Royal Protocol Forces Kate Middleton's Kids To Separate & We Know She's Crushed

Prince George is about to hit the big 1-2, and with it comes a brand new slate of strict, absurd rules. It feels like just yesterday Kate Middleton was debuting him outside St. Mary's Hospital, and now he's on the brink of teenhood. But being second in line to the throne means George's life isn't exactly like the average preteen's. Turning 12 comes with a new royal rite of passage — and no, it's not a flashy crown or a new title. It's a travel ban. Well, sort of.

As of his 12th birthday, which is on July 22, 2025, the not-so-little prince can no longer hop on the same plane as his siblings and parents. That's right — when the quintet travel, he'll have to wave goodbye from the window seat of a separate aircraft. Apparently, royal protocol dictates that heirs shouldn't fly together in case disaster strikes. It's the same reason Prince William and King Charles can't fly together. "We [previously] flew all four: the Prince, the Princess, Prince William and Prince Harry, up until when Prince William was 12 years old," former royal pilot Graham Laurie shared in "A Right Royal" podcast appearance. "After that, he had to have a separate aircraft and we could only fly all four together when they were young with the written permission of Her Majesty."

Is the 12-year-old cutoff set in stone? Not exactly, but Laurie speculates that it's partly about practicality, at least in Prince William's case in the past. "Up until then, they probably thought it will be too much for him travelling on his own," he added. "But nevertheless, that's what they did." With Middleton being a doting mom, you can bet this travel rule isn't her favorite.

Unlike Prince William, who's a pro at jetting off solo, Kate Middleton might need a moment to wrap her head around the reality of her kids flying separately. After all, this isn't exactly the dream setup for a year that's supposed to be full of family fun after a chaotic 2024, which included Middleton's cancer diagnosis and treatment.

"Kate will be wanting to spoil them a bit, because it's very frightening for children when their parents are that ill, so I think they will be up for a few treats this year," royal expert Ingrid Seward shared with Hello! in late 2024. "I think William and Kate might take the children skiing during the Easter holidays and will probably be planning a big summer holiday, because as far as we know they didn't go anywhere last year." This means plenty of plane rides for the whole family, with George likely buckling up on a separate flight thanks to royal protocol. Unless, of course, Grandad Charles gives him special permission.

But George is unlikely to throw a tantrum about his solo seat, anyway. His parents have long been preparing him for a life where "normal" isn't even in the vocabulary. "With George, there's a sense that the priority is that he and his siblings are not put off this, that it's not scary, that it's something that they understand and it's going to be part of their life," royal author Robert Hardman told People. "And there's a belief to make it as unobtrusive and as normal — if you can call it normal — and as pleasant as possible."