Prince George is set to mark a major milestone this week but it comes with a significant royal shift.
As the young royal celebrates his 12th birthday on July 22, he’s also approaching a point in royal life that will soon set him apart from his siblings and even from his father, Prince William.
The Prince and Princess of Wales's eldest child, George is second in line to the throne, following directly behind Prince William in the royal line of succession. His younger sister, Princess Charlotte, currently sits in third place.
But in line with royal protocol, George will soon be subject to a long-standing rule designed to protect the monarchy’s future that could see him separated from both Charlotte and William on official duties in the years ahead.
King Charles's former pilot, Graham Laurie, recently explained the rule, recalling how Prince William began flying separately from his father when he turned 12 in 1994. Speaking to OK!.
"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 written permission from Her Majesty," Laurie said.
Laurie added that once William reached the age limit, he typically flew alone from RAF Northolt in a smaller aircraft, while the rest of the family travelled together on a different plane.
Now, with George hitting the same age milestone, it’s likely the same practice will be followed unless special permission is granted again.
Alternatively, Prince William could travel separately to allow George to remain with Princess Kate, Charlotte, and Louis.
According to long-standing royal protocol, direct heirs to the throne should avoid flying together once a child turns 12.
This precaution is intended to safeguard the line of succession in the unlikely event of a tragedy.
Though the rule can be overridden with the monarch’s written permission, it is generally discouraged.
A senior aide once explained that the purpose is to prevent a scenario where multiple heirs are at risk during the same journey. If disaster were to strike, the immediate future of the monarchy could be thrown into chaos.
Tragically, the royal family has experienced such losses in the past. Prince Philip’s sister, Princess Cecilie, died in a plane crash in 1937; Prince George, Duke of Kent and uncle to Queen Elizabeth II, perished in 1942; and Prince William of Gloucester, the Queen’s cousin, died in 1972 during an air race.