Royal family
Prince William was once a teenage heartthrob, but in recent years, he has presented himself as more of a sophisticated adult than anything else. Now, though, the internet is in a frenzy over his new, relaxed look.
The royal family wants to present themselves in a certain way: with grace and elegance. Prince William, who is first in line for the British royal throne, has always had a classy, sophisticated way about him ever since entering adulthood. Though clean-shaven for his entire adult life, William has recently let loose a bit, opting for a slightly scruffier look with a new beard.
While his professionalism has remained fully intact, William has realized that he can have his cake and eat it too. He can look relaxed and approachable while still maintaining a polished, sophisticated presentation. But with the birth of his new look comes a new reputation for the prince’s appearance.
The internet has dubbed Prince William ‘hot again’
Of course, it’s not appropriate to suggest that William either was or wasn’t “hot” at any point in his life. However, that seems to be the verdict from thousands of Instagram users. In college, it’s no secret that William was a teenage heartthrob; everyone wanted to date the prince (but Kate Middleton was the only one so lucky). Throughout most of his adult years, though, William’s clean-shaven, upscale look made him appear pretty prim and proper, with no such labels.
But a recent Instagram video has gone viral, dubbing the prince “hot.” A post by Instagram user juliatheslay had nearly five million views as of press time, and it showed three images: One of William in college, one of him in his recent adult years, and one present day. Along with the photos was the wording: “2025 is just getting more confusing by the day … Prince William is … HOT AGAIN?!”
While it’s not necessarily appropriate to comment on someone’s looks, the video took social media by storm, receiving thousands of comments from people in full agreement. “Legit it’s the hat and beard together” one user wrote (William is wearing a military beret in the present-day photo).
Another person joked that it has to do with William, 42, aging gracefully. “The 30s are rough years for men — they have to get to that daddy stage.”
“He may be going bald, but he’s still so handsome,” someone else commented.
Prince William seems comfortable with his new look
The prince debuted his beard in 2024, and he has stuck with it ever since. Maybe it makes him feel more approachable and comfortable, which certainly isn’t a bad way to be perceived by the public.
It seems that William’s wife, Kate Middleton, also loves the look. The way we know? Well, he hasn’t shaved it yet. And everyone knows that if Kate didn’t approve, that beard would have been gone in no time. These days, William and Kate are putting a greater focus on being viewed as a more ordinary couple. They have a more relaxed look, show affection more often in public, and continue to raise their kids with a sense of normalcy.
