Prince William's New Photos in Military Gear and Rugged Beard Have Fans Buzzing!

The Prince of Wales joined the Welsh Guards for a morning of training

Prince William suited up for a special outing visiting troops in western England. But it wasn’t just his military role that had people talking — it was his appearance in full uniform, complete with his new beard.

Sporting a sharp military uniform and a rugged, scruffy beard that's quickly become a fan favorite, the Prince of Wales captured attention during the outing on Tuesday, Nov. 26. The soldiers of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards are currently preparing for new duties on Salisbury Plain, the vast training ground where the British Army conducts critical military maneuvers.

"Prince William aging like a fine wine!" one social media user commented. Another quipped, "We are here for military Prince William."

The Welsh Guards have been switching from ceremonial duties that, in the past two years, have meant undertaking roles such as the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth and the coronation of her son (and Prince William’s father) King Charles, 76. They also took the lead role in Trooping the Colour, the official birthday parade of the King, in 2023.

The regiment has also been carrying out overseas operations in the Falkland Islands, in the south Atlantic and Oman. Now, they are updating their skills and talents and specialist weapons capabilities to help in their work abroad and in the U.K, in the Field Army.

Related: Prince William Visits with Welsh Guards After Kate Middleton Misses Big Event for Her Irish Guards

As part of this, Specialist Platoons within the Welsh Guards have been carrying out live firing training on Salisbury Plain, using different weapon systems to ensure safety, competency and knowledge of these systems in realistic scenarios.

Prince William began his visit with a briefing on the work the regiment has been carrying out before spending time with the battalion’s personnel from the Specialist Platoons as they carry out different live-firing exercises. There, the soldiers were practicing with a sniper rifle, GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun) and Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (sUAS) drones.

William then spoke to the Specialist Platoons about their different roles within the Welsh Guards and how they are finding the transition back from their ceremonial roles.

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William became Colonel of the Welsh Guards in 2023, a fitting role as King Charles named him the Prince of Wales following his accession, the traditional title for the heir to the British throne. He last spent some time with them in March when he visited them at Combermere Barracks near Windsor.

A post with pictures of the visit shared on social media was captioned, "As Colonel, Welsh Guards, it’s always a pleasure visiting the barracks to speak with the soldiers, hear plans for their future and witness the great work the Battalion does with physical and mental rehabilitation."