Duchess of Edinburgh makes dramatic appearance change as she debuts new look

The Duchess of Edinburgh has unveiled a striking new change to her appearance at the Groundswell Regenerative Agriculture Festival in Hitchin on Wednesday, as she debuted a new look.

Sophie, 61, arrived at the Hertfordshire event with a noticeably different haircut, having chopped several inches from her blonde hair to create a low-maintenance bob that now sits at shoulder length.

The timing of her new look could be deliberate, as Britain braces for its third heatwave of the summer this Friday.

Forecasters expect temperatures to climb above 30C once again, following what has already been the hottest May and June on record.

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For her visit to Lannock Farm in Weston, the mother-of-two chose a denim midi skirt paired with a blue blouse by designer Penelope Chilvers.

She completed the look with tan boots, gold jewellery, and her reading glasses resting atop her newly cropped hair.

The two-day festival focuses on promoting sustainable agricultural practices, a cause close to the royal's heart following her recent environmental engagements.

She attended the event in her capacity as Honorary President, Linking Environment And Farming.

Sophie appeared in good spirits as she met with attendees at the event, which brings together farmers and experts committed to regenerative farming methods.

This marks the first occasion Sophie has been photographed sporting short hair.

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She had been spotted at the Sandringham Horse Driving Trials on the King's Norfolk estate this weekend, alongside her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.

There, Sophie wore a beige blazer with her matching hat, remaining for the afternoon to present prizes to competition winners.

This appearance marked Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's, Sophie's brother-in-law, first public outing since being exiled to Marsh Farm.

The duchess's dramatic appearance change at the agricultural festival today follows a busy period of royal engagements, including a historic two-day trip to Jersey last week.

During that visit, she became the first member of the Royal Family to travel to Les Écréhous, highlighting the island's dedication to sustainable food production.

The duchess also visited Eyecan, Jersey's sole sight impairment charity, where she tested glasses simulating cataracts and tried AI-powered Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

Sophie's commitment to sight loss campaigning stems from her daughter Lady Louise Windsor's early vision difficulties, born from premature birth in 2003, which caused a condition requiring correction.

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