What Kate Middleton Really Thinks of Prince William's Beard, According to a Former Employee

The couple's royal aide shared Kate's honest reaction to her husband's facial hair.

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Kate Middleton has long, wavy brunette hair and wears a black jacket with a black top and a pearl necklace while gazing at husband Prince William#039;s beard
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Prince William's beard received almost unanimous praise from royal fans upon its debut in 2024. While Princess Charlotte burst into tears after seeing her dad's new facial hair, Kate Middleton reportedly had a very different reaction.

In a new interview with 60 Minutes Australia, the Prince and Princess of Wales's former royal aide, Jason Knauf, discussed Kate's reaction to William's new beard. "If she didn't like it, it wouldn't be there," Knauf teased (via Hello! magazine). "I could tell you that!"

The Prince and Princess of Wales's former employee also said of William's beard, "I love it. I think it's great." However, the beard apparently isn't up for discussion, with Knauf revealing, "But I've talked to him about it or tried to talk to him about it. He's like, 'It's here. I have a beard. No further conversation.'"

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Prince William smiles while wearing a navy suit, he has a beard

Royal fans have been thirsting over Prince William's beard.

(Image credit: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)

The Prince of Wales's facial hair has even allegedly inspired a new cosmetic surgery trend dubbed "the Prince William effect," with men requesting hair transplants to look more like the royal.

In an October 2024 interview with the Daily Mail, body language expert Judi James suggested that Prince William's decision to grow a beard was related to his wife's improving health following her cancer treatment. "William's recent change of style and his much less cautious-looking and less formal body language seems to indicate both a growing confidence in terms of his stepping up to the throne and maybe an update in his priorities since Kate's and his father's illnesses," James explained.

Prince William wears a blue suit with an open shirt and has beard stubble

The Prince of Wales has reportedly inspired other men to explore facial hair transplant options.

(Image credit:  Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

James indicated that Kate's cancer scare and the extra responsibility William shouldered may have changed the prince's outlook. "Perhaps the key quality being shown with this more relaxed and open body language then is that slow-learned trust," James told the outlet. "So many of the barbs in his life have come from within his own closest family group, and perhaps he finally sees, feels and appreciates the strong support and affection he can enjoy from the public."

Amy Mackelden
Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.