Attentive royal watchers may have noticed that Prince William and Princess Kate are occasionally spotted traveling without seatbelts—a sight that has prompted questions, especially given the public’s general expectation to buckle up.
While members of the royal family are not above the law, there are legal and practical nuances that often apply to their circumstances.
One notable legal exemption involves being part of a “procession organised by or on behalf of the Crown or which is commonly or customarily held.”
Even outside official processions, the Prince and Princess of Wales are frequently accompanied by police escorts or protection officers in a motorcade while on duty. These scenarios could legally qualify as processions, offering them exemption from wearing seatbelts.
A clear example came during the 2023 Trooping the Colour event, when William and Kate were photographed arriving at Buckingham Palace with their children—George, Charlotte, and Louis—without seatbelts. The security presence surrounding them may have placed their journey under the “procession” category, or the decision may have been influenced by security protocols.
According to Simon Morgan, a former royal protection officer and founder of Trojan Consultancy, such decisions are always made on a case-by-case basis.
In a 2019 interview, he explained: “In the threat and risk matrix, it’s a matter of looking at each individual situation to decide what is the best way of achieving what needs to be achieved.”
Security is often a key factor. For example, not wearing a seatbelt can allow for quicker exits in high-risk scenarios—a consideration that may have applied when the couple attended the Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2022.
Other influences include personal preference, the formality of the occasion, and how critical swift movement in and out of vehicles might be. As Morgan noted, “Protection is a very unique area of policing and there are a lot of grey areas,” making each decision highly situational.
