Prince Charles would keep schtum as King Charles

Prince Charles has pledged not to interfere in the affairs of state when he becomes king, seeking to dispel concerns about his past activism on issues ranging from global warming to architectural preservation.

In an interview for a documentary marking his 70th birthday on Wednesday, the heir to the throne told the BBC that he understands he will have to act differently when he becomes king. Britain’s monarch is barred from interfering in politics.

“I’m not that stupid,” Charles said when asked if his public campaigning would continue after he succeeds his mother, Queen Elizabeth. “I do realise that it is a separate exercise being sovereign, so of course I understand entirely how that should operate….

“It’s vital to remember there’s only room for one sovereign at a time, not two,” he said in the one-hour programme.

“So, you can’t be the same as the sovereign if you’re the Prince of Wales or the heir,” Charles added, using one of his official titles.

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“The idea, somehow, that I’m going to go on in exactly the same way if I have to succeed [the Queen] is complete nonsense because the two situations are completely different.”

The prince has caused disquiet in the past by expressing his commitment to organic farming, traditional architecture and environmental causes.

In 2015, he lost a long court battle to prevent the disclosure of 27 letters sent to government officials on matters such as badger culling, fish protection, military readiness and the preservation of historic buildings.

The “black spider” memos, so called because of Charles’ cramped handwritten greetings and closings, were controversial because some saw them as inappropriate lobbying by the heir to the throne.

But Charles defended his past actions, including establishing the Prince’s Trust in 1976 to help disadvantaged young people, saying he had always steered clear of party politics. He wondered aloud whether his interventions were really “meddling”.

“If it’s meddling to worry about the inner cities as I did 40 years ago … if that’s meddling, I’m very proud of it,” he said.

The documentary captures the prince in both public and private, including images of him feeding vegetable scraps to his chickens and collecting their eggs at his Highgrove home.

It includes an interview with the prince’s wife, the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla, 71, who said Charles is driven by a need to help others.

The documentary also features Charles’ sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

William, 36, the father of three young children, said he hoped Charles would spend more time with his grandkids as he gets older.

Harry, 34, praised his father for stepping in to walk his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, down the aisle at their royal wedding in May, after the former US actress’ father was unable to attend.

“I asked him to [do that] and I think he knew it was coming and he immediately said, ‘Yes, of course, I’ll do whatever Meghan needs and I’m here to support you’,” Harry said.

He also said Charles “does need to slow down”.

“This is a man who has dinner ridiculously late at night and will fall asleep on his notes… He never stops.”