Is Prince William’s Beard Here to Stay?

Prince William has worn a beard at his recent public engagements, and admirers everywhere are wondering if it is here to stay. The 42-year-old heir to the British monarchy has always favored a clean-shaven look in the past, as have most members of the royal family in recent generations. Read on for some speculations about what the beard could mean.

Prince William has been clean-shaven for most of his life, and was last seen with a beard on Christmas Day in 2008, but he had shaved again when work resumed in the new year, according to a report by PEOPLE. Prince William sported stubble again on Aug. 11 of this year, but againt it was short-lived. However, this new beard has reportedly persisted since at least Sept. 5, leading many reporters to assume that it is intentional, and here to stay. Prince William has kept the beard trimmed short and shaved up to the chin, but it is full on his cheeks.

Trends and fashion change from year to year and decade to decade, but even when beards are in style, public figures often opt to shave their faces because it is believed to make them look more trustworthy. For the royal family, it may also be related to the tradition of men serving in the British military. Prince William would have been required to shave his face while serving in the Royal Air Force, and may have simply kept the habit afterward.

Of course, Prince William is not treading brand new territory, as his younger brother notably wears a beard. Prince Harry grew out his beard in 2013 and has been the only prominent royal to wear one for the past decade. According to his memoir Spare, it did not go uncommented upon. Prince Harry wrote that he needed to ask Queen Elizabeth II for permission to keep his beard at his own royal wedding in 2018, as it was considered improper for him to wear a beard and a military uniform at the same time.

Prince Harry wrote that he saw the beard as a “security blanket,” making him feel more comfortable. He also noted that he had grown it out shortly before he began dating his wife Meghan Markle, and she had never seen him clean-shaven in person. Ultimately, he was allowed to keep his beard even at ceremonial events where he wore his military uniform as well.

Prince William has not commented on his new beard yet and it’s not clear if he intends to keep it, or why he grew it out. Commenters are predictably divided over this new look.