes, with the former rocking auburn locks and the latter sporting strawberry blonde tresses in photos taken at their home in California. 

“The Spencer gene is very, very strong,” he shared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “I actually really, genuinely thought at the beginning of my relationship [with Meghan] that should this go the distance and we have kids, that there’s no way the ginger gene will stand up to my wife’s genes, but I was wrong!”