Prince William embraced the last few moments of a cool summer with an edgy look rarely seen on royal men.
The Prince of Wales showed off his new scruffy beard while appearing on behalf of King Charles II at the Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in Lincolnshire.
Dressed in his military regalia, Prince William, who received the Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps title earlier this year from his father, looked strikingly similar to his estranged brother, Prince Harry.
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During the event, William said, “It is my great honor to be with you today representing my father, His Majesty the King,” according to the BBC. “Whilst I didn’t graduate on this exact parade ground, I did graduate from flying training here, so I know something about the celebrations that will come later.”
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The parade featured 48 Royal Air Force cadets and four international officer cadets from Jordan, Kenya, Pakistan and Uganda graduating from the commissioned warrant officers course and modular initial officer training.
Social media lit up upon seeing Prince William’s new appearance, with users flocking to the comments in photos shared on the official Prince and Princess of Wales accounts.
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“You MUST keep the beard,” one fan wrote, while another detailed a checklist including “beard, uniform, Prince … yeah, I’m sold.”
“With all due respect Your Highness the Prince of Wales you are just taking our breath away with this beard pls keep it,” another fan wrote.
“A very yummy new look!!” one admirer stated.
While Prince William’s new stubble resembled his brother’s favored facial hair, it’s likely one of the few ties remaining for the estranged siblings who were last together in August to attend a memorial for their late uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes.
Prince Harry and Prince William have had a tense relationship since before the Duke of Sussex opted out of senior royal responsibilities and moved to California with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2020.
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In addition, Prince Harry, who has worn a beard for more than a decade, claimed in his memoir “Spare” that the facial hair caused tension in his relationship with William.
The Duke of Sussex had asked his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, for permission to keep his scruff for his 2018 wedding with Meghan Markle. Harry claimed it was “not a small ask” as beards were forbidden in the British Army and that he would be wearing his armed forces uniform for the big day.
Prince Harry said his facial hair was a “security blanket” and 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 wrote.
While the queen allowed it, Harry claimed William was “bristled” when he found out and ordered his sibling to “shave it off.” Harry wrote that when he asked William why he was bothered by their grandmother’s permission, William replied, “Because I wasn’t allowed to keep my beard.”
“Ah — there it was,” 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.”
Prince William has since embraced his new shaggy look, a possible nod to his more relaxed approach toward life as of late after wife Kate Middleton’s announcement that she is “cancer free” and has completed chemotherapy.
“As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” the Princess of Wales shared on Monday. “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.”
Kate noted that a cancer journey is “complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone” and expressed gratitude for the “simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted.”
“William and I are so grateful for the support we have received and have drawn great strength from all those who are helping us at this time. Everyone’s kindness, empathy and compassion has been truly humbling. To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey – I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand. Out of darkness, can come light, so let that light shine bright.”
In January, Kate underwent a planned abdominal surgery, which sparked speculation concerning her health. In March, Kate announced in a video that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was receiving chemotherapy.
Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
