Since her marriage into the monarchy back in 2011, Kate Middleton has become a celebrated fashion icon, with high-street replicas of her royal attire often selling out rapidly.

It seems her husband is now attempting to follow her fashionable lead, as one beautician notes that others are emulating his rugged new style, a trend dubbed the 'Prince William effect'.

William now seems to be following in his wife's fashionable footsteps (Karwai Tang/WireImage)

The phenomenon of William's new influence emerges years after 'the Kate effect' made headlines globally - it even boasts its own Wikipedia page!

This trend highlights the economic impact that the mother-of-three has had on the fashion industry over the past decade, with experts estimating that she contributes an estimated £1 million annually to the UK economy.

Since marrying William, numerous high-fashion pieces she has worn publicly have sold out at unprecedented speeds.

Remember the Reiss 'Nanette' dress she donned during her inaugural royal tour? It vanished from shelves within minutes and is still being resold on eBay at twice its original price.

A similar frenzy occurred when she sported Alicia Camilla Elphick pumps for a 2022 charity polo match, leading the designer to remark that 'the phones didn't stop ringing all day' and the shoes 'completely sold out'.

While observers previously thought her husband was perpetually trying to catch up to her striking ensembles, many now believe William's new bearded look has propelled him into the spotlight among fashion enthusiasts.

William debuted his rugged new look earlier this summer (Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The 42-year-old future King debuted his shabby-chic appearance earlier this summer, with fans pleasantly surprised at how well it suited him.

So much so, that when his Instagram followers expressed their dismay after he shaved it off, he quickly grew his beard back within weeks, maintaining its bushy appearance ever since.

William's new style is now said to have inspired men worldwide to cultivate their own facial hair - and even those unable to grow a beard are exploring alternative solutions.

Murat Alsac, co-founder of EsteNove in Istanbul, Turkey, told the Express this week that his clinic has witnessed a dramatic increase in men inquiring about beard transplants, a phenomenon referred to as 'the William effect'.

"People are showing pictures of Prince William on their phones and saying, 'Make me look like that'", Alsac explained.

"They believe it looks rugged and masculine."

He further stated: "The number of transplants we are performing has surged by 200 percent."

William claimed Charlotte isn't thrilled with his beard (Samir Hussein/WireImage)

However, despite the global admiration from fashion aficionados, there's one person not too thrilled with his new hairy look.

At an event in Cape Town last month, the Prince shared that his and Kate's daughter urged him to shave it off.

According to People Magazine, William told attendees: "Well, Charlotte didn't like it the first time. I got floods of tears, the first one brought tears, so I had to shave it off.

"Then I grew it back. I thought, hang on a second, and I convinced her it would be alright."