Prince William’s Olympics stubble sparked a frenzy – here’s tips on keeping your beard slick and shiny

Sep 15 , 2024

Prince William, Prince of Wales, rocking his royal stubble at the “Homelessness: Reframed” exhibition in London. Photo: Reuters

It’s not the first time the usually clean-shaven Prince of Wales has grown out his facial hair – even his father, King Charles, sported a beard on several occasions in the 1970s

When Prince William appeared alongside his wife, Catherine the Princess of Wales, in a star-studded video to Team GB posted on Instagram at the end of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, it wasn’t just the congratulatory message that caught viewers’ attention.

Fans of royals were quick to comment on the Prince of Wales’ unusually rugged look as he praised the performance of British Olympians. Standing next to his wife, he sported a brand-new beard and was clad in a blue polo shirt adorned with the Olympics emblem. The royal’s unshaven complexion quickly drew a flurry of comments on social media, with many users swooning over his latest scruff.

Prince William’s message to Team GB on Instagram saw him sport a stately stubble look … and the internet swooned. Photo: Reuters

It’s not the first time the prince has dabbled in facial hair. William, who is usually clean-cut and shaven, first treated fans to a beard back in 2008 during the royal family’s annual Christmas walk to morning church service. The young prince attracted huge amounts of attention, even claiming that strangers failed to recognise him. He also famously grew out his facial hair during an SBS mission before he entered the Royal Air Force. Prince William’s father, King Charles, has also grown a beard in the past, sporting one on several occasions in the 1970s at a number of events, such as the Badminton Horse Trials and a service at Westminster Abbey.

Then Prince Charles (left) seen with a beard in 1976, and Prince William at a Christmas Day service in 2008. Photo: WireImage

Prince William’s facial hair was also the talk of the town when he made an appearance at the “Homelessness: Reframed” exhibition at the Saatchi gallery in September.

Feeling inspired? A well-groomed stubble remains an effortlessly cool look that is easy to achieve and maintain thanks to a plethora of available beauty products.

As with any kind of facial hair, it’s best to determine the length of stubble that best compliments your face shape before you begin to grow it out. In comparison to other beard types, like the goatee or a full beard, stubble tends to grow pretty quickly, giving you plenty of time to experiment with what works best for you.

Men’s grooming brand Horace offers natural beard oils suited for all skin types. Photo: Handout

Starting out with a well-moisturised canvas is also essential to growing stubble. In fact, since bristles are too short to bend and flex, they need to be cared for more than ever. German aesthetic doctor and celebrity favourite Dr. Barbara Sturm offers an exceptional kit that is specifically tailored to the needs of both your beard and the skin beneath it. The Men’s Essential set includes three steps for a soft and smooth complexion, starting with a gentle cleanser formulated with soothing panthenol and aloe vera, followed by a serum packed with a concentrated balance of low and high molecularly weighted hyaluronic acid and Sturm’s cult Face Cream Men, which helps minimise irritation and protects the skin from harsh influences such as shaving with ingredients containing purslane and skullcap extracts.