Prince William Refuses To Fly First Class

Britain's Prince William doesn't want to fly first class. The 26-year-old royal - who is third in line to the throne - has asked his aides to cut his traveling costs wherever possible by avoiding expensive first luxury tickets.

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A source said: "He is determined to get his traveling costs down. Obviously there will be occasions when his security team will advise him against this, but he has told us that his default position from now on will be to turn right when he enters an aircraft."

"He is acutely aware that this is no time for ostentatious expenditure."

The prince and his girlfriend Kate Middleton showed they were serious about cutting costs last weekend, when they opted to travel economy class to a skiing holiday in Courchevel.

The couple sat with friends, including Kate's sister Pippa, in basic seating even though Kate's parents Michael and Carole - who were entitled to an upgrade because she is a former British Airways employee - decided to fly business class.

The source told Britain's The Daily Telegraph newspaper: "There was a security presence, but it was all very low-key and William sat with Kate, her sister Pippa and a group of friends among the other passengers."

"I think a lot of people on the flight didn't even realize who they were."

William actually hates having a fuss made of him when he travels and said that he found it a lot more relaxing than having the cabin crew all nervously hovering around him at the front of the aircraft."

Despite William trying to save money, the flight - believed to be his first in economy - caused controversy because it meant he interrupted his 16-month defense helicopter training program, costing the taxpayer $160,000.