Charlotte and George will be separated next year due to one long-standing royal rule (Image: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Prince George and Charlotte will permanently separate in less than a year due to strict royal rule

The royal siblings' lives will change forever in less than 12 months time due to one strict rule that's designed to keep the line of succession safe.

by · Daily Record

A long-standing royal rule could see Prince George and his younger sister Princess Charlotte separated from one another next year when the heir turns 12.

The restriction also means that George will no longer be able to travel with his father, Prince William either, which was something the now Prince of Wales also had to endure when he turned 12 too.

The practical rule is put in place to protect the monarchy and the line of succession in cases of rare accidents, the Mirror reports.

The royal siblings are both high up in the line of succession (Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Prince William is next in line to the throne, should anything happen to his own father King Charles, followed by Prince George and then Princess Charlotte.

In the event of a life threatening crash on an aircraft or another form of transport, having all three heirs travel together could threaten the immediate line of succession which is why they are forbidden from travelling together as a trio.

News of the strange rule was revealed by King Charles' former pilot Graham Laurie before Prince George's 11th birthday on July 22.

He told OK! magazine: "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."

George will also be unable to fly with his father William once he turns 12-years-old (Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

It's understood that if the family want to travel together from next year onwards, they would need to seek permission from King Charles who is the current monarch.

If the traditional royal rule is enforced, it means that at just 12-years-old George will have to travel separately to his family for the rest of his life.

Although plane crashes are rare occurrences, three members of the Firm have previously perished in tragic air accidents in the past. The late Prince Philip's sister, Princess Cecile, died in a crash in 1937 as did the late Queen's uncle, Prince George, Duke of Kent, who died in 1942. The former monarch's cousin, Prince William of Gloucester, also died while participating in an air show in 1972.

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For now though, they are still allowed to make journeys together. Prince William was spotted with George and Charlotte backstage at a Taylor Swift concert in London.

The father and son duo also regularly attend sporting events around the world together, having last been spotted at the UEFA England match in Berlin in July.

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