Prince William's latest move triggers 'war' with Prince Harry

GB News's Digital Royal Editor, Svar Nanan-Sen, and the Royal Correspondent, Cameron Walker, sat down for this week's episode of The Royal Record podcast to discuss the "Beard War" that has since escalated between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex following the release of William and Kate's video.

Svar said: "William's beard actually created the latest instalment of what people have dubbed the 'Beard Wars'.

"This goes back to Prince Harry writing in Spare that William was furious that he had chosen to keep his beard for his wedding to Meghan in 2018."

Speaking to ITV's Tom Bradby ahead of the publication of Spare, Prince Harry detailed how he had sought permission from Queen Elizabeth II to keep his beard on his wedding day in 2018.

The Armed Forces had strict rules around facial hair while in uniform.

The duke claimed while the Queen had been amenable to the beard, Prince William was not.

He alleged that the Prince of Wales ordered him to shave it off after a week-long argument. However, the beard stayed in place.

Harry told Bradby he didn't think Meghan Markle would have recognised him clean-shaven and he "would feel very, very different without my beard".

"That's hard for people to understand who've never grown a beard but hopefully those beard people out there will go, 'Yeah, I get that, I can understand'."

Svar continued: "Prince Harry wrote in Spare, 'When I informed William that his opinion didn't really matter since I'd already gone to granny and got the green light, he became livid. He raised his voice.'

"He added that William accused Harry of putting their grandmother in an 'uncomfortable position, saying she had no choice but to say yes'.

"So this is because Harry felt so strongly about his beard and the fact that he didn't want to shave it off for the wedding, that he spoke to the late Queen and asked for permission to keep it.

"Prince Harry has also referred to his beard in Spare as his 'security blanket', so it's something that Prince Harry obviously feels really passionate about.

"Now it looks like Williams briefly joined him with also sporting a beard."

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Cameron added: "Yes, quite possibly. I think it'll be interesting to see if this was just a relaxed Prince William on holiday, can't be bothered to shave, did a video last minute because he had to for the Olympics and he'll shave it off come September when he's back on full-time public duties.

"Or, he has decided to grow it and maybe he'll keep it. So let's see.

"Watch this space when Prince William next does a public engagement, which will probably be in a few weeks time in September when the children are back in school.

"We will keep a close eye on whether or not he keeps his facial hair."