It’s fairly normal for Prince William and Kate Middleton to travel with their three children, Prince George (10), Princess Charlotte (8) and Prince Louis (5). But in two years, family plane rides will likely be a thing of the past.
You see, royal protocol discourages two heirs from traveling on the same plane together. This means that Prince William and his oldest son, Prince George, are supposed to travel separately.
Prince William and Princess Catherine have yet to follow this rule with the future king, however, that may change when the young royal turns 12 on July 22, 2025.
Why, you may ask? Well, 12 is the same age that Prince William started flying separate from his father, King Charles. The reason for the rule is security. If something were to happen, the royal bloodline would be unaffected.
Hello! magazine correspondent Danielle Stacey explained that the protocol was established decades ago when airline travel was unreliable.
“The unofficial role around royal heirs traveling together dates back to when flying was not deemed as safe as it is today,” she told the mag. “There were fears years ago over losing those closest to the throne should something tragic happen.”
While it is assumed that Prince William will travel separately from Prince George once he turns 12, if they do decide to fly together it certainly wouldn’t be the first time the royals broken protocol. One thing’s for sure: Prince George is growing up too fast.
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