Prince George just turned twelve–his new birthday pictures have been released. Another update with him turning twelve is that he can no longer fly with his dad, Prince William, due to royal protocol. The heir to the throne and his son cannot travel in the same vehicle just as a precautionary measure.
In the new birthday photo, he is seen in a warm fleece body and a check print shirt. He looks all grown up, resembling his dad. The photo credits go to Josh Shinner, who’s a professional. With the new protocol the family’s travel plans may need changes as they cannot travel together.
One insider revealed that William is a great pilot who loved flying, but George will no longer be allowed to accompany him. In fact, William himself stopped flying with his dad, King Charles, once he turned 12.
A former pilot, Graham Laurie, revealed that they had to choose separate aircraft for William, Charles, and Harry as they could not fly together. The only exception was when they had written permission from the queen. This rule of not flying together started after the 1967 tragedy that killed the crew.
Father and son, 12 years between both pictures😍
Prince George turns the big 12 tomorrow and as he prepare to leave primary school behind as a young teen, Royal traveling protocols are expected to enter in effect to protect the Direct Heirs in the Line of Succession: Both… pic.twitter.com/yOseiiIiAq— Canellecitadelle (@Canellelabelle) July 21, 2025
Moreover, King Charles has often objected to William flying along with his family in the past, despite his being skilled at it. However, William refused to comply with the advice, so there was a certain tension between the two.
He was further told by the queen not to defy the protocols. His refusal often resulted in her being upset. Now he will have to follow the protocol. The crash in 1967 made the royals review their safety protocols and resulted in banning family members from flying together.
A ROYAL CHANGE FOR PRINCE GEORGE 👑 Prince George is turning 12, which means he can no longer fly on the same plane as his father. What other new rules are now in place for the young heir.
WATCH SUNRISE FOR MORE | @7plus ☀️ pic.twitter.com/9gvkoo8vKd
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) July 21, 2025
A royal aircraft crashed in Northern Ireland and ended up killing the crew. Right before the crash, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, flew in the same plane. Therefore, new safety rules and protocols were employed for the royals who are in the succession line. Let’s see if William will follow this protocol and not defy it like earlier.
