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  "path": "/royal/prince-william-style-change-latest",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-26T17:28:46.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "US ambassador claims cancelling King Charles's State Visit would be a 'very big mistake!'",
    "Organisers of Meghan Markle retreat confirm new addition to line-up",
    "Sarah Ferguson suffers fresh blow as historic company places her membership under review",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nThe Prince of Wales paid a visit to troops from the Mercian Regiment at Picton Barracks in Bulford, Wiltshire, where it was revealed he was contemplating a major style change.\n\nDressed in camouflage gear and sporting the regimental beret in his capacity as Colonel-in-Chief, William encountered numerous officers proudly displaying moustaches.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe trendy look prompted the future king to quip about potentially trimming his beard down to just a moustache.\n\nLieutenant Jack Austin, 23, from south Manchester, revealed he had raised the topic of facial hair during their conversation.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"I brought it up when I was chatting to the prince and he said 'maybe I should get rid of the beard and just have the moustache',\" the officer recalled.\n\nThe moustache trend among officers began during their deployment to Estonia, with Lt Austin explaining that several of them grew the facial hair while stationed in the Baltic nation and \"it snowballed from there\".\n\nLieutenant Harris Debonnaire, 26, claimed credit for starting the look, having initially grown his bushy moustache for the Movember charity campaign. \"It just grew on me,\" he joked.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe officer was accompanied by his mother Maxine Debonnaire, 63, from Gillingham, Kent, who took the opportunity to playfully embarrass her son in front of royalty.\n\n\"He was out every night when he came back and sometimes during the day,\" she teased about his social calendar following his return from the six-month deployment.\n\n\"I'm very proud of him, very proud. I keep telling everyone my son is an officer in the Army.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Prince of Wales also spent time speaking with female military personnel, predominantly sergeants working across various fields including administration, engineering and medicine.\n\nThe prince raised a new initiative designed to bring servicewomen together for regular discussions, which the group described as \"welcomed\" and particularly beneficial for those lacking a female presence in their direct chain of command.\n\nThe Mercian Regiment counts approximately 40 women among its 800-strong force.\n\nConversation turned to the Army's zero tolerance policy on unacceptable sexual behaviour, implemented in 2022.\n\n### LATEST ROYAL NEWS\n\n\n\n\n  * US ambassador claims cancelling King Charles's State Visit would be a 'very big mistake!'\n  * Organisers of Meghan Markle retreat confirm new addition to line-up\n  * Sarah Ferguson suffers fresh blow as historic company places her membership under review\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nCaptain Maria Bell acknowledged progress, stating: \"The Army's moved forward a lot over the past couple of years as regards the USB policy that's come out and signposting.\"\n\nHowever, she emphasised that further investment in training and education was needed beyond what she described as a \"tick-box exercise\".\n\nThe soldiers William met had returned to the UK last December following a six-month posting to Estonia as part of Britain's contribution to Nato forces.\n\nThe prince had previously travelled to Estonia in March last year to visit the Mercian troops during their deployment.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDuring his barracks visit, William observed urban warfare training exercises through live drone footage.\n\nThe 2024 rule change permitting Army personnel to grow full beards marked a significant modernisation of the service, bringing it in line with policies already in place at the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, while also aiming to boost recruitment.\n\nWhen the Debonnaire family quizzed William on his sporting preferences, asking whether he favoured football or rugby, the prince confirmed his allegiance to football and his beloved Aston Villa.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Prince William warns of style change as he meets army troops"
}