God shave the king: Disbelief at reported cost of Prince William's new haircut

The Duke of Cambridge's new closely cropped haircut has raised a few eyebrows after reports it cost as much as £180.

Prince William showed off his new look as he launched a health programme at Evelina London Children's Hospital on Thursday.

The shaven style comes after years of jokes about his premature hair loss from wife Kate and brother Prince Harry.

It was reportedly done during a private session at Kensington Palace at a cost of £180.

The Prince is understood to have got advice from Kate's hairdresser, Richard Ward, before taking the plunge. However one of Ward's deputies, Joey Wheeler, reportedly carried out the royal cut.

Mr Ward charges a base fee of £125 for a men's cut and finish, according to his website.

"Wills sought Richard's advice, but it was Joey who was the one to visit the Palace and give him his new buzz cut," a source close to the hairdressers told The Sun.

Some expressed disbelief at the price of the Prince's haircut, with Twitter user Andrew S saying: "The real news about Prince William's haircut is that mine is virtually identical to his and cost £6."

"Why did Prince William's haircut allegedly cost £180? He hasn't got much of it left to cut!" posted RC Robjohn.

The Duke, 35, has long been teased by his family for his receding hairline.

Prince Harry once said that his brother "was already bald aged 12".

In 2014, Kate was on tour in Australia when she was shown a tuft of alpaca wool, similar in colour to William's hair.

Pointing to her husband's head, she said: "You need it more than me."

Bookmakers William Hill are now offering odds of 6/4 that he will sport a completely shaved head for Prince Harry's wedding.

Odds are 1/2 that he'll stick with the current shaved style, and 16/1 that he will have a hair transplant.

Award-winning British barber and charity founder Tom Chapman said Prince William was joining a number of well-known names in "making the bald head sexy".

He added: "It's a timeless look that has been on trend for many decades now.

"It's usually a cost effective cut, unless you're a royal!

"It's definitely an improvement and he should have done it many moons ago."