The Prince of Wales has playfully suggested he might shave his beard and adopt a moustache after noticing the trend among Army officers. He made the light-hearted remark during a visit to troops from the Mercian Regiment at their Wiltshire barracks, where he serves as Colonel-in-Chief.
Dressed in camouflage uniform and the regimental beret, William met soldiers from the 1st Battalion who returned last December from a six-month deployment to Estonia as part of Nato forces. He also engaged with female soldiers, discussing challenges they face, and observed urban warfare training via drone footage.
In the officers' mess at Picton Barracks, Bulford, the future king chatted with personnel and their families. Lieutenant Jack Austin, 23, from south Manchester, who sported a moustache, said he discussed his facial hair with the Prince. “I brought it up when I was chatting to the prince and he said ‘maybe I should get rid of the beard and just have the moustache’,” Austin recalled.
The Army officially allowed soldiers to grow full beards in 2024, overturning a long-standing rule to modernise the service and align with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. William also joked with Maxine Debonnaire, 63, and her son Lieutenant Harris Debonnaire, 26, who served in Estonia. Mrs Debonnaire teased her son about how much time they spent together after his return, and the pair quizzed William on his sporting preferences.
