Prince George will be separated from Prince William and Princess Charlotte under sad royal ban in just a matter of months
2025 will be a particularly prevalent year for young Prince George, royal experts have said.
In seven months time, the 11-year-old's life will change both irreversibly, as he's set to be separated from both his siblings and his parents as part of a long-standing royal ban, aimed at preparing the future King for the throne.
For those in need of a reminder, George - the eldest of the Prince William and Kate Middleton's three children - is set to celebrate his 12th birthday in July of this year. The 22nd, to be precise.
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And whilst he isn't expected to sky-rocket to the top of the monarchy anytime soon, like future Kings before him, he'll spend a vast proportion of his life preparing for the role.
George is currently second in line to the throne, behind his father William, 42, and grandfather, the current King Charles III, 76.
As was the case with his great grandmother, however - the late Queen Elizabeth II - royal family members can never be too sure when they'll need to step up to the plate.
The late Queen was made such in 1952 - aged just 25 - when her father King George VI died suddenly.
He himself had previously been force to step unexpectedly into the position after his brother Edward VIII's shock abdication.
As this demonstrates, we have no way of knowing when exactly a Prince or Princess will become King or Queen, so official preparations for Prince George will be key.
And apparently, these are set to kick off in July 2025, where - upon his 12th birthday - George will no longer be permitted to travel in the company of his parents or siblings.
As Prince William is the first in line to the throne, royal rules mean that the two members in succession can't be together in case of a worst case scenario, such as a plane crash.
Travelling separately would mean that an heir to the throne is protected, and keeps the monarchy stable.
Prince William, for instance, always travelled with his family, including his late mother, father, and brother until he turned 12.
King Charles's 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 past members of the royal family have died in plane crashes.
In 1937, Prince Philip's sister Princess Cecilie died in an air accident. In 1942, Queen Elizabeth II's uncle Prince George was also killed in a similar incident, as was the late Queen's cousin, Prince William of Gloucester, in 1972.
However, the travel arrangements are up to 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 in 2014, when he and wife Kate were granted special permission to fly with their three children together for their Australian tour - just to make travel simpler than separating them all.
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 traveled together in the past, it is something that the Queen has the final say on."
Topics:Β Royal Family, UK News, Prince George, Prince William
Rhianna Benson