Royal enthusiasts are seeing double when a photo of the Duke of Cambridge wearing a rare beard in 2008 emerged.

In terms of appearance, Prince William is frequently likened to his children Prince George and Princess Charlotte, as well as Queen Victoria’s spouse Prince Albert – but it turns out the future king has more lookalikes.

Fans were quick to point out the amazing resemblance between the duke and two of his ancient predecessors after viewing the unearthed portrait of Wills, who generally appears clean shaven.

According to MyLondon, Prince William first showed off his beard in 2008, as he strolled with his family to the Christmas morning church service at Sandringham.

Although it was never proven why the prince chose to grow his facial hair, many assume it was to conceal his identity on an SBS mission before joining the RAF.

This notion was supported by the fact that his father, Prince Charles, grew a beard while on Naval drills in Alaska in 1975.

Fans were eager to link William to his great-great grandpa, King George V, when the photo was recently shared on Twitter.

“The likeness is remarkable,” said another, while a third added, “George V vibes in a positive way, of course.”

Meanwhile, a fourth person said, “They truly are the spitting image in these images.”

While the article was overwhelmed with similar comments regarding the duke’s resemblance to the Queen’s grandpa, some argued that Prince William looked like another past king.