Lengthy royal honeymoon delayed for weekend alone

5/1/2011
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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    In the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, the children of the wedding party surround the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Clockwise, from bottom right, are Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Eliza Lopes, Grace van Cutsem, Lady Louise Windsor, Tom Pettifer, and William Lowther-Pinkerton.

    CLARENCE HOUSE

    • The newlyweds leave Buckingham Palace to board a helicopter.
    The newlyweds leave Buckingham Palace to board a helicopter.

    LONDON — Shunning an immediate overseas honeymoon and opting instead for a quiet weekend at a secret British location, Prince William and his bride made it clear on Saturday they want some space for themselves.

    The royal newlyweds asked the media not to intrude this weekend and to leave them alone when they start their delayed honeymoon.

    Separately, palace officials asked the media not to reveal where the couple live near Prince William’s Royal Air Force base in Wales.

    The prince will resume duty there as a helicopter rescue pilot when the couple’s holiday ends Monday.

    In the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, the children of the wedding party surround the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Clockwise, from bottom right, are Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Eliza Lopes, Grace van Cutsem, Lady Louise Windsor, Tom Pettifer, and William Lowther-Pinkerton.
    In the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, the children of the wedding party surround the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Clockwise, from bottom right, are Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Eliza Lopes, Grace van Cutsem, Lady Louise Windsor, Tom Pettifer, and William Lowther-Pinkerton.
    The request was in stark contrast to their accessibility to the public during the previous two days.

    On the eve of the wedding at Westminster Abbey, Prince William greeted crowds on the streets outside of his official residence in an impromptu gesture.

    The royal couple dazzled the masses on their wedding day with an open-topped carriage ride from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace and a pair of kisses on a palace balcony.

    When they emerged from the palace, the prince was driving his father’s Aston Martin that had balloons on the back and a “Just Wed” license plate.

    The couple, who have the titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, seem determined to avoid living as his mother, the late Princess Diana, did, her every move tailed.

    They walked hand in hand Saturday on the grounds of Buckingham Palace, boarded a helicopter to a secret site, then issued the statement asking for privacy.