Prince William will soon have to adhere to a royal rule that will see him separated from his son, Prince George, when travelling for royal engagementsCharlotte Foster Royal Reporter and Dan Grennan Audience Writer
17:46, 13 Jul 2025
Prince William and his son may be forced to travel separately (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
With Prince George’s 12th birthday fast approaching, Prince William is facing the challenge of upholding a long-standing Royal tradition that puts some distance between the pair. As soon as George’s birthday hits on July 22nd, a Royal custom kicks in that means the young prince will have to travel solo when on official Royal business.
The oldest son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be barred from accompanying his father on official trips, thanks to a historic tradition that says anyone over 12 and in line for the throne can’t travel together for safety reasons.
It’s a measure that guarantees – in the event of an accident – the next in line stays safe, securing the line of succession come what may. Some folks think this rule applies across all transport methods, but Jennie Bond, a seasoned Royal expert, says it’s only about air travel for those in line for the top spot.
Some believe Prince William will dodge the rule(Image: Getty)
The ex-BBC Royal correspondent also let slip that while Prince William might be expected to keep this custom alive, he might choose to give it a miss every now and then as part of his modernising push.
Bond told the Mirror: “This is a rule which I think applies only to flying, not to other methods of transport. Nevertheless, it’s going to be rather annoying for the family because they are such a tight little unit and obviously enjoy travelling together.
“However, I think there will be pressure on William to stick to this rule – at least most of the time. It’s all to do with protecting the succession to the throne.”
Bond further explained that such a stringent Royal rule would undoubtedly affect the young prince, whose path to the throne has been predetermined since his birth.
Prince William with his family at the Trooping the Colour(Image: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
She stated: “It is of course quite a graphic illustration of how George’s destiny is mapped out and of how he is different to everyone else. And that must be quite hard for a 12-year-old to accept.
“But he has brilliant parents in Catherine and William, and I’m sure they will explain the situation as gently as possible to all three of the children. In any case, I don’t think we should think of George flying on his own. I imagine they will just divide up as a family and as long as William and George are separate, they can make it work.”
Bond also suggested that Prince William, who has already begun modernising the monarchy, might decide to abandon the tradition entirely.
Prince George with his father Prince William(Image: Getty Images)
She added: “William is very much his own man and it may be that he feels this tradition is unnecessary – especially as some statistics suggest flying is safer than driving. So we shall have to wait and see whether he sticks to the way things have been done in the past.”
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