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The beard is back. The tabloids are in a frenzy over Prince William's facial hair. He originally grew it as a "cheek cover" while on a 10-day exercise with the Special Boat Service, but the royal beard got the official thumbs-up on Christmas Day when he appeared unshaven at the annual Sandringham church service. Forget Zara's hat, or Sophie's heels, Will's stubble drew most column inches.
He has just been voted runner-up in the annual Beard of the Year award, losing out only to joint winners the Archbishop of Canterbury and Tom Jones.
Can I just say how well it suits him. It reminds us what nice eyes he has - and startlingly white teeth. Wills, 26, once the golden boy, had been teetering dangerously close to parody (all the Windsor boys go the same way: Andrew, Edward, even Peter Phillips are starting to resemble accountants). But now, with a little facial hair, Wills looks tough, manly. The sort of man you'd borrow a ladder from.
The funny thing is I used to be beard-phobic. Men with facial hair seemed too mannered, or recklessly unkempt. But now I think they're damn sexy. Admittedly, kissing can be a bit scratchy but I like a man who experiments with his appearance.
Of course, beards are the ultimate credit crunch gesture. A colleague tells me he saves £2 a day on razors when he doesn't shave. Resting actors, from Keanu Reeves to George Clooney, love the chance to go au naturel. And it's no coincidence Wills has gone hirsute just as his hairline recedes.
A beard says: "I'm my own man. I don't need to be all clean-shaven and metrosexual." But it takes panache to carry it off. We're talking quality over quantity here. Anything longer than an inch, shave it off, mate. Red beards are cool, but absolutely no blonde or white ones - unless you are Gandalf.
Some mothers warn their sons off beards ("it makes you look shifty") but for my money Russell Brand stays just the right side of girlie (pompadour hair, eyeliner) because of his designer stubble.
The past 12 months may have been the year of the moustache (thanks to Brad Pitt who sported "The Pittstache"), but beards are so 2009. Colin Farrell pioneers the Irish gypsy look while pretty boys Hugh Jackman and Will Smith "butch up" beautifully with a beard.
Will's stubble may not be around much longer, sadly. His RAF bosses insist it's unsuitable for his upcoming role as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot. But he's set the bar high.
Remember: it's Barack Obama's only known flaw. As he confessed to reporters, "I can't grow facial hair ... I get whiskers."
