Here’s where royal couples go on their honeymoons

Speculation is rife about where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be jetting off on honeymoon after their wedding on May 19, with Botswana and Namibia proving the hottest tips of the moment.

Here’s a look at some of the honeymoon hotspots chosen by previous royal newlyweds.

Elisabeth II & Prince Philip

When Elisabeth Windsor married Philip Mountbatten on November 20, 1947, her father George VI was still on the throne and she did not yet know that she would soon be Queen.

The newlyweds began their honeymoon at Broadlands, a country house near Romsey, Hampshire, which was the family home of the Mountbattens (Prince Philip’s family). They then headed to Birkhall in Scotland, a place close to Elisabeth’s heart since it was her childhood home on the Balmoral estate.

Diana & Prince Charles

After the media frenzy surrounding their wedding on July 29, 1981, the royal couple headed off to Balmoral Castle on the royal estate in Scotland.

Balmoral Castle on the royal estate in Scotland. Picture: Andrew Milligan/AFP

The newlyweds then set sail on the Royal Yacht Britannia, the royal family’s final yacht, which was named by Elisabeth II in the 1950s (it was decommissioned in 1997 and turned into a visitor attraction). Charles and Diana sailed the Mediterranean for two weeks.

Kate Middleton & Prince William

As a new generation of royals, Kate Middleton and Prince William were among the first to opt for a honeymoon in a far-flung destination out of the public eye. The couple jetted off to the Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands located off the East African coast.

Seychelles. Picture: iStock

According to the British press, they enjoyed the idyllic setting in a $6 000-a-night (R76 000-a-night) luxury villa on a particularly secluded island.

Kate and William had previously visited the Seychelles four years before their 2011 wedding, where the couple reportedly made a pact that they would one day marry.

Grace Kelly & Prince Rainier III

International jet-setter Aristotle Onassis gave Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III of Monaco a yacht called “Deo Juvante II” as a wedding present. The newlyweds put it straight to use with a Mediterranean cruise for their honeymoon.

Charlene & Prince Albert II of Monaco

This honeymoon may not have been all R&R for the Monaco prince and the former Olympic swimmer, since it gave rise to many comments and rumors in the press. The newlyweds chose Charlene’s native South Africa for their traditional post-wedding vacation.

Durban harbour. Picture Thinkstock

However, the lovebirds reportedly stayed in separate hotels, with the princess sojourning at the legendary Oyster Box, Umhlanga Rocks, around 15km north of Durban, while the prince stayed in a Hilton Hotel in the city center. This “arrangement” led to much media speculation.

Letizia & Prince Felipe VI of Spain

The son of Juan Carlos I and Sofia of Greece was not yet King of Spain when he met Spanish TV journalist Letizia. Their wedding, in May 2004, was a highly publicised event.

The couple began their honeymoon in Cuenca, in Castilla-La Mancha, not far from Madrid where the couple married. This medieval fortified city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, bringing a cultural dimension to their trip.

The medieval walled city of Cuenca in Spain. Picture: iStock

Indeed, the couple also visited artistic sites in and around the town, famous for its casas colgadas (hanging houses), suspended from sheer cliffs overlooking the Huécar river.

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