5 Things Prince William Is Not Allowed to Do as Heir to the Throne

While the royal life may appear dazzling and grand from a distance, it comes with its own set of sacrifices. And there would hardly be anyone who knew that better than Prince William. As the future king and the current heir to the throne, the Prince of Wales has had to give up many things in his day-to-day life. He is not allowed to do so many things that everyone else might find absolutely unproblematic. So, here are 5 things that William has had to give up as the heir to the British throne.

Political neutrality is one of the key and most important aspects of being royal, and as the heir to the throne, William must strictly abide by it. So, while the Prince of Wales might have political opinions of his own, when in public, he must bite his tongue. The same rule applies to most members of the royal family, especially the senior working royals.

Royals are not allowed to display affection for their partners publicly. However, over the years, William and Kate Middleton have formed their own language to express their love for each other through tactful hand placements, occasional pecks, and words of adoration. Whenever the Prince and Princess of Wales indulge in anything even slightly romantic, they not only grab headlines but also make royal fans swoon a little bit.

The British royal family is famously an Anglican institution. In fact, once someone is crowned the monarch, they also become the head of the Church of England. Any royal who converts their religion to Roman Catholicism would reportedly lose a spot in the line of succession. An aide had told the BBC earlier this year that William's "commitment to the Church of England is sometimes quieter than people expect, and for that reason it is not always fully understood". Whatever his personal beliefs about faith may be, the Prince of Wales won't renounce his Anglican communion.

While travelling with one's father does seem like the most normal thing in the world, that is not the case for William. The Prince of Wales is forbidden from flying in the same plane as King Charles for a rather heartbreaking reason. In the unfortunate event of a plane crash, the monarchy shouldn't lose the monarch and the heir to the throne at the same time. However, William has travelled with his son and future king, Prince George, several times.

The British royal line of succession is hereditary. The crown is generally passed on after the demise of the previous monarch. It is nearly impossible for William to skip the succession line, even if he wanted to. Dr Robert Morris of University College London’s Constitution Unit told the New York Post, "The Act of Succession 1701 means any change needs to be approved by both the government and Parliament. The likelihood of this happening (was) nil. William himself would not want it and, if anyone tried, it wouldn’t get voted through."