Although he was seen as a heartthrob in his younger years, Prince William perhaps didn’t age as gracefully as he may have liked. Unfortunately, the Royal Hairline didn’t quite keep up appearances, and he had a goofy smile. At least, that was the perception.
Except — in scenes sure to bring hope to men everywhere — William staged a comeback for the ages. Already, William’s new beard had boosted his looks with a fresh vibe and just a touch of rugged flair, but the dashing prince kicked it up a notch by adding a military uniform on top.
Although William did serve in the British Army previously, he left active duty some years ago to serve in a royal role instead. But in 2023, William was made a Colonel of the Welsh Guards, an honorary role traditionally given to the heir to the throne. The role mostly involves turning up to events and mucking around while dressed up as a soldier, usually to little fanfare outside of certain circles. Attending a typical PR event with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, ostensibly to oversee their training as they switch from ceremonial to active duties, William was the center of attention.
Dressed in camo that does absolutely nothing to hide him away, the prince cuts a handsome figure in official photos of the event, leading to mass swooning as he shows the world a brand new face. Legions of hot-blooded admirers took to X, formerly Twitter, to show their support for the heir to the throne — who has earned himself a new title as “His Royal Hotness.”
Although X user @QLoTII was effusive in his praise of William, they were far from the only one with kind words to say about his new look. Many users were far more direct about their feelings. One user declared it was one of their favorite royal pictures of the whole year, while others waxed lyrical about the benefits of a man in uniform.
One user even joked about no longer needing a coffee, as William’s appearance was enough to rouse the spirits on its own, posting an image of William looking anything but a pampered prince, while another declared this as the “hottest era” of William’s life.
It’s easy to see what they mean, as William cuts a fine figure in fatigues, looking quite at ease in the photos. With William previously grabbing attention for his rougher new look, it seems like the prince is entering a brand new stage of his career, with eyes on him for rather different reasons than they have been in more recent years.
This new attention is sure to be more welcome than much of what the Prince of Wales has dealt with recently, as he takes on more responsibilities due to King Charles’s health woes, his wife’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, and a public feud with his brother, Prince Harry. “His Royal Hotness” has a great ring to it. If this is the result, maybe William should play dress up as a soldier more often!