How Prince William is breaking a royal rule by flying with son George

Prince William’s decision to fly with son George raises questions over royal protocol and the safety of the British monarchy’s line of succession

Prince William has drawn scrutiny for travelling on the same aircraft as his 13-year-old son, Prince George, despite a long-standing royal convention that heirs to the British throne should fly separately to protect the line of succession. The two reportedly took the same British Airways flight to Barcelona last week and travelled together on the return journey as well.The Prince of Wales and his eldest son reportedly flew together on a scheduled British Airways flight to Barcelona last week during George’s half-term break from Eton College. The two also travelled on the same aircraft on their return journey, according to a report by the Daily Mail.The father and son were in Spain to watch a Champions League match between Barcelona and their favourite team, Aston Villa, at the Spotify Camp Nou stadium. Their decision to take a commercial flight rather than a private jet reportedly drew attention from fellow passengers.However, the concern centres on the royal convention that senior members of the line of succession should avoid travelling together. The arrangement is intended to prevent multiple future monarchs from being killed in the same aviation accident, potentially creating uncertainty over the succession.The practice dates back to when William was a child. Graham Laurie, a former pilot for Queen Elizabeth II, had said that William travelled with his parents and younger brother, Prince Harry, until he turned 12 in 1994. After that, he was required to use a separate aircraft when travelling with his father, then Prince Charles. Exceptions were reportedly possible with the Queen’s written permission.Questions have also been raised about William travelling with his family in helicopters. The Prince of Wales, who trained as an RAF pilot in 2008, qualified as a search-and-rescue operational captain in 2012. He has previously spoken about continuing to fly and described it as his “happy place”.The Daily Mail report, citing Palace insiders, said William and his immediate family often travel together by helicopter, raising concerns over the risks involved.King Charles has reportedly shared these concerns. Royal biographer Robert Jobson wrote in his 2024 book, Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography, that Charles had questioned William’s decision to fly his family in a helicopter.Jobson also reported that the late Queen Elizabeth had objected to William piloting his family on a journey from Kensington Palace to Anmer Hall in Norfolk. According to the book, Charles later asked his son to sign a formal document acknowledging the risks and accepting responsibility for his decision.