From Mary to the modern-day Madonna – the history of being blonde

The National Portrait Gallery is to exhibit a "top 20" of British blondes to test the maxim that the fair of hair have more fun.

Iconic images including Margaret Thatcher by Norman Parkinson and Diana Dors by Cornel Lucas will be shown alongside pictures of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the actresses Barbara Windsor and Joely Richardson.

The exhibition is timed to coincide with the publication of On Blondes, a book which follows the history of the fair-haired from ancient myth through the Renaissance to the platinum blonde of the Hollywood heyday and the ultimate power blondes, Margaret Thatcher and Diana.

Its author, Joanna Pitman, a photography critic, became a bottle blonde as part of her research. "I was in libraries and was appalled that I got a lot more help from men," she said. "I think I did have more fun. It made me feel happier. My mood was more positive – like when it's a sunny day."

Ms Pitman, 39, was inspired to write after her hair was bleached blonde by the sun while visiting Africa. The locals, intrigued by the colour, believed it implied magical powers so she decided to investigate further. She found that Eve was the first "bad" blonde, Renaissance courtesans dyed their hair blonde with horse urine or liquorice and Madonna sold more albums when she was blonde.

Even Elizabeth I decided to adopt blonde wigs in later life having started as auburn-haired. "It was something to do with the [blonde-haired] Virgin Mary. She wanted to link herself to the idea of the bride of the nation," Ms Pitman said. The Virgin Mary, like blonde characters in fairy tales, is the exception to the rule associating blondes with sexual allure.

On Blondes is published in March. The National Portrait Gallery exhibition will run from 6 March to 6 July. A simultaneous exhibition of photographs of blondes, including Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and Jerry Hall, will be staged at the Getty Images Gallery in London.