Prince George Will Be Separated from Prince William After His 12th Birthday Due to Royal Tradition
When Prince George of Wales turns 12 years old, he may no longer be allowed to fly with his father, Prince William. This tradition was put in place to safeguard the royal line of succession. Currently, Prince William is first in line for the throne, Prince George is second, and Princess Charlotte is third. Successors traditionally travel separately to preserve the lineage in the unfortunate event of an aircraft accident.
Prince George May Not Travel with Prince William
Prince William followed this tradition when he turned twelve. At that time, he couldn’t travel with his father or younger brother. This rule stayed relatively unknown until King Charles’s former pilot, Graham Laurie, mentioned it during an interview with OK! Magazine. He flew the royal family back in 1994 when Prince William was Prince George’s age.
“We flew all four: the Prince, the Princess, Prince William, and Prince Harry, until Prince William turned 12 years old,” Graham Laurie explained. “After that, he had to travel on a separate aircraft. We could only fly all four together with the written permission of Her Majesty. When William turned 12, he would fly in a 125 from Northolt, and we would fly the 146 out with the other three on board.”
As of now, it’s unknown if Prince George or Prince William will be the one traveling solo while the rest of the family stays together.
Royal History of Plane Crashes
Unfortunately, this tradition was not created out of mere caution. There have been tragic aircraft accidents in the royal family’s history. In 1937, Princess Cecile, who was Prince Philip’s sister, died in a plane crash. In 1942, Prince George, Duke of Kent and the late queen’s uncle, lost his life in a plane accident as well. And in 1972, the queen’s cousin, Prince William of Gloucester, passed away while participating in an air show.
Stalked at a Young Age
Prince George’s parents have always been protective of their children’s privacy. In August 2015, Kensington Palace issued an official statement demanding that global media stop taking unauthorized photos of George. There were reports of paparazzi following the family obsessively, even using children to lure George out for pictures. Some paparazzi hid in sand dunes to photograph him at the beach, while others trespassed on private property and stalked cars leaving family homes. George was just two years old at the time.
More Unusual Royal Traveling Traditions
The separation rule is just one of several intriguing travel traditions for royals. For instance, King Charles always travels with a doctor and a ready supply of blood. Additionally, royal women must pack a black mourning dress when they travel. This rule began after the death of King George VI in 1952. Queen Elizabeth II, who was in Kenya at the time, had to rush back to the UK for her father’s funeral. As soon as her plane landed, an appropriate black dress was brought on board so she could change before disembarking.
No Shellfish or Monopoly
Unusual traditions extend beyond travel. For instance, royals aren’t allowed to order shellfish at restaurants due to the higher risk of food poisoning. They are also advised against ordering overly spicy foods, rare meats, or drinking tap water when abroad. Additionally, the game Monopoly is banned from royal homes because, according to Prince Andrew in 2011, “it gets too vicious.” Even royals have their quirks!
