Hairstylist George Northwood Confirms Which of Meghan Markle's Iconic Looks He Was Behind
The hairstylist behind some of Meghan Markle‘s most iconic looks is speaking out!
George Northwood broke his silence on working with Meghan on Instagram Tuesday, later speaking with British Vogue about creating hairstyles for the Duchess of Sussex.
Northwood told the outlet that Meghan’s trademark messy bun was borne of an attempt to honor royal protocol while staying trendy.
“The messy bun purely came off the back of making the hair both appropriate and adhering to royal protocol, and modern at the same time,” he said. “We wanted it to be up, because a lot of the time it was appropriate for it to be up, but we didn’t want it to be too formal. We always wanted it to be refined imperfection — that’s what sums her up.”
Northwood and Meghan met in February of 2018, and quickly hit it off, the hairstylist said — and while he was initially nervous to meet the former actress, she quickly put him at ease with her laid-back, West Coast demeanor.
Darren Gerrish/WireImage George Northwood
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“I was a bit worked up beforehand and then, as soon as I met her, she was just like my California girl clients,” Northwood told Vogue. “She said, ‘I’m a Cali girl’, and I just said, ‘One of my favorites then.’ We hit it off – we immediately spoke the same language.”
Northwood designed hair looks for Meghan based on what royal duty she was attending to that day, and for each style tried to bring a bit of that “California girl” flair.
“The way she approaches things is how an everyday woman would approach things — she has a real sense of style and she wanted to look approachable, even though she was a princess,” Northwood said. “She was a very modern princess, the sort of princess we can relate to and aspire to, and the hair just fell into that.”
Steve Parsons/Getty Images Meghan Markle
Northwood is also the man behind one of Meghan’s most iconic hairstyles: an elevated version of the messy bun with loose curls that she wore at her royal wedding reception.
“The evening was intimate, for family and friends, a time for Meghan to be herself. By this point, the messy bun had become such a thing and we wanted to do something equally relaxed and effortless,” Northwood said.
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“Often with brides — and this was no different — the daytime bit is a bit more nerve-wracking, and then the evening comes and it’s more about wanting to have fun,” he continued. “That’s what my hair is about: it’s wearable, effortless and can withstand a dance floor.”
And while Northwood and Meghan are now based on different continents after her move to Los Angeles, the hairstylist said they stay in touch, and applauded Meghan for her “grace and professionalism.”
“We align on so many values and things she stands for are close to my heart,” he said. “It’s a new chapter, obviously we aren’t living in the same country but I still check in all the time. She puts so much thought into everything, she really has your back and supports small businesses. Working with them was an enormous privilege and I enjoyed every minute — we created some iconic moments.”
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On Instagram Tuesday, Northwood shared several photos of Meghan’s hair looks from the past couple of years.
“It has been an enormous privilege and a lot of fun working with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex over the past two years,” he wrote in the caption. “I have enjoyed every minute collaborating with this amazing couple who not only champion small businesses but have taught me so much about diversity, equality and the importance of good mental health. Here are a few of their many wonderful moments that I was honoured to be a part of.”
Northwood added to British Vogue that he shared the photos in an effort to “share my positive experience and this big thing we’ve achieved that I’m so proud of.”
Now that the secret’s out that he was behind so many of Meghan’s hairstyles, Northwood reflected on keeping their working relationship out of the public eye.
“Creating such iconic looks but not talking about them — there was actually something really nice in that,” he said.
