Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton waves to wellwishers after touring the National Football Museum during her visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/ Getty Images

Kate Middleton had a change of heart about her hairstyle on a public appearance in Manchester today Friday (14 October) with her husband Prince William.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 34, originally wore her brunette tresses in a rolled ponytail. Perhaps changing her mind about the polished and preened look, she later appeared with her hair in a loose, wavy style as she emerged from the city's town hall.

Kate – who has been experimenting with different hairstyles recently including several types of elegant updos – mesmerised onlookers with her exceptionally stylish tweed coat by British fashion house Erdem.

The Duchess oozed elegance upon arriving at their first stop, The National Football Museum in Manchester's Urbis building. She was wearing the Resort 2016 tweed blue and pink check coat which she teamed with a vintage black blouse from the designer.

The cinched-in waist of the outerwear piece made sure to highlight the duchess' svelte physique and she stylishly paired it with some suede navy heels. Her slick ponytail inserted a touch of formality into the autumnal ensemble, especially with the addition of some classic pearl earrings, but she looked considerably more pared-down and youthful when she let her hair down.

kate middleton
Change your hair? Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leave Manchester Town Hall after attending a paving stone ceremony for Victoria Cross recepients Darren Staples - WPA Pool/Getty Images
kate middleton
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge Darren Staples - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton wave to the crowd after touring the National Football Museum during their visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/ Getty Images
Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton meets wellwishers after touring the National Football Museum during her visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/ Getty Images

William and Kate attended a reception with some young Mancunians who are making a difference to their communities. They then experienced a tour of the museum, which aims to explain why football has become "the people's game" and a key part of England's heritage.

Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton attend a paving stone ceremony for Victoria Cross recepients at the Manchester Cenotap during their visit to Manchester Darren Staples/ Getty Images
Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton attend a paving stone ceremony for Victoria Cross recepients at the Manchester Cenotap during their visit to Manchester Darren Staples/ Getty Images
Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton (hair detail) meets wellwishers after touring the National Football Museum during her visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/ Getty Images
Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton, after touring the National Football Museum during their visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/ Getty Images

The royal couple also attended a paving stone ceremony at the Manchester town hall's Cenotaph as part of their several engagements in the city – which included a visit to a hospice first opened by Princess Diana in 1991. They laid commemorative paving stones honouring Manchester's six Victoria Cross recipients as part of the First World War Centenary campaign.

They met and chatted to staff and patients at Francis House hospice which provides care for children and young adults with life-limiting conditions and is celebrating its 25<sup>th anniversary. The royal couple have continued Princess Diana's legacy by making hospice care a priority – regularly making visits and speaking on the subject. Though Francis House offers its services for free, it needs to raise £4.2million this year to fund running costs, so a royal visit was undoubtedly more welcome than ever.

Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton meets children from St Philips school in Salford after touring the National Football Museum during her visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/ Getty Images
Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton lay a wreath during a paving stone ceremony for Victoria Cross recepients at the Manchester Cenotap during their visit to Manchester Darren Staples/ Getty Images
Kate Middleton
Prince William and Kate Middleton lay a wreath during a paving stone ceremony for Victoria Cross recepients at the Manchester Cenotap during their visit to Manchester Darren Staples/ Getty Images
Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton arrives at The National Football Museum during the visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/ Getty Images

On today's engagement, Kensington Palace said: "Very few young people with life-limiting conditions were able to survive past the age of 16 years in the mid 1990s, now thanks to facilities like Francis House, many are able to live beyond this."

The royal couple were spending time at the National Graphene Institute at The University of Manchester. Some of the latest Kensington Palace tweets: