Princess Diana's hairdresser shares unseen anecdotes from her royal life and how her wedding day hair was ‘a disaster’
Richard Dalton, Princess Diana's former hairstylist, just released a memoir that offers never-before-heard stories from his service to the beloved royal
Richard Dalton, Princess Diana's former hairstylist, has unveiled a deeply personal memoir that offers new insights into his decade-long service to one of the world's most beloved royals. It’s All About the Hair— My Decade with Diana was written by Richard and co-authored by Renae Plant, curator of the Princess Diana Museum; the book delves into their close relationship and never-before-shared stories from the princess' everyday life.
To start with, Richard recounts how he was not just Diana's hairstylist but also an intimate part of her family life, even giving young Princes William and Harry their first haircuts. He humorously recalls the nerves he felt during Harry’s first trim. “The first time I cut Harry’s hair, the windows were open, and I was holding his lock of reddish hair, thinking, ‘Oh, if this blows away, I’m in trouble. I’ll be put in the Tower of London,’” he tells PEOPLE. Thankfully it didn’t and Diana placed it in one of her baby books.
Through the book, Richard also spotlighted Diana’s transformation after becoming a mother, recalling how her sons brought out the best in her. “She absolutely loved and adored her boys, and she also craved affection. Her boys gave her that. The princess was at her very best as a mother,” he said. He also remembers how they would playfully interrupt their mother’s hair appointments, eager to be near her.
Richard was instrumental in styling Diana’s hair in the lead-up to her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. Although he wasn't the one to style her on the big day — that task fell to his colleague — he later revealed that both he and Diana were less than pleased with the outcome. “Diana did express to me that she wished she could do the wedding over again to ‘get the hair right’. However, she never mentioned any other regrets while I did her hair,” he said.
One of the more creative moments Richard shares is from a 1988 event in Bangkok, where he took a bold step by using fresh orchids to complement Diana’s vibrant dress. “I loved taking risks with Diana’s hair by trying new things like the orchards in Thailand, and I literally went around the hotel all day pinching orchids from the floral arrangements to use as accessories in Diana’s hair to match her dress,” he says in the book. “Whatever I saw, I took — and nobody stopped me. Eventually, I got all the colours I wanted to use — they represented Thailand and also matched her dress.”
Richard's departure from Diana’s service in 1991 marked the end of an era for both. “…(she)was going through a really rough stage of her life with Charles and wanted a fresh staff and could tell I wanted my life back,” he told PEOPLE. “She said, ‘I think [you want] your freedom back’ — and it was mutual. I didn’t realize how much pressure I was under until I left,” he said candidly, highlighting the mutual understanding they shared.
It’s All About the Hair is more than just a memoir, it’s a tribute to a princess who was as human as she was iconic, capturing the essence of a woman who continues to inspire admiration and affection long after her passing.
