Everyone loves boarding a plane to go on vacation — for the British royals, though, there's one more rule to think about before they take off...
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00:00Let's face it, it's not easy being a tween.
00:02Listen, you little wiseacre, I'm smart, you're dumb, I'm big, you're little, I'm right, you're
00:08wrong, and there's nothing you can do about it."
00:10But what about a royal tween?
00:12Sometimes that's not so great, either.
00:14You've got to follow countless rules, you're under constant media scrutiny, and you're
00:18pretty much stuck on the one career track for the rest of your life.
00:21That said, you're also going to be extraordinarily wealthy, you get the best education money
00:25can buy, and you spend half your time jetting off around the world.
00:29Ups and downs, basically.
00:31Still, there are some rules royal kids must follow even when they're on tour, and this
00:37is something Prince George might soon find out for himself, as once he turns 12, he'll
00:41be forbidden from flying on the same aircraft as his dad.
00:44Why?
00:45Because even royals don't put all their eggs in one basket.
00:48Splitting up future kings when they fly halves the risk should something go horribly wrong.
00:52Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will likely never have to worry about this rule, however,
00:56and they'll continue to be able to fly with their dad whenever they like.
00:59While there are no specific laws about heirs to the throne flying together, it's generally
01:04accepted that the ruling monarch, heir apparent, and their eldest child take separate aircraft
01:08once they reach the age of 12.
01:10This means that, should the worst happen, the crown will immediately pass down the line
01:14of succession.
01:15Former royal pilot Graham Laurie confirmed this unwritten rule to Hello!
01:19Magazine's A Right Royal podcast, adding that then-Prince Charles only traveled with
01:23his sons until Prince William turned 12.
01:26After that, William had to fly on his own.
01:28"...and we could only fly all four together when they were young, with the written permission
01:33of Her Majesty."
01:34Of course, it's entirely possible that Charles or William could change this rule at some
01:39point.
01:40As Laurie suggests, this might align with their goals of streamlining the monarchy,
01:43as eliminating the cost of a second plane, crew, and upkeep would save a good deal of
01:48money for the firm.
01:49We'll likely find out before long, as Prince George turns 12 on July 22, 2025, and William
01:55and Catherine reportedly have a few big family trips planned over the kids' Easter and summer
02:00breaks.
02:01The United Kingdom isn't the only country that takes strict travel precautions when
02:04it comes to protecting the chain of command, either.
02:06Just as King Charles III never flies with his first son or older grandson, President
02:11Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance will always take separate planes when they
02:15make joint appearances.
02:17Whichever plane carries the president is called Air Force One, while the VP's aircraft
02:21is always called Air Force Two.
02:23But unlike the royals, American politicians don't follow a birthright protocol.
02:27The line of succession, instead, continues with the Speaker of the House, followed by
02:31the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Secretary of State, and then a long line of
02:36cabinet members.
02:37The monarchy, meanwhile, is strictly a family business.
02:40If tragedy were to strike and both William and George were to die, then Charlotte would
02:44become next in line for the throne, provided that, by then, George hadn't had any children
02:48of his own.
02:49If Charlotte were still underage at the time, then a regent would step in to take over until
02:53her 18th birthday.
02:54This would most likely be Prince Harry, as he is currently the next adult in the line
02:58of succession.
02:59It's worth remembering, of course, that this is a staggeringly far-fetched scenario, not
03:03least because the precautions enforced by the royals are designed to protect against
03:07it.
03:08For now, at least, it seems that King Charles, Prince William, and their families can fly
03:11in peace, safe in the knowledge that their line of succession remains secure.