The One Travel Rule Prince William and Kate Middleton Constantly Break

The British royal family may appear to have it all, but when it comes to freedom of choice, that's where they fall short. Even when it comes to how they choose to travel together.

From not being able to eat shellfish or going to bed before the Queen, there are many rules family members must follow to stay in Her Majesty's good graces. And, there's one more big rule they must follow as well, and that is to avoid ever flying on the same plane together.

As Business Insider reported, it is an unwritten rule that the senior members of the royal family should avoid all traveling together in one plane in the extreme off-chance that tragedy strikes. This means Prince William technically should never be on board the same flight as either his father or his own children, for that matter.

However, that rule became rather impractical for William and his wife, Kate Middleton, as traveling separately from three small children would be rather tricky. So, in 2014, following the birth of Prince George, William and Kate asked the Queen for special permission to all fly together for their tour of Australia.

"They had to ask the Queen for permission, but she said yes," the royal press office told BBC's Newsround. The spokesperson added, "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."

Elle further reported, the likely reason the Queen felt it was okay to say yes then is because aviation has become increasingly safe over the last several decades, much more so than when this royal rule was likely implemented.

Of course, Prince William, Kate, and the kids — including George and his younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — have all traveled extensively together since 2014, meaning this rule could be in the dust. But, maybe they should continue to ask grandma for permission just in case.

Stacey Leasca is a journalist, photographer, and media professor. Send tips and follow her on Instagram now.