Prince William and his wife Catherine have gone on their honeymoon, St James’s Palace said Tuesday, though the royal newlyweds’ destination is a closely-guarded secret.
The couple did not go on their honeymoon straight after their April 29 wedding, with William returning to work as a military helicopter pilot.
The couple, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are hoping to keep their holiday private, in contrast to their fairytale wedding, watched by an estimated one million people on the London streets and two billion on television around the world.
The palace has made clear that it will take action against media outlets if they pursue the royal couple.
“They have left for their honeymoon,” a spokesman for William’s office told AFP, adding that they went “earlier this week”.
St James’s Palace has previously said that the honeymoon was planned together by the couple and would be spent abroad.
“We are not confirming and we are not commenting on speculation on where they may be going on their private honeymoon. We are just confirming that they have gone,” the spokesman said.
“The couple have asked that their privacy be respected during their honeymoon.”
William, second in line to the throne, has two weeks’ leave from his job as a Royal Air Force search and rescue pilot on the island of Anglesey, northwest Wales, the palace added.
Since returning to the helicopter controls, the 28-year-old flight lieutenant has been involved in rescues, including airlifting a judge who suffered a heart attack out of the Snowdonia mountains.
Following their wedding, the couple spent a private short break in Britain, having flown out of Buckingham Palace by helicopter the day after they tied the knot.
The delayed honeymoon appeared to be an attempt at throwing the media off their trail amid fears that photographers would pursue the couple wherever they chose to spend their holiday.
The prince openly admits to enjoying outwitting the media.
Royal watchers say he has an inherent hatred of paparazzi following the death of his mother Diana, princess of Wales, who was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997 as she was being pursued by photographers.
The two-week honeymoon now gives them plenty of time to get ready for their first official overseas tour.
The couple are due to visit Canada from June 30 to July 8, followed by two days touring California.
The Canada visit will include Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and the National Capital Region.
In total, the couple will be away for 10 days — an ambitious first tour for the duchess, who has previously only attended four one-day engagements with William.
