It’s been nearly 13 years since Prince William and Kate Middleton’s fairytale wedding – and the royal groom had a big surprise for his new wife once all the fanfare had come to an end

Kate Middleton’s fairytale wedding to Prince William was a dream come true. And the groom had an amazing surprise for his new royal bride once the celebrations had come to an end.

The couple had been together for almost a decade when they tied the knot in Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. The ceremony was watched by tens of millions of people around the world.

But while the wedding itself was a very public affair, the newlyweds were keen to enjoy their first few weeks of marriage in privacy – and that’s when Prince William stepped in.

He decided to keep details of their honeymoon a secret from Kate until after the wedding. It was only then that the bride discovered that they would be spending two weeks in a private villa in the Seychelles.

Seychelles North Island

According to HELLO!, the royal couple stayed at North Island, a private island with only 11 luxurious villas for a complete escape from the outside world – just what they would have wanted after their wedding, which was watched by an estimated 24 million viewers in the UK alone.

Prices at the resort start at €6,433 (around £5,772) per night and increase to €10,126 (around £9,086) for the most exclusive villa that is designed especially for honeymooners – likely where William and Kate stayed.

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Notably, George and Amal Clooney stayed there following their wedding in 2014, and Salma Hayek also honeymooned on the island.

Activities on offer include scuba diving and snorkelling, sea kayaking, surfing and cycling. Alternatively, the newlyweds could have spent time using the spa facilities or relaxing on the beautiful white sandy beaches.

The exclusive resort comes with a hefty price tag

The luxury doesn’t stop there. To make sure each experience is completely unique, the chef in the restaurant doesn’t provide a menu, but instead cooks meals according to guests’ individual tastes.

In less than two weeks, William and Kate will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary. They will likely spend the day privately together – particularly in light of Kate’s cancer diagnosis.

Last year, the couple released a sweet snapshot showing them on bikes and with their arms around each other on a sunny day in Norfolk. It was posted on their official Twitter account, along with the simple caption “12 years” and a love heart emoji.

Since their wedding, the pair have gone on to welcome three children together, Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis.

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