The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have returned to Britain from their lavish 10-day honeymoon on North Island, in the Seychelles, reports St.James’s Palace.
“The honeymooners left the luxurious seclusion of the islands on Friday,” reports People.
The press were respectful of Will and Kate’s privacy during this time, and there were many people helping to ensure that the newlyweds were kept out of the public eye, for a price: “Sources say the cost of security to keep prying eyes away contributed significantly to a honeymoon price tag of more than $700,000.” reports PopEater.
The Seychelles coast guard helped ensure the couple’s privacy and British and Seychelles government officials both had to keep tight lipped about their location.
There was only one glitch in Will and Kate’s stay: The honeymoon location was almost revealed by a pair of commoners, reports PopEater.
“An Austrian couple sailing a catamaran in the Seychelles spied what they assumed was a deserted isle, but claimed that when they tried landing there, security personnel for the royal couple quickly asked them to leave.”
Still, Will and Kate left their honeymoon in a blissful state, ready to embark on their new life together at their 4-bedroom cottage in Anglesey, Wales:
“They left happy and clearly content with their stay,” said the head of the Seychelles tourism board to AP, who saw the couple leave Friday.
The island nation’s foreign minister said in a statement that the people of Seychelles are honoured the couple chose to return to Seychelles for their honeymoon:
“The people of Seychelles are truly honored that Prince William and his wife chose to return to Seychelles for this special holiday and we are proud to have been able to offer them a peaceful and private getaway,” Jean-Paul Adam said.“We hope their stay was everything they had hoped for and we look forward to welcoming them back to our shores again in the future,”
The Palace released a statement on Saturday regarding the royal couple’s time spent on North Island:”The couple thoroughly enjoyed their time together,” they said, “and they are grateful to the Seychelles Government for their assistance in making the honeymoon such a memorable and special ten days.”
“In a world of so much turmoil they bring a welcome and much needed breath of fresh air with their warmth and humility,” said the Seychelles High Commissioner to Great Britain, Patrick Pillay, who was also present to see them off.
The last day of their sun-kissed vacation, the royal couple invited the coast guard ashore, to personally thank them for their efforts in ensuring they had a private and safe stay, reports AP.
Officials have not confirmed when Wills will return to work at the RAF base in Anglesey, but he is expected to be in the air again soon.
And Kate will begin her duties as a royal housewife, many are eager to see what they will be. Will her duties include making heirs? And how long will it take for Kate to get pregnant?
While many royal couples are notorious for having their first child no more than a year-and-a-half after marriage, Will and Kate might not take the conventional approach of starting a family. The couple might wait for a while yet–but, one wonders if Kate’s advanced age for a royal bride will make them want to start a family as soon as possible.
