Prince William Changes His Facial Hair Again for Surprise Appearance with Wife Catherine

As summer comes to a close for the royal family and they reincorporate official duties back into their daily lives, the Windsors leave the sun, sand and—apparently—beards behind. According to Hello!, Prince William and Princess Catherine were spotted at a surprise outing at the Balmoral estate.

The couple drove to Crathie Kirk Church to attend a service over the weekend. With Kate riding shotgun wearing a beige tartan coat, a feathered fedora hat and a pair of gold dangle earrings, William, dressed in a blue blazer and white shirt, drove his wife and son Prince George to the Sunday service. But we noticed he was missing one recent addition—his summertime scruff—as he was pictured clean shaven during the drive.

We first noticed Prince William's rugged look when he and Princess Catherine took to Instagram to congratulate the British Olympic team, dubbed Team GB, along with Snoop Dogg and other famous celebrities like David Beckham. Usually when the men in the royal family grow out their facial hair, it's an indication that they are "off-duty" or in a period out of the public eye while not performing royal duties and engagements at their normal capacity. For William, his first appearance with this more casual looking beard was during the family's summer holiday in which he, Princess Catherine and their three children spent the majority of it at Anmer Hall in Norfolk. The young family was able to visit the beach and attend local celebrations away from the spotlight that being "on-duty" brings.

Now that Prince William and his family have been thrust back into the swing of royal responsibilities, in true Windsor fashion, the Prince has decided to shave off his summer beard (likely to the disappointment of fans who loved his new look) for a more dignified and smart appearance during the fall and winter seasons. Like his brother, Prince Harry, and father, King Charles, William has sported a beard in the past (though clearly this one was very short-lived).

This visit to Balmoral marks the princess's first appearance at the Scottish church since announcing her cancer diagnosis back in March of this year. King Charles and Queen Camilla, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, James, Earl of Wessex, and Sir Tim Laurence all accompanied the pair and Prince George during the visit. Talk about a family outing.

It's also been confirmed that Prince William's first official royal duty of the year will be on September 5th when he visits The Saatchi Gallery's newest exhibit, "Homelessness: Reframed," which will feature a number of artists. The prince will meet with those involved and hear some of the stories that inspired the project firsthand.