A passport is a very important thing when you want to visit another country. Everyone, rich or not, needs a passport to go to a different country. Even important leaders like the president or prime minister of a country use special passports called diplomatic passports.
But did you know that there are three people in the world who don’t need a passport to travel anywhere? They get special treatment and don’t have to show their passports.
These special people are the King of Britain and the King and Queen of Japan. Before, it was Queen Elizabeth from Britain who got this special treatment. But when Charles became the King of Britain, all the countries got a message from the Foreign Affairs Ministry saying that he doesn’t need a passport.
However, the King’s wife in Britain doesn’t get this benefit. She has to have a diplomatic passport like everyone else in the royal family. Even Queen Elizabeth’s husband had to carry a passport when he traveled to different countries.
In Japan, both the Emperor and Empress used to enjoy this special privilege. Akihito, the previous King, and his wife had this benefit for a long time. But when Naruhito became the King of Japan, things changed. He and his wife had to start carrying their diplomatic passports like regular people.
Usually, leaders of countries have some special benefits even if they have a diplomatic passport when they go to other countries. They don’t have to stand in line in front of immigration officers, and they don’t need to go through security checks like everyone else. They get to move more easily through the process.
