A former royal aide has revealed that Princess Kate’s approval is the key factor behind Prince William’s much-discussed facial hair.
Jason Knauf, who previously served as communications secretary to the Prince and Princess of Wales, made the candid admission during a 60 Minutes Australia interview.
“If she didn’t like it, it wouldn’t be there. I could tell you that!” Knauf said when asked about Kate’s opinion of William’s beard.
The revelation comes just months after William first debuted his new look in late 2024.
Prince William’s new look has ‘Princess Kate’s support’
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According to Knauf, the Prince of Wales has taken a firm stance on discussions about his facial hair.
“I love it. I think it’s great. But I’ve talked to him about it or tried to talk to him about it,” Knauf revealed in the interview.
He added that William’s response was direct: “It’s here. I have a beard. No further conversation.”
The former aide’s comments offer a rare glimpse into William’s private attitude towards his changed appearance.
Prince William began debuting his beard last year
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The Prince’s new look sparked immediate excitement when it first appeared in November 2024.
A TikTok video featuring William’s beard, set to No Doubt’s ‘Just A Girl’, garnered nearly one million views.
The clip’s caption questioned: “Is it just me, or does Prince William look hot with the beard?”
The public reaction was described as “nothing short of hysteria, the kind of frenzied excitement only boybands can accumulate.”
The Princess of Wales joined Prince William earlier this year on Holocaust Memorial Day
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Royal fans were reportedly “hot under the collar” when they first glimpsed William’s rugged new appearance.
Princess Charlotte’s initial reaction to her father’s facial hair was less enthusiastic than the public’s.
The Prince of Wales revealed that his nine-year-old daughter “burst into tears” when she first saw his beard in summer 2024.
William initially shaved it off due to Charlotte’s distress but later decided to try a different approach.
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Former royal aide Jason Knauf appeared on 60 Minutes Australia to discuss Prince William’s future role as monarch60 Minutes
“I thought, hang on a second and I convinced her it was going to be okay,” the Prince said of his decision to regrow the beard.
The beard debate has historical precedent within the Royal Family, as revealed in Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare.”
Harry wrote that he and William had clashed over facial hair before Harry’s 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle.
The Duke of Sussex claimed he received special permission from the late Queen to keep his beard for his wedding day, something William was reportedly denied for his own nuptials.
According to Harry, this left William “livid,” with his brother stating it was “not the done thing” for military uniforms.