Unlike his big brother, Prince Harry has fully embraced the bearded aesthetic. When clean-shaven, he had a boyish, baby-faced look to him, appearing younger than his years. After growing out his stubble in 2013, he began to look more mature, less regal, and most significantly, far more approachable. Indeed, his demeanor now exudes that of an average dude. Perhaps this change was significant for Harry, having always felt like an outsider — a spare if you will — in the House of Windsor. Tellingly, Harry has said that his beard helps with his anxiety.
Initially, Queen Elizabeth II was unhappy with Harry retaining his beard after serving in the armed forces. Not intent on upsetting his grandmother, he was reportedly considering a trip to the barber but eventually opted to keep his ginger mane.
Now, facial fuzz is very much a part of the prince's brand, and he is rarely if ever seen without it. When his wedding day approached, he was allegedly ordered by Prince William to shave off his beloved beard in what has been dubbed "beardgate." "I said 'Well I don't believe that Meghan's gonna recognise me if she comes up the aisle and sees me beardless,'" Harry told ITV (via The Telegraph). "I would feel very, very different without my beard, and that's hard for people to understand who've never grown a beard ... but hopefully those beard people out there will go 'Yeah, no, I fully get that, I can understand.'"
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