Today, the Princess and her husband proudly congratulated Team GB on their Olympic success in a sweet new video. Filming from their Norfolk home, the pair stood in casual clothes as they dubbed the participants an inspiration to us all. The short clip, accompanied by Snoop Dogg’s music, had fans in a frenzy—not just because Katherine made a rare appearance amid her cancer treatment recovery, but also due to Prince William's new beard, which had people talking.
In the clip, shared with her 16.7 million Instagram followers, the Waleses appeared rather tanned, having enjoyed the recent sunshine. Standing in what seems to be the garden of their home, Adelaide Cottage, on the Windsor Castle estate, William and Katherine congratulated Team GB, with Katherine saying, "From all of us watching at home, congratulations to Team GB." William added, "Well done, and all you've achieved. You've been an inspiration to us all."
The post, which has racked up over 152,000 likes, was quickly flooded with comments from fans who couldn't believe their eyes. One fan exclaimed, "Pardon me, ladies, I need to cool down—Prince William looks so handsome with a bit of facial stubble!" Other users attributed the light stubble to a look William will sport while on holiday. "William, please keep growing that beard!" urged another follower.
The Olympic Games 2024 concluded today, August 11, with the Waleses releasing their supportive video at around 7:00 p.m. The mother of three wore a striped black and white shirt, similar to the one she wore when she revealed her cancer diagnosis in March. She elegantly styled her hair straight with a side part, while William wore a blue Adidas polo with the Olympics logo.
The news of the Princess’s cancer diagnosis was truly shocking in the UK, and the fact that the specific nature of the cancer was not disclosed has led to much speculation and concern. Katherine’s appearance wearing the British brand in the Royal Box for the Gentlemen’s Singles Final between Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia generated $4.8 million in media impact value for the label. The Prince and Princess of Wales’s official social media accounts also drove roughly $1.8 million in impact for Wimbledon, just behind 2024 champion Alcaraz and runner-up Djokovic.
These sentiments were echoed by a palace insider, who told the outlet that her outing likely gave her strength. "She has gone through something awful and stressful, and it is crucial to have little wins to look forward to or to give you the courage and energy to move forward. This was it," the source said, adding that Princess Katherine showed tremendous courage and character, fully aware that the world was watching.
The royal video follows King Charles's message earlier in the day, marking the end of the Paris Olympics. He congratulated the competitors, describing them as an inspiration. The statement from Charles was released ahead of the closing ceremony at the Stade de France, which is set to begin at 9:00 p.m. It reads: "My wife joins me in sending our warmest congratulations to the competitors and their support teams from Team GB and across the whole Commonwealth for their many outstanding successes at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Your achievements across so many disciplines were forged from that invaluable combination of raw talent, true grit, and hard work over many years, burnished these past weeks by sportsmanship and team spirit in the finest tradition of the Games. To those who missed out on the greatest prizes, you have most certainly not fallen short in the pride that you too have generated for your nations. As we thank France for hosting such a wonderful tournament and look ahead to the Paralympics, I can only say that you have all been an inspiration."
