Prince William enjoyed the last of the cool summer weather in an edgy look rarely seen on members of the royal family.
Prince Charles showed off his new stubble as he appeared on behalf of King Charles II at Monarch's Parade at Royal Air Force College Cranwell in Lincolnshire.
Prince William, who was awarded the title of Colonel in the Royal Air Force by his father earlier this year, looked strikingly similar to his estranged brother, Prince Harry, in military uniform.
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Prince William looked similar to Prince Harry with his new shaggy beard. (Getty Images)
During the event, Prince William said, “It is a great honour to be here today on behalf of my father, His Majesty the King.” BBC“I didn't graduate at this parade ground, but I graduated from flight training here, so I know a thing or two about the celebrations that take place afterward.”
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The parade included 48 RAF cadets who had completed the Warrant Officer Course and Modular Initial Officer Training, as well as four international cadets from Jordan, Kenya, Pakistan and Uganda.
Social media went wild at the sight of Prince William's new look, with users flooding the comments on the photo shared by Prince Charles and Duchess of Cambridge's official accounts.
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“The beard definitely needs to stay,” wrote one fan, while another detailed a checklist including, “Beard, uniform, Prince…yeah, I get it.”
“With all due respect HRH Prince Charles, this beard is shocking us, please leave it as it is,” another fan wrote.
“Such a delicious new look!!” one fan commented.
Prince Charles attended the graduation ceremony on behalf of his father, King Charles II. (Getty Images)
Prince William's new stubble resembles his brother's favourite beard, and it's likely one of the few remaining bonds between the estranged brothers since they last attended the memorial service for their uncle, Sir Robert Fellowes, who died in August.
Prince Harry and Prince William's relationship has been strained even before the Duke of Sussex stepped down from senior royal duties in 2020 and moved to California with his wife, Meghan Markle.
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Additionally, Prince Harry, who has had a beard for over a decade, claims in his memoir, “Spare,” that his beard caused strain in his relationship with Prince William.
The brothers' relationship has been difficult for many years. (Getty Images)
The Duke of Sussex had asked his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, for permission to elongate his neck. His wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018Prince Harry argued that this was “no small request” given that beards are banned in the British Army and he plans to wear military uniform on the big day.
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Prince Harry said his beard was a “comfort blanket” and his future wife had never seen him without it, writing, “I would hate for her to walk down the aisle and see a complete stranger.”
The Queen gave her permission, but Harry claimed William was 'angry' Prince Harry wrote that when he asked William why he was bothered by his grandmother's permission, William replied, “Because I wasn't allowed to keep my beard.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018. (Getty Images)
“Yes there it was,” Harry wrote. “Willie had grown a beard after he came back from his Special Forces tour and someone told him to be a good boy and go and shave it off. He didn't want me to enjoy the privileges that he wasn't given.”
Prince William has since embraced a new shaggy hairstyle, which may be a sign of his more relaxed attitude to life after his wife, Kate Middleton, announced she was “cancer free” and had completed chemotherapy.
“As the summer draws to a close, I am relieved to finally have completed my chemotherapy treatments,” Prince Charles said on Monday. “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for our family. Life can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate rough seas and unknown paths.”
Middleton announced this week that she is “cancer free” after completing chemotherapy. (Will Waugh)
Kate said that battling cancer is “complex, frightening and unpredictable for everyone”, and expressed gratitude for “the simple but important things in life that so many of us take for granted”.
“William and I We are so grateful for the support we have received and feel so empowered by all those helping us during this time. Your kindness, empathy and compassion have truly humbled me. To all those who continue to fight cancer – I stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. Out of darkness comes light. Let's let that light shine brightly.”
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January, Kate underwent scheduled abdominal surgery.Speculation about her health was rife after Kate announced in a video in March that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.
Fox News Digital's Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
