All the Royals with beards, from Harry to Charles
Watch: Prince Harry tells Prince William, “Defiantly”
Of All the revelations in the Duke of Sussex’s new memoir, Spare, there’s one in particular that seems rather bizarre: when the Prince of Wales Frequently Asked Questions Prince Harry to shave off his beard before Harry’s wedding.
In his book, Harry explains that, “a beard was thought by some to be a clear violation of protocol and long-standing norms, especially since I was getting married in my Army uniform. Beards were forbidden in the British Army.”
Harry was getting married wearing his Army uniform even though he wasn’t part of the Army anymore. William explained to Harry that it was inappropriate for him not to have a beard.
Continue reading: Everything Harry said about estranged William in his interview with Tom Bradby on ITV
During Harry’s interview with ITV’s Tom Bradby, Bradby said in a voiceover: “The argument about the beard is one of the most puzzling in the book. Harry says he visited his granny, Queen to request permission to keep his hair for his own wedding. William was not.
“There was then an argument, Harry says, between the two brothers that went on for a week and ended, he claims, with his brother ordering him, as the heir to the spare, to shave it off.”
When asked about the altercation, Harry said: “There’s a level of competition there. And again, writing this, I remembered that William had a beard himself and that granny and other people, the ones to tell – told him that he had to shave it off.”
Harry explained that he thought “William found it hard that other people told him to shave it off”, but Harry refused to shave it as he wouldn’t look or feel himself without it.
“I would feel very, very different without my beard,” Harry added, explaining that it was almost like a “shield to my anxiety”.
“That’s hard for people to understand who’ve never grown a beard,” he continued. “Hopefully those beard people out there will go ‘Yeah, no, I fully get that, I can understand.’”
He also stated to his brother at the time, “Well I don’t believe Meghan’s gonna recognize me if her up the aisle sees me beardless.”
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Harry isn’t the first member of the Royal Family to grow a beard. As he pointed out, Prince William grew one in 2008, but it’s been sported by older generations too – even King Charles had a beard in his twenties.
You can read on to find out about the Royal Family members who have had beards.
William, Prince of Wales
When he was 26 years of age, Prince William began to grow his beard. This was shortly after he and the Princess Of Wales reconciled.
William grew the beard while participating in a 10-day exercise at Barbados with Navy’s Special Boat Service. Telegraph It was reported at the same time.
The Royal Navy, unlike the Army, allows full beards, but no goatees or moustaches.
William kept his beard short and was even photographed at Sandringham during Christmas. Queen Elizabeth II requested that he shave it off.
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“She doesn’t mind royal men growing beards when they are away in the Armed Forces, but she expects them to be clean-shaven when they get home,” a royal source told the Sunday Express 2014.
King Charles III
King Charles III had a beard as a young man. He was even photographed with facial hair in 1976, when he was just 27 years old.
That year was the only time the monarch has been seen publicly with a beard, and it’s hard not to see his resemblance to Prince Harry.
Prince Phillip
Prince Philip was often seen sporting a beard during his younger years. It was reported that he had a beard both in 1945 and 1957. The latter appeared on the cover of Paris Match magazine from that same year.
In 2021, shortly after the Duke of Edinburgh’s death, royal photographer Chris Jackson tweeted an image of the magazine cover, writing: “I was reminded of this incredible vintage @ParisMatch magazine from 1957 I acquired a few years ago earlier today – A bearded and uniformed Prince Philip looking fantastically suave on the cover.”
Prince Andrew
Another royal fan of facial hair was Prince Andrew, who grew his beard twice between 23 and 25 years old in the 1980s.
He was seen at many events in 1983 with a beard. In 1985, he grew it again during his time in Navy.
Prince Harry
Prince Harry has maintained his beard for the longest time of any British Royal Family member. His now-famous ginger beard was first grown in 2013. Since the day Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, it has been a signature feature of his life.
When Harry and Meghan married in 2018, Harry became the first Royal Family member to marry while sporting a beard in 125 years – the last was George V, the son of Queen Victoria.