As Prince George of Wales of the British royal family approaches his 12th birthday on July 22, observers of royal traditions are contemplating whether the family will adhere to a longstanding travel protocol.
This rule, initially established when William, Prince of Wales, reached the age of 12, stipulates that senior royals must not travel together. The objective of this regulation is to safeguard the line of succession to the monarchy in the event of a tragic accident.
Graham Laurie, a former pilot for King Charles, noted, “He (William) 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,” referring to Queen Elizabeth II.
As the birthday of Prince George approaches, William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, face the potential decision of determining whether their eldest son will commence traveling separately.
However, they retain the option to seek special permission from King Charles to continue traveling as a family unit.
The Prince and Princess of Wales may choose to break tradition, as they have consistently aimed to raise Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with a more everyday upbringing.
They have occasionally deviated from customary practices, such as opting out of the Sandringham Christmas celebration on certain occasions and enrolling their children in co-ed schools rather than adhering to the traditional royal school path.
