Prince William caused an internet stir on Sunday after releasing a new video message alongside Princess Kate congratulating the British and Northern Irish athletes who had competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Though all eyes may have initially been on Kate, who made only her second public speaking appearance of the year in the clip as she continues to receive treatment following her cancer diagnosis, it was William's picture that provoked comment.
The royal was sporting a fresh face of stubble in what appeared to be the beginning of a beard. He had not grown out a full beard since 2008 when he was required to shave to rejoin the British Army. For hundreds of years, the British Army had a strict ban on facial hair for serving officers, which has only recently been relaxed.
The facial hair appearance also prompted comparisons with William's younger brother, Prince Harry, who, in his 2023 memoir, suggested the future king resented the fact he'd been able to keep his beard when he married Meghan Markle in 2018 while wearing a military uniform after Queen Elizabeth II gave him special permission.
Though the beard debate may have grown somewhat out of proportion following William's video message appearance, it showcases a more relaxed side to the future monarch who, Newsweek chief royal correspondent Jack Royston told listeners of The Royal Report podcast, maintains a formal image.
"As with anything that happens in the royal family, the world of Twitter (X) is divided into those who already liked William and Kate, and therefore think William's beard looks incredible, and those who already hated William and Kate, who think that William's beard looks terrible," Royston said.
"And you know that will always be the case. But I actually think it looks quite good, and I honestly think he should be free to have one.
"I think that possibly one thing that may have happened is that the British Army recently changed its rules to allow soldiers to have a beard while in uniform, which had not previously been allowed before. So it's possible that William, as a future commander in chief of the British British Armed Forces, has taken that as permission to kind of just play a little more fast and loose."
Newsweek reached out to Kensington Palace via email for comment.
"I mean, it doesn't look at this particular moment in time like it's a necessarily fully deliberate full-face curated beard. It's kind of just stubble," Royston continued. "So it could be a holiday beard that he gets rid of in due course, or maybe this is just the first step to growing a beard like the one he used to have before he got married.
"Either way, I think good luck to him, and I actually think the Waleses can, at points, especially William, be super conservative with a small 'c' in the way that they dress. And to see William branch out a little bit and do something different, I think, is all par for the course. So good luck to him."
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III and Queen Camilla, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
