Earlier this month, Prince William found himself the subject of much online chatter regarding his facial hair.
While appearing in a video celebrating Team GB's Olympic athletes, William debuted a more rugged appearance than usual. The Prince of Wales' stubble caught the attention of royal fans everywhere, with commentators commending the royal's newly grown beard.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and Prince William's facial hair is no more.
On August 25, William was photographed attending Crathie Church with his wife, Princess Kate, and their eldest son, Prince George. While fans were delighted to see Kate Middleton stepping out with her family, they were less than thrilled about William's decision to shave his face.
One particular royal fan took to X to write, "Catherine saw women on the internet swooning over her husband's beard and decided to make him shave it off." They continued, "RIP beard. It was fun while it lasted. P. S: Do not expect me to stop talking about his beard."
After announcing her cancer diagnosis, Princess Kate has only made a handful of public appearances. Instead, she has been focusing on her preventative cancer treatments, and staying "strong" for her children, according to reports.
William, meanwhile, is set to return to work following his summer vacation. On September 5, he will visit the Homelessness: Reframed exhibit at the Saatchi Gallery in London. The important exhibition "highlights the complexities of homelessness across the U.K and offers the public an opportunity to better understand the stories of individuals who have been affected," People reported.
The Princess of Wales is not scheduled to join William for the engagement. In fact, Kate's return to public royal duties could be delayed for quite some time.
Royal fans have always wondered why Prince William shaves his beard off for work, but Prince Harry doesn't. As the heir to the British throne, Prince William has always had a very strict career path, and presumably a set of rules he's expected to follow.
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry wrote about his decision to ask Queen Elizabeth if he could keep his beard for his royal wedding to Meghan Markle in May 2018. "A beard was thought by some to be a clear violation of protocol and long-standing norms, especially since I was getting married in my Army uniform," he explained (via the Express). "Beards were forbidden in the British Army."
When the Queen agreed to Harry's request, William was allegedly "livid." According to Prince Harry, William told him, "You put her in an uncomfortable position, Harold! She had no choice but to say yes." William also reportedly told Harry he felt the decision was unfair, "Because I wasn't allowed to keep my beard."
In the words of one sad royal fan, "Goodbye Prince William's beard."
