Kate Middleton Hints That Prince William Might Be Switching Up His Appearance Soon: "These Trends Come and Go"

The Princess of Wales enjoyed a St. Patrick's Day chat with members of the Irish Guards.

Kate Middleton and Prince William walking into a rugby stadium in March 2025
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Kate Middleton enjoyed the annual St. Patrick's Day parade with the Irish Guards in London on March 17, spending time with members of the regiment and passing out shamrocks to the Irish Guards' furry mascot, Turlough Mór (a.k.a. Seamus). And while she declared that horses were "the worst" during one lighthearted chat, the Princess of Wales also weighed in another controversial topic: Prince William's beard.

According to Hello!, the Princess of Wales—who enjoyed a pint of Guinness after the parade—spoke with some "section commanders in the bar about her husband's beard." She's reported to have said, "These trends come and go," adding, "I was saying to my husband, I'm not sure how long he’s going to keep his for."

The comment will come as bad news for many royal watchers. The Prince of Wales debuted his fan-favorite beard last summer in a video honoring Team GB Olympic athletes, and since then, social media users have gone wild for his new look. Prince William also combined his rugged facial hair with a "finance bro" fashion makeover including relaxed pieces like white sneakers and quarter-zips.

While the father of three admitted that Princess Charlotte was in "floods of tears" when she first saw his beard last summer—causing William to actually go and shave it off—he decided to grow his facial hair back.

Prince William sitting at a table talking with his hands at a 2025 Six Nations rugby match

Prince William is seen during the Six Nations rugby match on Saturday, March 15.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Kate Middleton drinking a pint of Guinness in a green coat and hat next to two Irish Guards on St. Patrick's Day 2025

Princess Kate opened up about William's beard as members of the Irish Guards enjoyed pints of Guinness.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Unlike her daughter, the Princess of Wales seems to be a fan of the bearded look. In an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, the Prince and Princess of Wales's former royal aide, Jason Knauf, said, "If she didn't like it, it wouldn't be there. I could tell you that!"

Beards aside, Princess Kate chatted with many members of the Irish Guards and their families at Monday's event, like Noah Hogan, whose father is the regiment's Company Sergeant Major. When hearing Noah played soccer, she said via Hello!, "Our kiddies play football. Do Mummy and Daddy come and watch? Do you like the idea of being in the Army too?"

When asked where she lived, the princess told another guest at the event, "We are in Windsor at the moment. We were in London but moved there for more green space. It's close enough to London, not too far away."

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.