The Prince and Princess of Wales have been soaking up the summer sun while cherishing special family moments before their little ones, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, return to school in Windsor on 4 September.
In a delightful end-of-summer getaway, the family of five visited Balmoral, joining King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh for a bank holiday retreat in the Scottish Highlands. This annual trip north has been a royal tradition for generations, and this year, eager fans caught a glimpse of the royals as they made their way to church on Sunday morning.
Behind the wheel of a Land Rover, Prince William drove his wife and their children to Crathie Kirk. The family was dressed impeccably for the occasion, with William donning a sharp suit and Kate looking effortlessly elegant in a Holland Cooper coat and stylish fedora hat.
However, royal enthusiasts were quick to notice a change in William's look that left them feeling a bit blue his much-discussed beard was no longer there.
A few weeks prior, William and Kate had featured in an Instagram video, extending their congratulations to Team GB for their achievements at the Paris Olympics. Dressed down in a polo shirt, William's message of "Well done on all you achieved" was somewhat overshadowed by his noticeable facial hair.
But it seems that for his Sunday outing, the Prince of Wales opted for a clean-shaven look, bidding farewell to his beard. One royal fan humorously commented on X: "I'm officially entering a period of mourning for William's beard. I only saw it once, but I'll always remember it."
Another joked: "Sisterwives, we are here today to mourn the passing of a dear lover - the magnificent beard. This beard was no mere follicular accessory - it was a symbol of ruggedness and undeniable charm. We will miss it. Goodbye, everloved Beard."
A fan penned: "Gone but not forgotten" while another expressed: "Reading all these comments, all in mourning for our lovely Prince's beard. I love it so much."
The Wales family's outing at Balmoral marked Kate's first public sighting since she handed out the Wimbledon men's singles trophy last month. The princess revealed in March that she was receiving treatment for cancer.
She made her debut public appearance post her diagnosis announcement at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in London in June and presented Carlos Alcaraz with his championship trophy at Wimbledon in July. According to a body language expert, Kate displayed three key yet subtle signs that hinted at her emotional state.
Judi James stated that the princess appeared "chatty and animated" when spotted being driven to church. Judi shared with the Mirror her insights on Kate Middleton's appearance: "Kate looks chatty and animated here and as she turns her head to speak her brows are raised."
She noted further: "But there is one even stronger sign of authentic, relaxed happiness. We can see her teeth gleaming in a smile that is mirrored by William's smile as they drive to church."
Elaborating on this, Judi remarked: "The important 'tell' though comes from the very distinct dimple we can see at the side of her cheek, which suggests she's truly enjoying the outing as well as the company in the car. The hat with its feather gives a jaunty look too, making Kate look positive and upbeat here."
