Prince William is back at it—and he’s brought his rugged five o’clock shadow along for the ride! The 42-year-old royal has officially re-entered the workforce (a.k.a. royal duties) after a summer of what we can only assume was a lot of sunscreen, dad jokes, and endless “Are we there yet?” moments with his mini-royals.
On Thursday (September 5), the bearded wonder himself graced the “Homelessness: Reframed” exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery. And no, this wasn’t just a casual scroll-through-your-phone kind of art exhibit. William met with actual humans (yes, people!)—artists and those with lived experiences who were likely trying very hard not to say, “Nice beard, bro.”
This dazzling return comes after Will and his fam—Kate Middleton (professional Duchess and fashion icon) and their three royal offspring—took a well-deserved break over the summer. And what do royal families do on vacation? Well, apparently not shave. The Prince gave the world a sneak peek of his “royal stubble” during a brief video message with Kate, which sent fans into a frenzy. After all, nothing says “future King” quite like facial hair.
We last saw our follicularly-blessed prince back in June, but don’t worry, his public re-emergence wasn’t just limited to art galleries. Oh no, ladies and gentlemen. In what might be the most dad move ever, William took two of his kids to the Taylor Swift Eras tour, proving once and for all that even royalty can’t resist a good singalong to “Shake It Off.”
So, while William’s beard might not be ready to ascend the throne just yet, it’s definitely making waves. Royal duties? Check. Taylor Swift concert? Check. Five o’clock shadow? Checkmate.
