When you're second in line to be king, people pay attention to your every move. Prince William has grown up with the world's eyes on him. William has always been mature and responsible, and the public watched in awe as he handled his mother's death with poise at age 15.
William matured into a serious, dedicated young man, but he's still very approachable and kind. Now that the Queen and Prince Charles are getting older, the world is keeping close tabs on the Duke of Cambridge.
When Prince William married Kate Middleton in 2011, everyone watched their gorgeous ceremony. In the years since, we've all enjoyed seeing their family grow.
Eagle-eyed fans have noticed something interesting about Prince William, though — he doesn't wear a wedding ring. Although his wife wears her stunning engagement ring and wedding band, Prince William's hands are completely bare. The reason, it turns out, has less to do with being a royal and more to do with personal preference.
When Prince William announced his engagement to longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton in November 2010, people were overjoyed at their first look at the future of the monarchy.
Their April 2011 wedding was widely regarded as the most important event for the royal family in some time.
In the seven years that they have been married, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have welcomed three beautiful children: Prince George, 5; Princess Charlotte, 3; and Prince Louis, 8 months.
The couple is very dedicated to fulfilling their royal duties. As the future king and queen consort, their every decision is looked to as an indication of the direction the monarchy will go in.
The best thing about the couple is that no matter what they're doing together, they still look at each other with that same beautiful sparkle in their eyes.
It's the couple's constant warm, joyful demeanor that made fans confused when they noticed that Prince William doesn't wear a wedding ring.
You'll notice that in this photo of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge following the birth of Prince Louis, Kate is wearing the beautiful engagement ring given to her that once belonged to Princess Diana. A closer look will show a beautiful, Welsh gold wedding band just beneath it.
A close look at William's left hand shows that the Duke of Cambridge does not wear a wedding band.
During their 2011 wedding, Prince William put a ring on his bride, but he did not receive a ring himself.
The couple actually confirmed that William wouldn't wear a wedding ring prior to their wedding. A palace spokesperson told People, "There is only going to be one ring, in accordance with the couple’s wishes."
Some say that William's elevated level makes wearing a ring unnecessary, but many other royal men do wear wedding rings. Prince Charles wears a wedding band under his signet pinkie ring.
Prince Harry also sports a wedding band.
Prince William's official reason for not wearing a ring is simple: He isn't a fan of jewelry.
The new generation of royals are all about breaking the rules, so it's no surprise that they're picking which traditions suit them and which can fall to the wayside.
