Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are getting hitched this weekend and while fashion experts debate over the bride’s look, we just have one important question: Will Prince Harry shave his beard?
Look, in the grand scheme of things, this may not seem like a big deal. Facial hair is not on the same level as the wedding gown. In fact, of all the things Harry and Meghan have to worry about on their big day — uninvited family members, royal scandals, celebrity guests, etc. — a beard is a minor issue. Either he’ll take a sharp blade to it or not.
But hear us out. If Harry does decide to shave his beard, that will change the whole look of the wedding. The younger prince has been steadily strengthening his beard game for a while now. His bit of scruff isn’t a full-on lumberjack but more of a nice, ginger dusting that accentuates his jaw-line and pairs nicely with his red hair and blue eyes. The beard is perfectly suited to the so-called “rebel prince,” the wild-child royal who used to scandalize his family with antics like poorly-chosen Halloween costumes and partying in Las Vegas.
And some royal experts think he might just buck tradition and keep his carefully cultivated facial hair, according to Esquire. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made it known they want their royal wedding to be as unconventional as possible, so making a bold grooming choice wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the two.
It really all comes down to whether Harry will decide to don his military uniform for the big day. It’s a tradition amongst the men of the royal family to wear their service on their sleeve, quite literally, when it comes to special occasions. Prince William wore his red Irish Guard uniform to his wedding, Prince Charles was decked out in his blue navy commander uniform when he married Princess Diana, and Prince Philip wore his Captain General of the Royal Marines uniform when he wed Queen Elizabeth.
Prince Harry has dedicated 10 years to serving in the Army’s Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals, so it would be a surprise if he didn’t say “I Do” in his service uniform. If he does decide to dress in a more military style, he’s actually not allowed to have the beard. According to historian Hugo Vickers, tradition states that people wearing the uniform are not allowed facial hair unless it’s for religious reasons. Prince Harry has broken that rule in the past and received pushback from the royal family and the military for it.
More than likely, if Harry does decide to represent his branch of service at the wedding, he’ll be doing it sans beard. What a shame.
