Royal fans have found themselves deeply split over one surprising detail in a rare ‘casual’ family photo shared by Prince William and Kate Middleton alongside their three children.
On June 14, the Prince and Princess of Wales posted the image to social media in celebration of the annual Trooping the Colour event, held in honor of King Charles III’s birthday.
The photograph featured Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and young Prince Louis standing with their parents, all dressed in coordinated formal attire.
“Another brilliant day at Trooping the Colour for His Majesty’s Birthday Parade. Thank you to everybody who came, and to all those who took part,” the royal couple wrote in the caption on Instagram.
While many were quick to comment on the apparent formality of the so-called “casual” snapshot, the real stir came from Prince William’s facial hair—specifically, his newly grown beard.
Some royal fans were thrilled with the Duke’s more rugged appearance.
One Facebook user raved, “The beard looks good, suits him!” Another added, “Think it suits him,” while a third simply declared, “I love William’s beard!!”
However, not everyone was convinced.
A few detractors chimed in with criticism, with one writing, “I liked it better without it.”
Another commented, “Lovely photo but William’s beard is questionable,” and someone else went so far as to say, “William looking older than his years with the beard!”
One more blunt critique read: “I saw this on the news just now and said ewww I’m not a fan of the beard look. Beautiful family pic though!”
And another user echoed, “William, you need a shave—but a lovely photo.”
This isn’t the first time Prince William’s facial hair has sparked conversation.
Fans first noticed him sporting stubble back in August last year, when he and Kate shared a home video on Instagram.
In the clip, William appeared alongside celebrities like David Beckham, Snoop Dogg, and Emma Willis to congratulate Team GB athletes after the 2024 Olympics.
“Well done @teamgb, what an incredible journey!” read the caption. But instead of the message, it was the Prince’s new beard that captured most of the attention.
The buzz around his facial hair was so intense that some fans have even dubbed it “The Prince William Effect.”
