London, Apr 30: Britain's royal newlyweds have postponed their honeymoon, the location of which has been kept secret, as Prince William will be returning to his military job as a pilot.
William and Kate will spend a private weekend in Britain and take their honeymoon abroad sometime in the future, St James Palace said in a statement, a day after their spectacular wedding ceremony which dazzled some 2 billion people across the globe who watched it live on the TV. William, the newly named Duke of Cambridge, is said to go straight back to work as a full-time Royal Air Force search and rescue pilot and will be based on the Island of Anglesey in northwest Wales.
Speculation had been rife about the location of their honeymoon as it was earlier said William had still two weeks off from Royal Air Force.
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen not to depart for a honeymoon immediately,” the statement said. It added, “Instead after spending the weekend privately in the UK, the Duke will return to work....next week.
“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.” Earlier in the day, Kate, dressed in a casual yet stunning blue dress and sporting flat high-heel shoes, walked out of the Buckingham Palace hand in hand with William into a waiting helicopter.
The couple, stopped briefly to chat to two Royal Household footmen before boarding the helicopter. The Prince and his new bride left after spending their wedding night in the Buckingham Palace, the Queen Elizabeth's official residence in London, following a party that went on till the wee hours of morning.
The guesses for their honeymoon location ranged from a private trip to royal retreat in Scotland, wild safari in Kenya or to the quiet desert of Jordan.
The destination for the honeymoon has been shrouded in secrecy, with William having reportedly not even told his new wife where they are going.
The Duke is known to have a deep affection for Africa, and would be on safe romantic territory if he chose to take his wife to Kenya, where he proposed to her last year.
Jordan, with its plethora of ancient sites, has also been touted as a possibility for the couple's honeymoon.
The Middle Eastern country would no doubt have nostalgic appeal for Kate as her family spent two years there when she was a child.
However its proximity to hotspots such as Syria could count against the country.
If the couple is keen to escape the prying eyes of the media, a secluded Caribbean island might be a safe choice, Press Association reported.
Bequia and Necker Island all have the benefit of being easily secured, as does the ultra-exclusive Mustique, where Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton are frequent visitors.
Lizard Island, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, has also emerged as a contender.
But whatever destination the young royal love birds might take, the honeymoon of new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is expected to be briefer than William's parents, Prince Charles and late Princess Diana who combined a two week Mediterranean cruise with several extended breaks in Britain itself. PTI
