The director of Special Forces has approved a proposal to allow soldiers to keep their beards when they return to camp. Members of the SAS, SBS (Special Boat Service) and supporting regiments have traditionally been allowed to grow facial hair while on operations in Syria and Iraq – or on covert operations across the UK.
However, under the new rules they will be able to keep the same so-called “hench” look when wearing parade uniform for special occasions and when taking part in routine duties in barracks.
Land forces have been under enormous pressure to change strict facial hair rules since the Duke of Sussex flouted them. He first showed off his beard on return from operations in Afghanistan, where soldiers deployed on long-range patrols in the Helmand area could avoid shaving to save water.
But he later kept his facial hair on ceremonial duties, most notably after replacing his grandfather, Prince Philip, as Captain General of the Royal Marines, in 2017.
At the time it caused widespread concern among several senior officers who felt it was disrespectful to the uniform.
In the following year he caused further surprise by not shaving for his wedding with Meghan Markle, despite wearing his Blues and Royals uniform. It later emerged that he had received special permission from the Queen to keep his beard.
In 2019 the RAF changed its rules to allow aviators the same rights as sailors to wear beards at all times, providing they obtained permission from commanding officers, in a move aimed at “broadening the recruitment pool, to promote inclusivity and help us retain our highly-skilled personnel”.
It is a battle which soldiers have not yet won.
The Army’s most senior NCO, Sergeant Major Gavin Paton, said at the time: “There is no data to suggest that beards impact recruitment or retention in our Army and we currently have no plans to change our grooming standards.”
Senior Army officers also feared facial hair may prevent a perfect seal when soldiers wear chemical warfare masks.
Only a handful of exceptions exist to the Army’s no-beard policy.
These include soldiers with temporary skin irritations, those whose religions mandate facial hair and uniquely traditional roles such as Pioneer Sergeant, Drum Majors, Pipe Majors and Bugle Majors.
And although the director of Special Forces, a major general who served with the SBS, extended the new privilege to members of supporting regiments such as Paras, it is under the strict condition that they shave before returning to their parent units.
Last night a senior SF source said: “I think Prince Harry’s example has made it more difficult to resist this change, but, really, it’s a common sense decision.”
