Prince William and Princess Catherine are reportedly banned from flying in the highest cabin on public flights, according to former British Airways cabin crew member Helena Ford, who claims they also travel under fake names.
Travel rule revealed
Ford, a former reality TV star, told Made in Chelsea star Olivia Bentley on the Private Parts podcast, per Hello!: "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 Traveler Plus."
She added: "So I've had Boris Johnson on a flight in Traveler Plus before. They can't sit in the highest cabin." Regarding the reasoning, Ford said: "I don't know, but they all have fake names."
Security presence
Ford disclosed that when William and Catherine travelled on her flight, they were seated in business class despite first class being available. The remaining business class seats were occupied exclusively by their security team, dressed as normal people.
"When we had Will and Kate, it was in business because we had a first, but the whole of business was security, but they were dressed as normal people, so you wouldn't know," Ford explained.
Royal travel history
British Airways remains the Royal Family's airline of choice, and Catherine has a personal connection to the carrier as both her parents worked there. Her mother, Carole, was a flight attendant, and her father, Michael, was an aircraft dispatcher.
King Charles' former pilot, Graham Laurie, disclosed that William flew with his parents and brother, Prince Harry, until his 12th birthday in 1994. "After that, he had to have a separate aircraft," Laurie recalled, with exceptions only when the late Queen Elizabeth provided written authorisation.
In recent years, the rule forbidding multiple heirs from travelling together appears to have been loosened. A royal spokesman reportedly said in 2014: "While there is no official rule on this, it is something that the Queen has the final say on."
Upcoming India trip
Catherine is anticipated to accompany William to India this November for the 2026 Earthshot Prize ceremony. Kensington Palace has not formally confirmed the arrangements, but the visit would mark another step in her phased return to royal duties following her cancer diagnosis in 2024, and her first Earthshot engagement since the 2022 Boston ceremony.
PR expert Grayce McCormick at Lightfinder Public Relations told The Mirror US that Kensington Palace should avoid presenting the visit as a major "comeback," saying there is "something quietly powerful" about Catherine rejoining the international circuit without making her health the story.
McCormick said: "From a communications standpoint, the strongest message is not 'Kate is back,' but continuity, partnership, and purpose. Catherine does not need to provide evidence of her workload. The imagery of the Prince and Princess of Wales working internationally together again will communicate that naturally."
She advised: "PR-wise, they should make India - its people, innovators, environmental leaders and young people - the protagonist of the trip. Listen more than speak. Avoid staged photo opportunities and certainly avoid trying to recreate iconic images from their 2016 visit simply for nostalgia. The photographs will travel globally regardless; authenticity will matter far more than choreography."
