William’s ‘back to work’ look: Royal fans mourn Prince of Wales’s ‘sexy scruff’ as he appears at church without his beard – after sending them wild with his stubble in Team GB video

Royals fans were quite taken by Prince William’s ‘rugged’ appearance earlier this month as he appeared in star-studded video praising Team GB’s Olympic efforts while showcasing a beard.

However the facial hair didn’t last long, as the Prince of Wales, 42, was spotted clean shaven alongside his wife, the Princess of Wales, heading to Sunday service at Crathie Kirk in Edinburgh on Sunday.

William drove the car, smiling as he chatted with Kate who was pictured for the first time visiting the church since she announced her cancer diagnosis back in March. 

However alongside fans gushing over seeing the princess out and about, many rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, to also ‘mourn’ William’s beard.  

One person joked: ‘Catherine saw women on the internet swooning over her husband’s beard and decided to make him shave it off. RIP beard. It was fun while it lasted. P.s. Do not expect me to stop talking about his beard.’

Another said: ‘I’m officially entering a period of mourning for William’s beard. I only saw it once, but I’ll always remember it.’

Meanwhile another said: ‘No doubt somebody will set up a GoFundMe page for the sadly departed Royal Beard.’

A fourth wrote: ‘The Prince and Princess of Wales attend the Sunday Church Service at Crathie church in Scotland. Isn’t it so lovely to see The Princess of Wales out with her family.

‘I am sending my condolences to Prince William’s beard which has now been shaven off.’

Another added: ‘The sexy scruff has been cancelled, worldwide tears ensued…’ Someone else added: ‘Awe, bring back the beard, William!! He was looking fine—he’s still sexy, but I was digging his 5 o’clock shadow.’

It comes after fans swooned over the Prince of Wales in the Team GB congratulatory video which was released as the Paris Olympic Games concluded. 

Standing by Kate’s side, the Prince of Wales sported an unusually rugged look with his unshaven appearance as he praised the British Olympians.

The Princess, who is continuing to undergo cancer treatment, was positively glowing in the appearance which also featured a host of well-known personalities. 

Prince of Wales, 42, was spotted clean shaven alongside his wife the Princess of Wales has heading to Sunday service at Crathie Kirk in Edinburgh 

However alongside fans gushing over seeing the princess out and about, many rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter , to also ‘mourn’ Williams beard

But for some royal fans, they couldn’t take their eyes off of William and his beard, with one person writing on X: ‘Prince William with his stubble is hot.’

It is not the first time the Prince has dabbled in facial hair; in 2008 he sent hearts a-flutter by growing a beard for the festive season, claiming that strangers failed to recognise him.

And despite claiming on Christmas Day that he would shave it off, he kept the fuzz for several weeks.

Fans were left hot under the collar thanks to William’s latest appearance with a beard, with one person writing: ‘Keep the beard, Prince William. Handsome.’

A third added: ‘Love the beard on Prince William,’ while a fourth said: ‘William please keep growing that beard!’

Royal facial hair hit headlines last year after Prince Harry, 39, claimed in his explosive memoir Spare that the siblings argued over facial hair.

He claimed the Prince of Wales told him to shave his beard off before his wedding to Meghan Markle in May 2018.

Harry explained that he had to ask permission from his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, to have a beard for his wedding, a privilege that was not granted to William when he wed Kate Middleton in 2011.

Royal fans on social media gushed over the Princess of Wales 

Harry was the first royal in 125 years to wed with a beard. The last royal to do so was George V, the son of Queen Victoria and Harry’s great-great grandfather. He wore a beard during his wedding to Princess Mary of Teck in 1893.

As it is customary to be clean-shaven when dressed in Army uniform, the groom was expected to have shaved prior to his wedding ceremony.

British Army soldiers and officers have only since been allowed to grow a full beard after King Charles gave his approval in March 2024, allowing military chiefs to end the more than 100-year ban.

However, when Harry was granted permission by his grandmother to keep the facial hair, William ‘became livid’.

Harry reported his brother saying: ‘You put her in an uncomfortable position, Harold! She had no choice but to say yes.’

He added that William ‘wouldn’t let it go’ and that the argument continued ‘in person, on the phone, for more than a week’.

It culminated, according to Harry, with William ordering him to shave his beard off.

Harry said he replied: ‘For the love of God, Willy, why does this matter so much to you?’ Because I wasn’t allowed to keep my beard.’

Meghan looking lovingly at her bristly new husband – and his beard – on their wedding day in 2018

Prince Harry reveals an argument about his beard in his controversial memoir, Spare

George V wore a beard in uniform – and at the altar, as Prince Harry explains

A bearded Prince William at Sandringham in 2008 shortly after he had just completed his Special Forces training

Princess William and Kate wave to the crowds after their wedding service at Westminster Abbey in 2011

The Duke concluded: ‘Ah, there it was. After he’d come back from an assignment with Special Forces, Willy was sporting a full beard, and someone told him to be a good boy, run along and shave it. He hated the idea of me enjoying a perk he’d been denied.’

A beardless William joined his Kate, Charles, 75, and Camilla, 76, for Sunday service yesterday in Scotland. 

The Queen opted for a bright green blazer, adorned with red collar detailing and buttons, teamed with a matching hat.

Her husband made a dapper style statement in a kilt, worn with a muted grey jacket.

Edward and his wife Sophie both appeared to go for chic beige ensembles, perfect for the end of the summery weather.

Kate has been making a slow and gradual return to public life following the news about her health struggles.

It was recently revealed that Kate would join the Royal Family at Balmoral this month in what will have been her longest journey since opening up about her health struggles.

She and the Prince of Wales have decamped to the 50,000-acre estate in the Scottish Highlands each summer since their wedding in 2011, but some insiders feared this year could be different due to the princess’s condition.