Real reason Prince George will soon be separated from Prince William and Princess Charlotte as royal ban is explained
There's an important reason why Prince George may be separated from his family in just a matter of months.
There are so many strict rules and regulations the royal family have to follow, but it's necessary for the family to keep up tradition.
Prince George, 11, and his siblings Charlotte, nine, and Louis, six, are used by now to following protocol, but this new upcoming rule will see the eldest swept away from his siblings and father.
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It's got to be a tough gig being a royal kid, but there are some things their parents do which ensures they feel relatively normal.
For example, they have different names they're given at school, and are formally known in class as George Wales, Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales, as a nod to their parent's titles.
They used to be known as George Cambridge, Charlotte Cambridge and Louis Cambridge, but since King Charles took over the throne, they've made a switch.
Even Prince William and Prince Harry had their father's title 'Wales' at school.
So really, it's cute that the tradition has followed on.
However, George - who turns 12 next year - will be inheriting an unfortunate tradition, much like his dad had to at the same age.
We recently wrote about the royal protocol George is going to take on, but here's the reason why it's essential he does it.
Prince George's official preparations are set to kick off in July 2025 when he celebrates his 12th birthday, and as second-in-line-to-the-throne, he will be forced to travel separately from his family on royal visits and tours.
He won't just be travelling without his siblings, but also without his father, as Prince William is the first in line to the throne.
The rules stipulate that the two royal members in succession can't be together when travelling - a restriction put in place in case the worst should happen.
You see, if a plane crashed, it would mean an heir to the throne is protected and keeps the monarchy stable.
For Prince William, he always travelled with his family including his late mother, father and brother until he turned 12.
King Charles' former pilot, Graham Laurie, explained to OK! magazine: "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 the written permission of Her Majesty.
"When William became 12, he would fly normally in a 125 from Northolt and we would fly the 146 out with the other three on."
While it isn't set in stone, the unwritten rule has been in place for decades and it isn't just based on superstition, as in the past members of the royal family have died in plane crashes.
In 1937, Prince Philip's sister Princess Cecilie died in an air accident, while in 1942 Queen Elizabeth II's uncle Prince George was killed and, in 1972, the late Queen's cousin, Prince William of Gloucester died.
However the travel arrangements are ultimately at the monarch's discretion so King Charles or Prince William could change them at any point if they wanted to.
In fact, William has previously broken tradition and in 2014, he and wife Kate were granted special permission to fly with their three children together for their Australian tour.
At the time, the royal press office told BBC's Newsround: "They had to ask the Queen for permission, but she said yes.
"While there is no official rule on this, and royal heirs have travelled together in the past, it is something that the Queen has the final say on."
Topics: Prince George, Royal Family, Prince William
Britt Jones