Prince William travelled to Barcelona with his son George to watch his beloved Aston Villa in the Champions League, breaking a longstanding royal family tradition. According to media reports, the two heirs to the throne flying together caused concern at Buckingham Palace.
On 3 November, William and 13-year-old Prince George attended Barcelona's match against Aston Villa, which the Spanish club won 3-0.
Father and son travelled to Spain on a commercial flight rather than a private jet. The flight took around two hours. According to the British press, they also travelled back together.
Why should two heirs to the throne not fly together?
An old, unwritten royal family rule advises heirs to the throne to travel separately from their parents once they reach a certain age.
The reason is safety: in the event of a plane crash, travelling together could put several future generations of the monarchy at risk.
According to the Daily Mail, the departure from this tradition caused concern in royal circles.
A former pilot to King Charles III previously said that Charles, Princess Diana, William and Harry regularly flew together until 1994. After William turned 12, however, the future king had to fly on a separate plane from his father.
The rule is a tradition rather than a law, and the monarch can permit exceptions. Elizabeth II, for example, allowed William and his wife to travel with a young George during an official tour of Australia and New Zealand.
King Charles III has previously expressed concerns
This is not the first time William's travels with his family have raised questions.
Royal biographer Robert Jobson wrote in his book «Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography», published in 2024:
Earlier that year, the King expressed concern to his son about how wise it was to use a helicopter to transport the whole family around the country.
William, an experienced pilot, had previously upset the late Queen when, against her wishes, he decided to fly his family himself by helicopter from Kensington Palace to Anmer Hall, their home in Norfolk, a distance of around 185 kilometres.
The Queen remembered the 1967 air crash in which John Blount, captain of the royal flight, was killed. According to an aide, she did not hold back her displeasure at the time.
A love of Aston Villa since childhood
William has supported Aston Villa since the late 1990s, when he was a pupil at Eton College.
By his own account, he deliberately chose a team who do not win all the time but give their supporters an emotional rollercoaster.
Another reason for his affection was a coincidence: William was born in 1982, the year Villa won the European Cup.
One of the first matches he remembers was the 2000 FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, where the future king was among ordinary supporters.
The prince has regularly attended Villa matches since then. Earlier in 2026, he was also present in Istanbul for their Europa League final victory.
His son George now shares his interest in football, although British press reports suggest their joint trip to the match in Barcelona did not please everyone in royal circles.
