Prince William admires troops’ facial hair during barracks visit | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleTony JonesThursday 26 March 2026 18:03 GMTPrincess of Wales makes nod to late Queen as she attends state banquet for Nigeria presidentThe Prince of Wales visited troops from the Mercian Regiment at their Wiltshire barracks in his capacity as Colonel-in-Chief.Dressed in camouflage, he met soldiers who recently returned from a six-month deployment to Estonia as part of Nato forces.Prince William observed urban warfare training via drone footage and engaged in discussions with female soldiers about challenges they face in the Army.He playfully suggested he might shave his beard for a moustache after noticing several officers sporting the look, following the Army's 2024 rule change allowing beards.The Prince also chatted with officers and their families, confirming his preference for football over rugby and his support for Aston Villa.In fullPrince William tells troops he may ditch beard for new trendy lookThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in