Prince William and Princess Kate Took a Secret Honeymoon Trip That "Was Never Discovered or Written About" Until Now, Reveals Royal Author

The couple spent "a blissful few days" in a surprising destination before their trip to the Seychelles.

Princess Kate wearing a black blazer and blue dress holding walking next to Prince William
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot 15 years ago this spring, and after they walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey, the couple headed to the sunny Seychelles for a well-deserved break. However, there was a separate top-secret destination that was added to their royal honeymoon, and all these years later, no one has written about the trip, according to Robert Jobson's book The Windsor Legacy.

The royal biographer and journalist shared the surprising detail about William and Kate's April 2011 honeymoon in his new book, which chronicles the Windsor family from King George VI's day to present.

After the newly-appointed Duke and Duchess of Cambridge celebrated their royal weding, Jobson shares that on April 30, "the newlyweds flew off for a honeymoon at Charles's Welsh retreat, Llwynywermod." The private estate is located near the Brecon Beacons National Park in Carmarthenshire, Wales, and was a beloved destination for the now-King and Queen Camilla before they gave up the lease in 2023.

Princess Kate wearing a black blazer and blue dress holding walking next to Prince William

Prince William and Princess Kate are pictured on April 30, 2011, the day after their wedding.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince William and Princess Kate waving from a carriage after their wedding

William and Kate are seen waving to crowds after their wedding ceremony.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The getaway afforded William and Kate "a blissful few days" of privacy ahead of their bigger honeymoon trip. Citing an interview with a senior royal source, Jobson writes, "It was made even better that their secret escape and its location was never discovered about or written about by the press."

As part of the Duchy of Cornwall, Llwynywermod's "restored eighteenth-century farmhouse" and 192-acres of land is now in Prince William's hands as the Prince of Wales. However, a palace source noted that he was unlikely to use the home when King Charles gave up the lease, and it's now part of the Duchy's holdings.

After William and Kate left their idyllic Welsh escape, they jetted off to the exclusive Seychelles, a nation of 115 islands located in the Indian Ocean. According to the Mirror, Prince William "decided to keep details of their honeymoon a secret from Kate until after the wedding."

The couple spent two weeks in a private villa, with reports indicating that they chose North Island, a private island where George and Amal Clooney also honeymooned. And while the world quickly found out about their Seychelles getaway, their peaceful time in Wales somehow remained a secret.

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.