Royal family secret travel rules: Why members always pack a black outfit

King George VI died in 1952 when Queen Elizabeth was visiting Kenya

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Published April 03, 2026
The black outfit protocol is being followed since the death of late Queen Elizabeth's father George VI.

There are numerous secret travel rules which the members of the royal family must follow and one of these is bringing a black outfit with them.

Any self-respecting member of the royal family always brings a black outfit on their travels.

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The rule is for in case of an unexpected death occurs.

The black outfit royal protocol dictates that once they arrive back in the UK they're appropriately dressed for the occasion as quickly as possible.

There are claims the protocol is being followed since the death of late Queen Elizabeth's father George VI.

As per details, when Elizabeth's father George VI died in 1952 she was visiting Kenya and hadn't brought anything black to wear with her.

When the then Princess arrived back in the UK, she wasn't able to leave the plane until adequate attire had been provided.

Since then, a lesson learned in the most bitter of circumstances and the royals bring black attire with them.

Another primary secret travel rule of the British Royals is that two direct heirs to the throne (like Prince William and his elder son Prince George) should not travel together on the same flight to protect the line of succession.

This precautionary measure, which usually applies once an heir reaches age 12, ensures the monarchy's survival in case of a fatal accident.

Mukhtar Ahmed Junejo
Mukhtar Ahmed Junejo is the Deputy News Editor at The News International (Digital) with over 10 years of experience. He specialises in real-time reporting on the British Royal Family and analyses monarchy transitions, internal dynamics, and global media narratives. He also covers high-profile celebrity news and international human-interest stories.
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