Royal Honeymoon Speculation Continues After the Royal Wedding
April 30, 2011— -- Prince William and Kate Middleton take their vows, the bells of London toll, and the royal wedding becomes a part of history -- but in the meantime one last mystery swirls: where will the newlyweds honeymoon?
"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen not to depart for a honeymoon immediately. Instead, after spending the weekend privately in the United Kingdom, The Duke will return to work as a Search and Rescue pilot next week," said a St James Palace spokesman in a statement released Saturday.
"The locations of both their private weekend before The Duke returns to work and their future honeymoon, which will be overseas, will not be disclosed in advance.
"The Couple have asked that their privacy be respected during the coming weekend and during their honeymoon."
The honeymoon speculation has included destinations all over the world, with many sources reporting that William and Kate will travel to Australia. Last month, when he visited there, William told the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph, "I love scuba diving, I have always wanted to dive the barrier reef." He playfully told cheering locals, "I will have to come back; maybe we'll have a honeymoon in Cairns?"
The Mirror is also predicting that the royal couple will head down under after their wedding, claiming that royal sources indicate Prince William will follow in the footsteps of his father, who spent time on the Great Barrier Reef of Australia as a bachelor. The Mirror names Lizard Island, a national park on the Reef, as the most likely destination.
The U.K. Telegraph however, reported that the couple is planning a romantic two-week trip to Jordan's Royal Tombs for the getaway. The vacation, according to the Telegraph, will include "a week-long tour of southern Jordan, taking in some of the country's most famous sites, including the ancient city of Petra and the Wadi Rum desert valley." The Telegraph predicts the trip will include a visit to the capital, Amman, where Kate Middleton lived as a child for two and a half years. However, with the recent unrest in the Middle East, the royal couple will surely have tight security if they do choose Jordan.
There has also been speculation that the royal couple will take advantage of the Queen's 50,000-acre Balmoral estate in Scotland, where Prince Charles and Princess Diana honeymooned. The Associated Press pointed out the guaranteed level of privacy this location provides. The AP suggested that the couple will likely combine a stay in Scotland with a more reliably sunny location.
Some beach destination contenders include Mauritius and the Seychelles, businessman Richard Branson's private island in the British Virgin Islands and the private Caribbean island Mustique, where the late Princess Margaret had a house. It was also reported that Kate Middleton recently purchased two bikinis during a shopping trip on King's Road in London, further suggesting a honeymoon in the sun.
Others predict William will bring his bride back to Kenya, where he proposed and where he once said he hoped they would be able to return soon.
Wherever they end up, they only have two weeks to duck from paparazzi and enjoy their newlywed bliss. Prince William is only allowed two weeks' leave by the Royal Air Force until he has to be back at his base in Wales. His parents, Charles and Diana, had the fortune of a honeymoon that lasted more than two months.
