When British royals travel, they must adhere to certain peculiar rules. For instance, they are required to pack a black outfit to be prepared in case someone dies unexpectedly.
This rule was instituted after the late Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, passed away. She flew back to the U.K. from Kenya without proper attire and had to wait for a black dress to be brought to her plane.
Another significant rule is that certain royals cannot fly together. On the “A Right Royal Podcast” from Hello!, former pilot to King Charles III, Graham Laurie, discussed these protocols.
Laurie revealed that at a certain age, Prince William, the Prince of Wales, could no longer fly with his parents or brother.
“Interestingly, we flew all four — the Prince, the Princess, Prince William, and Prince Harry — up until Prince William was 12 years old,” Laurie said.
“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.”
The rule aims to preserve the line of succession to the British throne in case of a crash. It is expected that this rule will apply to Prince George of Wales when he turns 12 in July 2025.
Currently 10 years old, George is second in the line of succession, following his father, Prince William, and preceding his younger sister, Princess Charlotte.
Born on July 22, 2013, George has so far traveled with his parents on royal engagements. However, the royal protocol of separate travel for heirs will likely come into effect for him next year.
Since air travel is now safer than it used to be, the rule about heirs not flying together is not as strictly enforced as it once was.
It is also not an absolute rule. For instance, in 2014, Prince George flew with both his parents, and a spokesperson for the royal family noted, “While there is no official rule on this, it is something that the Queen has the final say on” (via The Sun). William, Catherine, and their children have continued to travel together since then, but this may change as George approaches his 12th birthday.
Traveling separately from his parents is one way George is being prepared for his future as king. However, it is unclear exactly when he was informed about his royal destiny.
According to Robert Lacey, author and historian, George’s parents told him about his future role in 2020 when he turned 7.
An insider told Closer Weekly in 2020, “William and Kate have already talked to George and Charlotte about their future roles, but in a child-like way so that they understand without feeling overwhelmed.
Read More: Prince George Could Faces Strict Royal Ban in the Year 2025
George knows there’s something special about him and that one day he’ll be the future King of England.”
It appears that George became aware of his royal future sometime before he turned 10. A source explained that William and Catherine aimed to protect their children as much as possible, particularly from the implications of being royal.
“They did not tell him until relatively recently that he will, one day, be King,” the source said. “It was a delicate balance to protect his childhood and innocence.”
Fashion designer Amaia Arrieta, whose designs are worn by the royal children, suggested that George might have always had an inkling about his future role.
“I think they must have had that conversation very early on,” Arrieta told People, noting that George attended some events without his siblings.
As Prince George approaches his 12th birthday, these rules and revelations mark significant steps in his journey towards his future role as King of England.
