The Royal Family is famous for its love of rules and protocol, with guidelines on everything from who walks into a room first to the foods they can’t eat. But one particular rule that seems to have softened over the years pertains to flying—and more specifically, Prince William traveling with his kids.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are vacationing in Mustique this week amid Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis’s half-term break—and according to the Mail on Sunday, the family traveled together in business class on a British Airways flight.
The decision sparked some questions about whether the couple had broken royal protocol with the move, but looking back at previous royal tours, William and Kate have always flown together with their children.
“There is indeed this royal protocol, but I think the idea the Prince of Wales and his children can’t be on the same flight is stretching it,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told GB News. “It is true some attention would have to be made if there was considered any sort of risk.”
Prince William helped a young Prince George off a plane during a 2017 trip to Germany.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The couple traveled via sea plane with their kids while touring Canada.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
He continued that the “rule was followed probably more in the past than now.” Queen Elizabeth, in particular, was “very worried” about William flying his family in helicopters, per the Sun.
“She knows William is a capable pilot but does not think it is worth the risk for all five of them to carry on flying together and can’t imagine what would happen,” a source told the outlet at the time. If tragedy struck and both Prince William and his heir Prince George died, the Queen felt “it would spark a constitutional crisis.”
Today, the Prince of Wales regularly flies with his kids, but Fitzwilliams added that it’s unlikely William and The King will be traveling together anytime soon.
“They probably wouldn’t have King Charles and the Prince of Wales on the same flight, but the protocol rules have flexibility,” he said.