As Prince George turns 12 today, his parents have been urged to take care to ensure the safety of the future king.

A former pilot of the royal helicopters has confirmed that George’s father, Prince William, stopped travelling with the then-Prince Charles when he was 12.

Talking about Charles, Princess Diana and their sons, former pilot Graham Laurie said: ‘Interestingly, 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.’

Now Prince George has turned 12, he may have to travel in a separate aircraft from his father William

When Prince William turned 12 he was no longer permitted to travel with his father Charles to protect the royal bloodline

Royal author Robert Jobson reported that the King had raised objections to William, a qualified helicopter pilot, flying the family to Norfolk – where they have a holiday home, Anmer Hall. ‘One recent source of disagreement is William’s stubborn refusal to take his father’s advice on safeguarding the succession,’ he wrote in Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen, published in 2024. ‘Earlier this year, the King had raised concerns with his son about the wisdom of William using his helicopter to fly his entire family around the country.’

A friend of William and Catherine tells me: ‘William is a skilled pilot and loves flying but George must travel separately now.’

A Kensington Palace spokesman tells me: ‘We don’t comment on travel.’

Richard Osman’s influence over the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate proved murderously expensive. The TV host-turned-author put thousands behind a hotel bar for last week’s event. ‘Drinks are on me,’ he declared online. ‘Just go to The Old Swan and say, “I am here for the Wedding”.’ Cheers!