Did Kate And William Just Break This Major Royal Family Traveling Rule?

Prince William and Kate Middleton are two of the busiest members of the royal family, and, this week, they are taking a break from their royal duties and spending some well-deserved time with the family. According to Woman & Home, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were spotted at the airport with all three of their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. 

They are reportedly heading out for a little rest and relaxation with the kids during a break in the school year for George and Charlotte. However, they're not alone. The family is also said to have brought alone one of their nannies, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, which could hint that their vacation will be longer than just a day or two.

The outlet reveals that there is no confirmation about where William and Kate are taking their family on vacation. However, there has been some speculation that they might be headed to Greece for the wedding of their friends Prince Philippos and Nina Flohr. Philippos has strong ties to William's family, and Princess Diana served as his godmother.

Recently, the Cambridges have been choosing to stay home for their vacations, usually spending time at their Norfolk home, Amner Hall, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It seems that they're now ready to return to some normalcy. However, some are questioning whether they broke royal protocol to do so.

PureWow reports that Prince William and Kate Middleton were recently spotted at Heathrow Airport as they prepared to fly out of London with their three children, Prince George, 8; Princess Charlotte, 6; and Prince Louis, 3. The Cambridges appeared to be traveling together, which may have broken royal family rules. 

In the firm (i.e., the royal family), there are many rules, and one such protocol prohibits family members from traveling together in airplanes and cars. Marie Claire notes that the law was established centuries ago to protect the royal bloodline. Heirs to the throne are supposed to travel separately in case of accident or tragedy.

This rule is why Queen Elizabeth and her son Prince Charles, who is first in line to the throne, aren't supposed to travel together. The same goes for Charles and William, who is currently second in the line of succession (per Royal.uk). This would also mean that William and George (third in line to the throne) would be discouraged from traveling together. 

However, there is an exception to the rule (via the Express). If Queen Elizabeth gives her permission, heirs to the throne can, in fact, travel together. Since George is still a child, this rule hasn't impacted him. However, when he turns 12, he'll have to begin traveling separately from his father.

While William and Kate have made a point to try to raise their children as normally as possible, this is yet another reminder that the Cambridges aren't like most families.