Princess Charlotte Had a ‘Flood of Tears’ When She Saw Dad Prince William’s Beard for First Time

Prince William is speaking out about his bold new look for the first time.

In a candid interview on Nov. 7 to mark the end of his visit to Cape Town, South Africa, for this year’s Earthshot Prize Awards, the Prince of Wales, 42, revealed that his new beard had to pass a very important test — not from the public, but from his 9-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte!

William shared that his initial attempt to grow facial hair earlier this year didn’t go quite as planned.

“Well, Charlotte didn’t like it the first time. I got floods of tears, the first one I got tears, so I had to shave it off,” he said.

Determined to give it another go, the royal dad of three had to do a little convincing.

“Then I grew it back. I thought, hang on a second, and I convinced her it was going to be okay,” William added.

When one of the reporters noted that the prince’s new facial hair, which he debuted in August, gives him a laid-back, “relaxed” look, William admitted that the appearance is deceiving.

“It’s interesting you say that, because I couldn’t be less relaxed this year, so it’s very interesting you’re all seeing that,” he said about the past year, which saw both his wife, Kate Middleton, and father, King Charles, diagnosed with cancer.

“But it’s more a case of just crack on and you’ve got to keep going,” he said. 

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Between royal duties and balancing time with his family, Prince William says he’s making room for the things he values most.

“I enjoy my work, and I enjoy pacing myself and keeping sure that I have got time for my family too,” he said.