Prince Harry visits Obama in Oval Office

President Obama hosted Great Britain’s Prince Harry — and his famous beard — in the Oval Office on Thursday.

Prince Harry’s visit to the nation’s capital was intended to promote the Invictus Games, a sports tournament for wounded and injured veterans. But the prince’s facial hair is what caught the attention of reporters covering his White House visit.

{mosads}”Nice beard,” CBS Radio correspondent Mark Knoller commented to Harry after the meeting concluded.

“Thank you, you too. Mine’s not gray yet,” replied the prince, fifth in line for the British throne.

“Fantastic, you get used to them,” Obama quipped to Prince Harry about the press corps. “The camera guys I like.”

The prince’s beard has provided endless fodder for the British tabloids since he returned wearing it after a wildlife conservation trip to Africa this month.

The Obama administration has had fun with facial hair in the past. Then-press secretary Jay Carney inspired a Twitter account with his own beard before shaving it off last year when he heard journalists were placing bets on how long it would last.

Earlier Wednesday, the prince joined with first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden to meet with wounded military service members at Fort Belvoir, Va.

The trio watched a sports event featuring disabled athletes, similar to one that will be included in the Invictus Games next May in Orlando.

Harry, who served two deployments in Afghanistan, told the athletes his service “changed the direction of my life.”

“There is very little that can truly prepare for the reality of war,” he said. “The experiences can be stark and long-lasting.”

In the Oval Office, the president praised Prince Harry’s effort “to make sure that we see not simply the sacrifices” veterans have “but also the incredible contributions, strength and courage they continue to display.”