Prince William and Kate's private retreat comes to light after years of secrecy

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding was watched around the globe, and their Seychelles honeymoon quickly became headline news. 

But the newlyweds had a little secret getaway before jetting off to the Indian Ocean paradise.

According to royal author Robert Jobson’s new book The Windsor Legacy, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge slipped away immediately after their wedding for a private retreat in Wales. 

On April 30, 2011, just one day after saying “I do” at Westminster Abbey, William and Kate flew to Llwynywermod, King Charles’s private Welsh estate in Carmarthenshire. 

Nestled near the Brecon Beacons, the 18th-century farmhouse offered the perfect setting for a few blissful days away from the relentless media glare.

Jobson notes that this quiet escape was never reported at the time, making it a completely undiscovered chapter of the couple’s post-wedding celebrations. 

After their secret Welsh break, the pair continued on to the Seychelles, where their two week honeymoon in a secluded North Island villa became the story the world knew.

The Welsh estate, part of the Duchy of Cornwall and now under William’s ownership as Prince of Wales, has long served as a private retreat for the royal family. 

Palace sources have suggested that William himself may not use it much now that Charles has given up the lease.

Later that summer, the family enjoyed another discreet holiday, this time aboard a luxury superyacht off the Greek island of Kefalonia. 

Known as the “Saint-Tropez of Greece,” the island allowed William, Kate, and their children to enjoy while keeping paparazzi at bay.