Britain's Prince William's friends are betting on whether he will shave off his beard in time for Christmas.
The 26-year-old royal has been pictured with increasingly bushy facial hair recently, and his friends have dared him to keep it for the royal family's official Christmas gathering.
A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "William likes the beard. But the royal gathering will be live on television. He says he would like to keep it but we have bet he will shave it off long before then."
William is believed to have grown the beard to disguise himself as he completed a four-week Special Boat Service assignment in the Caribbean last month.
However, he has so far neglected to shave it off and was even photographed with it during a recent pheasant shoot.
His friends are keen to see if he has the courage to keep the facial hair for the family's Christmas Day service which is held at Queen Elizabeth's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England.
UK betting shop chain Ladbrokes is offering odds of 3/1 that William will be clean-shaven in time for the event.
A spokesperson for Ladbrokes said: "The world's eyes will be on William this Christmas!"
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