​People of New Zealand Are Up in Arms About Prince George's Car Seat

As Prince William and Duchess Kate prepare to take wee little eight-month-old Prince George on his first international trip to New Zealand and Australia, one detail of their trip is setting the Kiwis into an uproar—Prince George’s car seat.

Plunket, New Zealand’s national childcare advisory agency, released photos of a staff member outfitting the official royal transport car with a Maxi-Cosi seat. BIG FUCKING MISTAKE, PLUNKET. Apparently, the Maxi-Cosi seat is unfit for babies of George’s age, according to both the manufacturer of the seat (which lists the seat to be used for babies nine months and older) and Plunket’s own standards (which advise parents to use rear-facing car seats until two years of age).

In general, it’s standard to use rear-facing car seats until the child is about two years of age or weighs over 20 pounds, although the recommendations vary from country to country. To Plunket’s merit, Will and Kate chose the seat themselves, but at the same time it seems like too basic a safety precaution to let that type of thing go. The royal family arrives in Wellington tomorrow, so I suppose we shall see how this one plays out. It’s just a car seat, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to change, right?

Image via AP.