Prince William playfully mentioned that he is considering shaving off his designer beard and keeping a mustache to match the soldiers who are embracing trendy facial hair styles. The Prince of Wales, who grew his own beard in the summer of 2024, expressed admiration for the soldiers’ mustaches during a visit to the 1st Battalion The Mercian Regiment at Bulford, Wiltshire. He humorously mentioned, while stroking his beard, that he might remove it and only keep a mustache.
Informed by Lt Jack Austin, 26, that the trend started when 1 Mercian was stationed in Estonia the previous year, Prince William acknowledged that the style is becoming more popular. The British Army adjusted its regulations in March 2024 to permit well-groomed facial hair among soldiers.
During his visit to Bulford, the Prince observed the latest training methods, including a demonstration using drones to assist in building clearance, and interacted with families.
One mother, 63-year-old Maxine Debonnaire, left the future King amused when she jokingly mentioned that she had hardly seen her son since he returned from Estonia because he had been going on numerous dates. William responded by saying, “I think we’ll get along very well,” as he put his arm around her while her son, 26-year-old Lt Harris Debonnaire, laughed and confirmed that he had indeed taken her out for Mother’s Day.
The Prince joined the officers, soldiers, and families of B Company in the Officers’ Mess to learn about their recent six-month deployment to Estonia on Operation Cabrit – the UK’s contribution to NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Estonia and Poland.
He commended the dedication of service families and shared experiences of the cold weather he encountered during his visit to Estonia in March 2025.
Engaging with various families, the Prince entertained young children by inquiring if they had found the “very big chocolate cake and cookies” that were available.
He also dedicated time to the female network to discuss women in the Army, inquiring about progress made and areas needing further attention. The Prince of Wales serves as the Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment.
Wearing ear defenders, the Prince observed an exercise at the urban training facility, where a mock building – which he jokingly likened to a “bouncy castle” – was set up for practice. Soldiers used training weapons to simulate clearing the building, while drones provided aerial support.
He inquired about the mastery of drone operatives, learning that skill in video games translates well to drone operation. He praised the exercise for its innovation and for reinforcing skills learned during deployment. Subsequently, he engaged with participants to gauge morale, satisfaction with service, levels of activity, and offered assistance where needed.
The Prince also awarded three Long Service and Good Conduct medals to soldiers and posed for photographs with families.
