It has been claimed that the Prince and Princess of Wales are reviewing a long-standing royal protocol now that Prince George has turned 12-years-old.
The current convention forbids two direct heirs to the throne from flying together – in this case William and George.
The unwritten rule, followed sporadically over the decades, aims to safeguard the line of succession in the event of a travel-related tragedy.
In the past, heirs such as King Charles III and the late Queen Elizabeth II were often required to fly separately from their children once they reached a certain age.
Prince William and Catherine have occasionally travelled with all three of their children on the same aircraft in recent years, most notably during official royal tours to Canada and the Caribbean.
However, as Prince George matures and moves closer to a future of full-time royal duties, precedent encourages the couple to reconsider their travel arrangements going forward.
There is no legal requirement preventing the family from flying together, and Kensington Palace has never confirmed a formal policy. Nonetheless, the issue is viewed as symbolic of the evolving balance between tradition and modernity within the Royal Household.
Speaking to Ok! Magazine, former royal pilot, Graham Laurie said: “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.
“When William became 12, he would fly normally in a 125 from Northolt and we would fly the 146 out with the other three on.”
George, second in line to the throne after his father, will turn 12 on July 22. He is expected to begin taking on more public-facing roles in the years ahead, following a path similar to that of his father, who attended his first official engagement aged nine.
Sources close to the family have not commented publicly, though it is understood that William and Catherine wish to maintain a sense of normalcy for their children while also preparing them for their future constitutional roles.
