This is why Kate Middleton often wears hats when stepping off a plane

kate middleton hat plane
(Image credit: Getty Images)

We all know the royals have a whole handbook full of fashion hacks, such as wearing shoes that are one size too big to avoid blisters, and having weights sewn into skirts so they don't blow up in the wind.

Speaking of wind, there is another trick the Duchess of Cambridge uses to avoid having hair in her face, specifically when she steps off a plane during an official visit, where there are often photographer waiting.

According to etiquette expert Myka Meier, it doesn't involve hairspray, but simply wearing a hat.

She told The Sun, 'Often it’s so windy and breezy that hats are used to keep hair in place. Just like the dresses fly up, so does your hair. Right when you walk off the aeroplane those are the first photos that go viral, so the hat is often used right when they walk off for that reason.'

Kate Middleton is also fond of hairnets, for when she has a chic updo that she doesn't want to budge, and royal women often use combs to keep their hats in place too. Princess Diana was especially fond of this trick.

So next time you see Kate stepping off a plane, wearing a hat, you'll know why.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.