From Diana’s soft eyeliner to Meghan’s trusty lash curler: The affordable beauty hacks used by the Royal Family to ensure they look immaculate on every occasion

Members of the Royal Family are of course among the most photographed people in the world.

So they must maintain a polished appearance, despite their demanding schedules.

To achieve this, royals from the late Princess Diana to Meghan Markle have relied on a variety of beauty tips and tricks to ensure they always look impeccable. 

Here are some of their top hacks that are accessible for all. 

Soften eyeliner with a cotton bud

Princess Diana ‘s make-up artist, Mary Greenwell, used a cotton bud to soften and blend her eyeliner. Above: Diana in 1988 (left) and 1989, during a tour of Indonesia

The late Princess Diana‘s make-up artist, Mary Greenwell, used a cotton bud to soften and blend her eyeliner. 

‘I wanted her to have a very soft eye, a very workable eye – but never too much,’ she once revealed.

Diana initially preferred blue pencil eyeliner, but Greenwell persuaded her to switch to beige and brown shades following a Vogue photoshoot in 1991.  

‘The thing that I changed most about Princess Diana’s look was actually moving away from the blue liner, which was very aging for her,’ she explained.

Exercise facial muscles  

Meghan Markle is an advocate of using facial exercises to promote sharper cheekbones and a more defined jawline

Strengthening the muscles in your neck, chin and jaw can subtly enhance your facial structure, promoting sharper cheekbones and a more defined jawline. 

Meghan Markle, an advocate of facial exercises, told Birchbox: ‘I do facial exercises from one of my favourite aestheticians, Nicola Joss, who basically has you sculpt your face from the inside out.

‘I swear it works, as silly as you may feel. On the days I do it, my cheekbones and jawline are way more sculpted.’

Perfect the natural make-up look

Catherine, Princess of Wales, is known for her natural make-up style and famously created her own wedding day look under the guidance of Bobbi Brown pro, Hannah Martin

Catherine, Princess of Wales, is known for her natural make-up style and famously created her own wedding day look under the guidance of Bobbi Brown pro Hannah Martin.

Her look featured a combination of three eyeshadow shades: Ivory on the lids, Rockstar on the lower lid, and Slate in the crease.

Kate also favours Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in black for creating a smoky eye effect.

Wear nude nail polish

In 1989, Queen Elizabeth’s hairdresser wrote to nail care brand Essie requesting a bottle of the shade Ballet Slippers, describing it as ‘the only colour Her Majesty would wear’.

It soon became a must-have for the Queen. In recent years, both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle have also been known to use Essie’s nail lacquers.

Essie’s Ballet Slippers nail varnish was ‘the only colour Her Majesty would wear’. Above: The Queen with her nails on display at Newbury in 2005

Use a hairnet to secure a bun

When styling her elegant updos, Kate often opts for a hairnet to keep her locks secure. 

These nearly invisible nets effectively hold her hairstyle in place and ensure there are no rogue flyaways.

When styling her elegant updos, Kate often opts for a hairnet to keep her locks secure. Above: Kate wearing a hairnet attending the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in March 2019

Invest in an eyelash curler

Meghan credited her Shu Uemura eyelash curler for helping her to look refreshed, even after a night of limited sleep.

‘Even if you don’t have a stitch of make-up on, you suddenly look a bit more alive,’ the then actress told Birchbox in 2013.

She also praised Touche Éclat by Yves Saint Laurent for its ability to impart a luminous glow during late-night filming sessions for Suits, the American TV drama she starred in. 

Meghan (pictured above visiting the University of Chichester in 2018) credited her Shu Uemura eyelash curler for helping her to look refreshed, even after a night of limited sleep

Create a custom lip colour

As monarch, Queen Elizabeth enjoyed the luxury of custom-made lipstick.

In 1952, Clarins produced a bespoke blue-red shade to complement her coronation robes.

Today, a number of brands, such as Lip Lab, offer custom lipstick shades at accessible prices for everyone.

As monarch, Queen Elizabeth enjoyed the luxury of custom-made lipstick. In 1952, Clarins produced a bespoke blue-red lipstick to complement Queen Elizabeth’s coronation robes