Prince William revealed a surprising new look during his summer break from royal duties, sparking intrigue among fans and media alike. The Duke of Cambridge, who has long been known for his clean-shaven appearance, debuted a beard in a video celebrating Team Great Britain as the Paris Olympics concluded. The video, featuring both Prince William and Kate Middleton, was uploaded on August 11, 2024, and marked a significant departure from William’s usual appearance, told The People.
Traditionally, Prince William has maintained a clean-shaven look, a habit likely influenced by his time in the Royal Air Force, where facial hair is prohibited. However, in this new video, he sported a beard reminiscent of his 2008 look, when he briefly grew facial hair during the royal family’s Christmas Day church outing. This unexpected return to a bearded appearance surprised many, as William had not been seen with facial hair for over a decade.
In the video, Prince William and Kate Middleton, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, shared their congratulations to Team GB. “From all of us watching at home, congratulations to Team GB!” William exclaimed. Kate added, “Well done on all you’ve achieved. You’ve been an inspiration to us all.” The Duke of Cambridge kept his appearance casual, wearing a white T-shirt with black stripes, while Kate’s appearance also garnered attention, though it was William’s new look that sparked the most discussion.
The video also featured other celebrities, including Snoop Dogg and David Beckham, who joined the royals in celebrating the achievements of Team GB.
Prince William’s decision to grow a beard comes in contrast to his younger brother, Prince Harry, who has kept a beard since 2015. Harry first sported a beard in 2013 during a charity trek to the South Pole with Walking with the Wounded but later shaved it off, only to bring it back a couple of years later. According to Meghan Markle, the Duke of Cambridge was not pleased with his brother’s decision to keep the beard.
In his memoir, Spare, Prince Harry recounted how he sought permission from their late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, to keep his beard for his wedding. Despite the Queen’s approval, Prince William reportedly “bristled” and asked Harry to “shave it off.” When questioned about his objection, William reportedly responded, “Because I wasn’t allowed to keep my beard.” Harry elaborated in his book, noting that William had once grown a full beard after an assignment with Special Forces but was forced to shave it off, a privilege he felt was unfairly denied to him.
As Prince William continues to embrace his new look, fans and royal watchers will be eager to see if this bearded phase lasts longer than his previous one.