Prince William’s life is beginning to return to normal. This year has been a massive challenge for him as his wife, Kate Middleton has gone through chemotherapy, and with that, the future king has taken on huge responsibilities at home.
Not long ago, Kate Middleton released a new video saying she is finally done with chemotherapy. With that, a new chapter of the Prince and Princess of Wales will hopefully begin, and Prince William, as a husband, can breathe a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, there will still be plenty of headaches on his mind regarding his younger brother, Prince Harry, with whom the relationship is at rock bottom.
It’s rare to see the royal family members undergo any style changes. In William’s case, however, he shocked fans around the world earlier this summer when he suddenly appeared with a beard. While some fans praised the future king going for the new style, others became worried about one detail. Is the prince doing OK?
Royal fans were left in shock when first King Charles and later Kate Middleton received their respective cancer diagnoses earlier this year. The Princess of Wales revealed her diagnosis in March, and with that, she also withdrew herself from all royal duties to focus on her treatment and recovery.
Prince William & Kate Middleton
That meant that Prince William was to take on tremendous responsibility. Not only regarding the royal duties he and Queen Camilla were to focus on but also at home. While Kate was recovering, William cared for the couple’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. He was praised for his actions during this very challenging time.
Although the cancer, of course, was nothing but horrifying news, in the end, luckily, things have gone the right way. In June, she made her first public appearance since last year when she attended Trooping the Color, and both she and Prince William looked happier than ever.
Some weeks later, a new picture of the Prince and Princess of Wales was published on their social media as they celebrated William’s birthday. The couple looked deeply in love, and according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, William and Kate are stronger than ever together.
“The last few months have been a test of their strong partnership,” Bond told OK! “I think this photograph tells us that they are still able to jump for joy, even in the toughest of times, and that Kate has deliberately chosen a picture that speaks of their optimism for the future.”
“She adores William – he is her rock and has supported her so selflessly through all of this and has taken flak from members of the public for not doing more and for devoting himself to her. So she adores her man. I think their marriage is stronger than ever,” she added.
Prince William breaks silence on Kate Middleton becoming cancer-free
On September 9, Kate Middleton shared a new update on her recovery, sharing the fantastic news with the world that she is cancer-free.
In a moving video showing Prince William, Kate, and their children enjoying some quality time in nature, Kate explained that it’s a “relief” to have completed her chemotherapy treatment.
The Princess of Wales said, “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.”
“Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes,” she added.
Of course, the news has left millions extremely happy for Kate, but those closest to her, including her husband, are surely the happiest.
A day later, Prince William appeared when visiting children at the Swiss Valley Community Primary School in Llanelli. He briefly told the press, “It’s good news, but there is still a long way to go,” per the BBC.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said the cancer-free announcement video tells much about Prince William and Kate Middleton’s approach to royal life.
“From a public point of view, this gave us an insight into [their] personal [lives] that we hadn’t seen before,” he told US Weekly. I think it’s unique and deeply touching because I think that what they felt was that it’s one thing to say what you’ve been through or try [to] convey it. And it’s quite another to actually show closeness, which members of the royal family usually don’t.
Prince William embraces new beard look
The royal expert added, “I think there are important exceptions, and I think this was an exception. It reminds me of the Queen’s comment: ‘Well, protocol is rubbish.’ They make their own rules.”
Prince William and the rest of the royal family don’t usually change their appearance. For example, have you ever seen Kate Middleton drastically change her hairstyle? Or perhaps Prince Harry, as a senior royal, suddenly shave his head (besides when he was in the army)?
Of course, changing appearance is not a big thing, but in the royal family, some things are more talked about than others. One of those things has happened in the last few months, and it concerns Prince Williams.
It all began when the future king and Kate Middleton sent their congratulations to the Great Britain Olympic Team. In a video, Prince William was rocking an edgy look, which we barely ever have seen a royal wear: A beard.
“From all of us watching at home, congratulations to team GB!” Kate Middleton said.
“Well done on all you’ve achieved. You’ve been an inspiration to us all,” Prince William added.
The scruffy beard appeared to be a big hit among royal fans, and it turned out that the new facial hair wasn’t a one-time thing.
