Prince William spent some quality time with his eldest son earlier this month.
Prince William made the decision not to abide by one major royal rule earlier this month, opting to travel alongside his eldest son to a football match abroad. William, 44, made a surprise appearance alongside Prince George, 13, on November 3. The teenager looked delighted to be spending some quality time with his dad, with the two of them fixated on the pitch as they watched the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD4 match between FC Barcelona and Aston Villa FC in Spain.
Although it looked like a sweet moment between father and son, the move reportedly put pressure on the UK. William – known to be a passionate Aston Villa fan – and George are known to have travelled on the same plane to Spain, a move that is usually forbidden with the Royal Family.
Once they reach the age of twelve, royal children in the direct line of succession are discouraged from flying with fellow direct heirs in order to protect the line of succession. This means that it is encouraged that William flies separately from George.
Should an aviation disaster occur, multiple future monarchs could be lost at the same time, thereby jeopardising the future of the monarchy. Not only did William and George travel on the same flight to Spain, but they are also understood to have flown home on the same plane.
The Daily Mail diary editor Richard Eden claims that Prince William’s decision is causing alarm at the Palace, according to insiders.
According to royal biographer Robert Jobson, the King previously raised concerns about William’s ‘stubborn refusal’ to take his advice on safeguarding the succession. Writing in his 2024 book, titled Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography, Jobson reported: “Earlier this year, the King had raised concerns with his son about the wisdom of William using his helicopter to fly his entire family around the country.
“An experienced pilot, William had upset the late Queen when he defied her request not to pilot his family the 115 miles from Kensington Palace to Anmer Hall, their home in Norfolk. The Queen, haunted by the 1967 crash that killed the Captain of the Queen’s Flight Air Commodore John Blount DFC (although no royals were on board), “did not hold back”, one aide said.
While William and his son could also have easily taken a private jet to Spain for the game, they instead opted for a commercial flight. This appeared to be a British Airways flight.
The late Queen Elizabeth’s former pilot, Graham Laurie, noted that William was allowed to fly with his parents and Prince Harry until June 1994, when he turned 12. He previously told HELLO!: “After that, he had to have a separate aircraft.” George, who began his journey at Eton College in September, marked his 12th birthday in July 2025. George’s two younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, remain unaffected, as they are only 11 and 8 at present.
A video of William and George about to board the plane was shared on X, with royal fans praising them for their decision to take a commercial flight rather than a private jet. Many have also been left surprised by the decision.
One fan wrote on X: “It doesn’t even look like first class.”
Someone else said: “William does as his future people do. Commercial and in economy class.”