Why Prince William Refuses to Wear an Ugly Christmas Sweater

Prince William laughs while wearing a burgundy sweater and a suit jacket and sitting next to a man wearing a blue sweater with a big Santa face on the front — (Image credit: Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Earlier this week, Prince William stepped out for a solo appearance at the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment's Christmas party. As well as revealing his surprisingly low-key Christmas plans, the Prince of Wales shared his thoughts on a festive tradition he seems to find somewhat embarrassing.

As reported by Hello! magazine, Prince William met a teenager named Dylan Potter, who apparently told the royal that he was wearing not one, but two Christmas sweaters. The Prince of Wales reportedly found Potter's comments funny, especially as the royal wasn't wearing a festive sweater. He responded by saying, "Some people don't even own one."

As for why he hadn't worn a Christmas sweater to the party, Prince William refused to take the blame. Instead, he reportedly pointed to Squadron Leader Mike Reynolds, who is the Prince of Wales' new equerry. "I didn't know, you see that guy in the jacket, it's his fault and I will be having a word," William joked.

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Prince William wears a burgundy sweater and suit jacket while talking to two men wearing bright red and green Christmas sweaters — Someone purchase Prince William an ugly Christmas sweater, pronto!

The Prince of Wales appeared to be having a lot of fun as he met with members of the military and their families. While William delivered gifts to the children in attendance, he was also given some presents of his own. Per The Sun, Prince William was gifted a drawing by 10-year-old Karson Heighway. "Is that me?" William reportedly asked upon seeing the image. "Looks like I have five nostrils."

As for whether or not William is prepared for the fast approaching festive season, he apparently told a party attendee, "Am I ready for Christmas? No, no way am I ready."

Prince William frowns while attending a Christmas party — "Am I ready for Christmas? No, no way am I ready," William said at the event.

In an episode of Mail+'s "Palace Confidential," royal editor Richard Eden suggested that King Charles is "relieved" that the Prince and Princess of Wales are taking on bigger public roles. "I really do feel we have had a glimpse of the future this week," Eden explained.

Suggesting that Kate and William are preparing for their future roles as King and Queen already, Eden explained, "It has felt like they have taken the lead, and let's say they've done it extremely well, so it's a relief, and it shows how strong the Royal Family is for the next generation, and that's very encouraging."

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Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.