Prince William Jokes He Might Shave His Beard for a Unique Moustache
Prince William admired the moustaches of the soldiers present at the Bulford Camp in Wiltshire.
The Prince of Wales recently visited the 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment at Bulford Camp in Wiltshire, where he connected with the soldiers and listened to their experiences. As Colonel‑in‑Chief of the regiment, he spoke with female soldiers about their roles in the Armed Forces and met troops that had recently returned from a six‑month deployment in Estonia. However, one moment that caught people’s attention came when Prince William jokingly revealed he might swap his usual beard for a moustache during a lighthearted exchange with the troops.
As reported by The Mirror, the royal admired the moustaches of the soldiers present there and said, "I might end up taking mine [beard] off and leaving a tash." Keeping the conversation going, Lt Jack Austin shared, “It started in Estonia, a few of us officers grew moustaches, and it snowballed from there.” This sparked some laughter as William said the style is "creeping in now.” This moment also pointed towards a broader change in the military, since March 2024, when the British Army officially relaxed its rules to permit neatly trimmed facial hair for soldiers who wish to grow moustaches.
The Prince especially shared this moment with Maxine Debonnaire from Gillingham, Kent, and her son, Lieutenant Harris Debonnaire, who recently served in Estonia. Lt Debonnaire was also sporting a moustache, claiming that he was the first to grow one. He initially grew it for the Movember charity, but it soon became a personal style choice.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Debonnaire playfully teased her son in front of William about just how much time they had spent together after his return from the deployment, as reported by The Standard. She said, “He was out every night when he came back, and sometimes during the day. I’m very proud of him, very proud. I keep telling everyone my son is an officer in the Army.” The duo then asked William some questions, including whether he had been keeping up with his favorite team, Aston Villa, and whether he preferred football or rugby. To this, William replied with a smile and chose football.
William first unveiled his beard in 2024 to widespread public admiration, with some fans even expressing their disappointment when he shaved it off. Since then, it has become a familiar part of his appearance at almost all official engagements. Moreover, the style reportedly encouraged other men to follow suit, as the EsteNove clinic in Istanbul, Turkey, experienced a massive rise in queries regarding beard transplants. As reported by Marie Claire, Murat Alsac, the cofounder of the clinic, said back then, "People are bringing in pictures of Prince William on their phones and saying, 'Make me look like that.' They think it looks rugged and masculine."
