Former British Airways Cabin Crew Shares Unique Seating Rule for Prince William and Kate Middleton
Royal protocol forbids Prince William and Kate Middleton from a lot of things, but this one particular rule is totally shocking.
As senior working royals, Prince William and Kate Middleton have to follow some bizarre rules, be it about never signing autographs or not doing regular jobs. However, one surprising travel protocol the couple adheres to might be the most unusual of all. And no, it has nothing to do with monarchs or future heirs being forbidden from flying together.
Former British Airways flight attendant and ex-Love Island contestant Helena Ford recently revealed on the Private Parts podcast that the Prince and Princess of Wales aren't allowed to fly in the “highest cabin” available. “I think there is a thing in place where they can't fly in the highest cabin, so if there's a first class, they have to sit in business, and if there isn't a first class, they have to sit in Traveller Plus,” she said via HELLO!
Ford added that on a flight she worked, William and Kate were seated in business class. Given the high profile of the royal couple, many wonder how their safety is handled during commercial air travel. The former flight attendant offered an interesting look into their security protocol, sharing, “When we had Will and Kate, it was in Business because we had First—but the whole of Business was security dressed as normal people, so you wouldn't know.”
British Airways is the royals’ go-to company for travel. As to why the Prince and Princess of Wales have to sit in the second-highest cabin, Ford admitted she didn’t “know” the reason but revealed that “they all have fake names.” And while the rule of not being allowed to fly in the highest cabin might seem strange, William and Middleton are not the only ones following this protocol. “So I've had Boris Johnson on a flight in Traveller Plus before. They can't sit in the highest cabin.”
Apart from the loyalty the royal family has for British Airways, the Princess of Wales has a special connection with the company that predates her relationship with her husband. Interestingly, her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, met each other while working for the airline. The princess’s mother is a former flight attendant, and her father used to work as an aircraft dispatcher.
The Princess of Wales recently resumed her international duties when she travelled to Italy earlier this year for a two-day visit. The Waleses are expected to make a far longer journey later this year for the Earthshot Prize ceremony in Mumbai, India. Naturally, royal fans will be eager to see which cabin class the future monarchs end up flying in.
