Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Rule Breaking Move for Prince George Stuns Royal Observers
Prince William and Princess Kate are often celebrated for their adherence to royal traditions and protocols. Yet, even they have occasionally stepped outside the bounds of these time-honored rules, most notably when it comes to the travel arrangements of heirs to the throne.
Among the many regulations governing the royal family—ranging from restrictions on public autographs and displays of affection to stringent marriage permissions—one crucial rule dictates that heirs to the throne must not fly together.
This precautionary measure aims to protect the royal lineage from the risk of catastrophic events such as plane crashes, thereby ensuring that the monarchy remains stable and that there is always a viable heir.
This rule applies to Prince William, his father King Charles, and his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. It also impacts Prince George, who is currently second in line to the throne.
Once George turns 12, he will be required to travel separately from his father and his younger sister, Princess Charlotte, in adherence to this regulation.
However, despite these protocols, Prince William and Princess Kate have occasionally chosen to disregard this rule, albeit with the necessary permissions.
A notable instance of this occurred in 2014 when the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their then nine-month-old son, Prince George, traveled to New Zealand and Australia.
This decision, which contravened the usual protocol, was made with the explicit consent of Queen Elizabeth II, due to the perceived risks associated with two heirs traveling together.
Historically, Prince William himself followed these regulations during his youth. He traveled only with his immediate family—including King Charles, Princess Diana, and his younger brother Prince Harry—until he reached the age of 12.
Following his twelfth birthday, William had to adhere to a separate travel arrangement. Graham Laurie, the former pilot for the King, shared insights with OK! magazine, explaining, “We flew all four: the Prince, the Princess, Prince William, and Prince Harry, up until Prince William was 12 years old.
After that, he had to have a separate aircraft, and we could only fly all four together when they were young with the written permission of Her Majesty.”
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Additionally, royal travel involves other stringent protocols. According to Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, royal aircraft are equipped with blood matched to the royal’s blood type to cover all possible contingencies.
As Arbiter detailed on Hello’s A Right Royal Podcast, “[You’ve] got to make sure that you’re covering every eventuality,” emphasizing the meticulous planning involved in ensuring the safety and preparedness of the royal family during flights.
The recent decision by Prince William and Princess Kate to occasionally bypass this long-standing travel rule has sparked considerable interest and surprise among royal watchers.
Their actions reflect a nuanced approach to modernizing royal practices while still balancing the deep respect for tradition.
