Prince William, who starred in a recent video with Princess Kate, has not been seen publicly with facial hair since 2008.
Prince William is experimenting with a new aesthetic this summer, one that has been a point of contention within the royal family before.
Kate Middleton and Prince William, both 42, appeared in a surprise video on Aug. 11 as they joined numerous celebrities in celebrating the achievements of Team Great Britain at the conclusion of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The unexpected cameo, which came during the Prince and Princess of Wales’ summer break from official royal duties, marked a rare public sighting of Kate amidst her ongoing cancer treatment.
The video also garnered attention for another reason: William sporting a beard for the first time in public since 2008.
Royals With and Without Facial Hair — Which Look Reigns Supreme?
The Prince of Wales typically maintains a clean-shaven appearance, perhaps partly due to his time in the Royal Air Force, where facial hair is prohibited. He did sport a surprising beard when he joined the royal family for their traditional Christmas Day church outing in 2008, but the look was short-lived.
Prince Harry, on the other hand, has consistently worn a beard for years. He first grew it out during a 2013 charity trek to the South Pole with Walking with the Wounded, and despite shaving after, he returned to the facial hair in 2015.
Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
The Duke of Sussex, 39, said his beard caused tension with his older brother ahead of his 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle. In his memoir, Spare, Harry recalled asking their grandmother Queen Elizabeth for permission to keep his scruff for the nuptials, something he said was “not a small ask” as beards were forbidden in the British Army and he’d be tying the knot in an armed forces uniform. Prince Harry said that his beard acted as a “security blanket” — and that his wife-to-be had never seen him without one.
“I didn’t want her coming down the aisle and seeing a total stranger,” he said in the book.
Queen Elizabeth allowed it, but Prince Harry said Prince William was “bristled” when he found out, telling his younger brother to “shave it off.”
When Harry asked his sibling why he was bothered by their grandmother’s decision, William said, “Because I wasn’t allowed to keep my beard,” according to Spare.
“Ah — there it was,” Prince Harry wrote. “After he’s come back from an assignment with Special Forces, Willy was sporting a full beard, and someone told him to be a good boy, run along and shave it. He hated the idea of me enjoying a perk he’d been denied.”
King Charles and Prince Philip were other royal men who were typically clean-shaven but had experimented with facial hair occasionally.
When the late Duke of Edinburgh grew out his beard during a 1965 solo tour aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia on a voyage around the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth took the chance to play a prank on her husband.
Robert Hardman said in his book Queen of the World, “Knowing that he had grown a beard on his travels, the Queen had arranged for everyone in the royal entourage — herself included — to put on fake whiskers just before the Duke walked in.”
Royals with Special Olympic Connections
Ahead of the closing ceremonies in Paris for the Olympic Games, Prince William and Princess Kate released a video dedicated to Team Great Britain.
“From all of us watching at home, congratulations to Team GB!” the Princess of Wales, wearing a casual white shirt with black stripes, said in the clip.
The Prince of Wales chimed in, “Well done on all you’ve achieved. You’ve been an inspiration to us all.”
Other celebrities featured in the video included Snoop Dogg, David Beckham and more.
In addition to appearances by many European royals at the Olympic Games, Prince William’s aunt Princess Anne has been representing the British royal family in Paris. King Charles’ sister, who celebrates her 74th birthday this week, became the first member of the British royal family to participate in the Olympics when she competed in horseback riding events in 1976. She’s remained closely connected to the international competition since, including as a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1988.