Prince William Returns to Royal Duties After Summer Break with Kate Middleton—And He's Rocking a Fresh New Beard

Prince William is officially back to business—and turning heads with the return of his beard.

After a well-deserved summer break with Kate Middleton and their three kids— Prince George , 11, Princess Charlotte , 9, and Prince Louis , 6— the Prince of Wales made a stylish return to work in London on September 5, sporting some scruffy facial hair again .

The 42-year-old royal stepped out to visit the Homelessness: Reframed exhibit at the Saatchi Gallery, a project in collaboration with the Eleven Eleven Foundation and his Homewards campaign. The Prince and Princess of Wales launched the campaign in June 2023 with the goal of ending homelessness for good. But while the initiative itself is grabbing attention, it’s William’s facial hair that’s really making waves.

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It’s only the second time in recent weeks that Prince William has been spotted with some stubble.

If you remember, he first showed off his scruffy look back in the beginning of August when he and Middleton shared a video congratulating Team Great Britain on their Paris Olympics success. It was the first time in eight years we’ve seen him with a beard, and the internet went wild.

But in true royal fashion, the facial hair didn’t last long . By August 25, when the Prince and Princess of Wales were seen heading to church near Balmoral Castle, the beard was gone, leaving fans to wonder if the scruff was just a summer thing.

Fun fact: It’s a bit of a royal tradition for the men in the family to grow facial hair when they’re “off-duty” or on a break from official engagements. Prince Harry, for instance, has been sporting his signature scruff for years. Even King Charles embraced facial hair in his younger days .

So, William’s more laid-back look matched the vibe of his family’s low-key summer holiday at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where they enjoyed beach days and local events away from the spotlight.

Now, with the summer in the rearview, Prince William is diving back into his public duties . This latest outing marks the beginning of a busy season for the royal, as he returns to work after spending quality time with Middleton and their children.

Here’s to more royal engagements—and maybe, just maybe, another scruff sighting.

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