Prince George may no longer travel with his family starting next year. To accompany his parents on their official trips abroad, the grandson of King Charles III may have to take a different flight. An implicit rule of the British crown requires that two heirs must not be on the same plane.
On July 22, the eldest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton will celebrate his twelfth birthday. An anniversary that could lead to some changes, recalled former royal pilot Graham Laurie on the podcast A Right Royal you magazine Hello. Pilot of King Charles III for more than twenty years, he also led the sovereign with his family, notably to reach the Mediterranean.
“Interestingly, we flew with all four together: the prince, the princess, Prince William and Prince Harry, until Prince William was 12,” he recalled. They probably thought it would be too much for him to travel alone. » And added: “After that, he had to be on a separate plane. » As a result, the young prince took “the 125 from Northolt” while his family took the 146 or the Andover.
The former pilot then clarified: “We could only fly the four together when they were young with written permission from Her Majesty. » Rule which Prince William then followed, who turned to his grandmother to ask permission to travel with his eldest son. This is how he and Kate were able to go to Australia and New Zealand with Prince George, just one year old, and, two years later, in 2016, to Canada with George and Charlotte .
Father and son, each on their own
“I know the king is trying to reduce costs and he is aware of the importance of travel, but I think safety is always paramount,” assured Graham Laurie. Although concerned about his carbon footprint, King Charles III cannot fly with the Prince of Wales, to preserve his descendants if the plane were to crash.
Just as to ensure calm political management of the country, King Charles III and Prince William avoid being abroad at the same time. In an emergency, when the 76-year-old Briton is traveling, his state advisors can be called to act on his behalf. Five possess this power, namely his eldest son, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Princess Beatrice.
