A specific rule reportedly affects plane travel for Prince William and Kate Middleton, both 44, even on commercial airline flights. The determination would prevent them from occupying the highest class available on the aircraft. The information was shared by Helena Ford, 30, a former British Airways flight attendant, known for her participation in programs such as Love Island and Love Island: All Stars.
Ford detailed his interactions with the Princes of Wales on the British podcast “Private Parts,” mentioning that they were among the passengers he served while working at the airline. Her professional career with British Airways is corroborated by her agency profile.
Details of William and Kate’s alleged air travel rule
According to the former flight attendant, William and Kate would be prevented from booking the highest level cabin on the plane. “I believe there is a rule that prevents them from flying in the highest class,” said Helena Ford. In practice, if the flight offers First Class, royals would use Business Class; if Business Class is the superior option, they should opt for Premium Economy, which Ford calls “Traveller Plus”.
On the trip the former flight attendant was on, First Class was available, and for this reason, William and Kate would have traveled in Business Class. Ford had already shared this same version during the Love Island: All Stars program. However, there are previous records that question the strictness of this supposed norm: in 2022, the prince and princess were seen in the First Class cabin of a British Airways flight bound for Boston, for the Earthshot Prize.
Security measures and use of fictitious names by royalty
Ford provided details about the security procedures employed to protect the royal family. At the time he met them, Business Class would have been assigned to support staff and security officers, while William and Kate wore street clothes to avoid attracting attention.
Furthermore, the former flight attendant revealed that members of the royal family traveled under false names, instructing staff not to use their real titles. Ford recalled that the family was returning from Saint Lucia, after a likely private vacation in the Caribbean.
For William and Kate, commercial flights are a common practice, having been used on several occasions over the years. The Princess of Wales, for example, traveled in Economy Class in the summer of 2022, accompanied by her three children George, 13, Charlotte, 11, and Louis, 8, to a destination in Scotland.
Helena Ford’s narrative, therefore, inserts an interesting aspect into the protocols surrounding British royal travel. However, the alleged “First Class rule” remains, to date, a personal account of the former flight attendant and not an officially confirmed guideline.