“A very yummy new look”
Prince William continued to rock his beard during the Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. It didn’t take long before social media had been flooded with comments about the future king’s new style.
“You MUST keep the beard,” one fan wrote, while another detailed a checklist including “beard, uniform, Prince … yeah, I’m sold,” one person wrote per Fox.
“With all due respect Your Highness the Prince of Wales you are just taking our breath away with this beard pls keep it,” a second fan added.
“A very yummy new look!!” a third stated.
Beards and the royal family have not precisely walked hand in hand in the past. In Spare, Harry, who has worn a beard for over a decade, revealed that his facial hair caused tensions in his relationship with William.
For Harry, he said, the beard was like a “security blanket.” Also, his wife, Meghan Markle, had never seen him without it.
“I didn’t want her coming down the aisle and seeing a total stranger,” he wrote.
Even though a beard wasn’t preferred, Queen Elizabeth II allowed Harry to wear it. The estranged prince claimed William was “bristled” when Harry was allowed to wear the beard, ordering his little brother to “shave it off.”
Prince Harry’s beardy look caused tensions with Prince William
Harry asked his brother why he was irritated that he got to keep the beard, to which William replied, “Because I wasn’t allowed to keep my beard.”
“I explained it to my brother and he… bristled?” Prince Harry wrote.
He added, “I gave him a quick history lesson. I mentioned the many royals who’d been bearded. King Edward VII. King George V. Prince Albert. More recently, Prince Michael of Kent. Helpfully I referred him to Google Images. ‘Not the same,’ he said. When I informed him that his opinion didn’t really matter, since I’d already gone to Granny and got the green light, he became livid.”
Harry continued, “He raised his voice. ‘You went to ask her!’ Yes. ‘And what did Granny say?’ She said ‘keep the beard’. ‘You put her in an uncomfortable position, Harold! She had no choice but to say yes.’ No choice? She’s the Queen! If she didn’t want me to have a beard I think she can speak for herself.”
Later on, as William returned from a military assignment, he also sported a full beard. However, he was told to share it off, and Harry claimed his brother “hated the idea of me enjoying a perk he’d been denied.”
“He was being ridiculous, and I told him so. But he kept getting angrier and angrier. Finally I told him flatly and defiantly that his bearded brother was getting married soon, and he could either get on board or not. The choice was up to him,” the Duke added.
As Kate Middleton revealed she is cancer-free, Prince William embraced his relaxed look. However, while some fans argued that Prince William should keep his beard moving forward, other fans were left concerned.
Royal fans concerned for Prince William’s health
As reported by Amomama, on pictures of William posted from the Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ social media account, several fans stated that Prince William didn’t look healthy.
“This is William?! Why does he look so aged and gaunt?” one fan asked.
“You look like you’ve lost two stones and not healthily. Now you’re sick too?” a second, worried fan added.
Several other users commented on the same theme.
A third added, “He looks sick and too skinny,” while a fourth said, “He’s looking very thin… I hope he’s okay.”
Another royal fan wrote, “Definitely looks tired, it’s understandable, such a heavy weight to carry, emotionally.”
The fact that Prince William is wearing a beard doesn’t have to be strictly a fashion statement.
Speaking to The Sun, body language Judi James told The Sun that the Prince of Wales’ beard signifies he is focusing on being a family man, “dedicating himself totally to time off” rather than feeling the need to be clean-shaved when performing royal duties.
Moreover, James claimed the beard could be a “symbolic form of celebration” as his wife, Kate Middleton, is “back at his side in public again.
The real reason Prince William has grown a beard, per expert
“He seems to have shaved his head hair shorter but more than compensated with his beard, which also signals the fact that he has been taking his family time really seriously and dedicating himself totally to time off with his wife and children,” Judi James told The Sun.
She continued, “It implies both strength, support, and toughness here, as well as showing the kind of off-duty vibe that defines him in a new role as a dedicated husband and dad under extraordinary circumstances.”
“It sends out reassuring signals that he has ‘got this’, with a suggestion of dedication and putting Kate’s needs first,” Judi James concluded.