King Charles doesn’t have to fret about forgetting his passport when he travels, thanks to certain Royal protocols. The monarch often takes to the skies for official duties – he and Camilla are due to jet off to Australia and Samoa later this month.
While Camilla will need her travel documents at the ready, Charles can journey without them. As per the Royal family’s website, which hasn’t been fully updated since Queen Elizabeth’s passing, the British monarch doesn’t require a passport because they’re issued in their name.
“When travelling overseas, The Queen does not require a British passport,” the site clarifies. “As a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, it is unnecessary for The Queen to possess one. All other members of the Royal Family, including The Duke of Edinburgh [then Prince Philip] and The Prince of Wales [then Prince Charles], have passports.”
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This isn’t the only travel rule that applies to the head of the Royal Family. King Charles, like his mother before him, always has a supply of blood and a doctor with him.
In 2016, the Telegraph’s Gordon Rayner revealed that the late Queen would also travel with a Royal Navy doctor, who would research local hospitals, whenever she embarked on a world tour, reports the Mirror.
“In countries where a reliable blood supply is questionable, the Queen and the Prince of Wales both travel with their own personal packs of blood following in their convoy wherever they go,” he added. “Their doctor is never more than a few paces away, carrying a bulky medical bag containing a mobile defibrillator and all manner of emergency medicine.”
Another significant travel rule has been put in place specifically to safeguard the Royal lineage. Heirs to the throne are not allowed to fly together to avoid a potential disastrous plane crash.
This ensures an heir is always safe and the monarchy remains secure. This rule directly affects those in line to the throne, including William, his father King Charles, and his late grandmother, the Queen.
It will also impact Prince George, who is currently second in line.
Speaking on HELLO Magazine’s ‘A Right Royal Podcast’, King Charles’ former pilot, Graham Laurie, revealed how a Royal rule impacted Prince William when he turned 12 in 1994. He shared with the hosts: “Interestingly, 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.”
This rule will come into effect for Prince George when he celebrates his 12th birthday in July 2025.