Prince William & Kate Middleton Leave Buckingham Palace, Honeymoon Delayed (PHOTOS)

Text by Gregory Katz, Associated Press

LONDON - Prince William and Kate Middleton have decided not to leave for their honeymoon immediately and the newlyweds will stay in Britain this weekend, palace officials said Saturday.

William, who married Middleton on Friday in an opulent ceremony at Westminster Abbey, plans to return to military duty as a Royal Air Force helicopter rescue pilot in Wales at the end of this weekend, which includes a Monday holiday, officials said.

They will go on a honeymoon to an undisclosed overseas location later, officials said, stating that this is the couple's "personal preference."

Take a look at pictures from Saturday morning -- Kate's blue dress is from Zara (yes, Zara!) and her wedges, LK Bennett -- and scroll down to keep reading!

A statement posted on the official royal wedding website says the honeymoon destination, and the location where the newlyweds are spending this weekend, will be kept private.

"The couple have asked that their privacy be respected during the coming weekend and during their honeymoon," the statement said.

William and Middleton, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, left Buckingham Palace in a helicopter late Saturday morning. The casually-dressed couple walked to the helipad holding hands, stopping to shake hands with two staff members.

The palace has not revealed where in Britain they have gone for the rest of the weekend. The couple are thought to be seeking privacy after the intense media focus on their wedding.

Earlier, officials said William has scheduled a two-week leave from his military duties for the couple's honeymoon, but no specific dates or locations have been announced.

The couple has a wide range of honeymoon options, including a stay at Queen Elizabeth II's vast Balmoral Estate in Scotland, where they would likely have the privacy needed to evade paparazzi.

William at one pointed hinted he might take Middleton to Australia for a scuba-diving honeymoon, but it is also possible they would opt for a private island in the Caribbean, the Seychelles, an archipelago of more than 100 islands off Africa, or an outdoorsy trip to Jordan that would include a visit to Petra.

The honeymoon is expected to be briefer than that of William's parents, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, who combined a two-week Mediterranean cruise with several extended breaks in Britain.

***For more royal wedding news, visit our Royal Wedding page.***

Comments

[gettkins]

10:16 AM on 05/16/2011

Kate looks great, she has a comfortable smile !

[Said One]

02:54 PM on 05/03/2011

I see HP is not reporting on the Duchesse's refusal to work or do public engagements which makes a mockery of the tourism claim if the tourist industry can survive in the UK without the royals doing public engagements - and the outrage of her "subjects".

[ReesieKitty]

01:40 PM on 05/03/2011

They look very sweet- love the wedges!

Didn't Charles take Lady Di to Balmoral to announce their engagement? I seem to remember that she always hated the place, so I doubt Wills and Kate would honeymoon there..

[kandem]

01:03 PM on 05/02/2011

The wedges are cute. Are they comfortable, though?

[exPatPatti]

06:03 AM on 05/02/2011

I think the honeymoon was delayed because they were tipped off about OBL.

[aero56]

05:19 AM on 05/02/2011

I wonder if their honeymoon was delayed because of the operation in Afghanistan that killed Osama bin Laden. This could have posed a serious security threat.

[Alise 28]

03:28 AM on 05/02/2011

It is so refreshng to see two happy people. I wish them all the best

[nana4g]

12:37 AM on 05/02/2011

Well, events unfolding explain the delay of a honeymoon for this young couple who will remain in Britain. Everyone, embassies, countries, allies, are on high security alert with the raid and killing of Osama bin Laden, planned for weeks, decision to execute on Friday, April 29, for Sunday, today.

I am relieved everything and everyone was considered; and relieved the operation was delayed until after their wedding. None of the US military or intellicos were injured. A helicopter lost due to malfunction, but no US human life; no Pakistani life lost, unless they were in the compound, associates of bin Laden, perhaps.

[US Patent 7089319]

11:51 PM on 05/01/2011

wisked away as we pounded Osama

[j0n0]

11:45 PM on 05/01/2011

Anyone wanna guess what the "Security Concern" was that delayed the honeymoon?

[sixchair]

10:32 PM on 05/01/2011

can Kate take a bad picture? she is a national enquirer nightmare.

[TeeFry]

07:17 PM on 05/01/2011

Wedding's over, dear. You can start eating again.

[alicks]

01:26 PM on 05/02/2011

I know, I love Kate, but her legs look a little frightening here...

[Rayme]

06:56 PM on 05/01/2011

Prince William Saxe-Coburg-Gotha is a switch hitter.

[London Reader]

04:29 PM on 05/01/2011

Well well leaving by helicopter. With the delays the new weds have antoer chance to ensure they book an eco-friendly holiday to make up for the CO2 output of the wedding (estimated at 6000 tonnes). Funny enough was reading an article about an eco-safari by helicopter. This can harldy be sustainable.

Here is the full article:
http://thewritefuture.typepad.com/the-write-future/

[Red Russet]

03:47 PM on 05/01/2011

Gorgeous wedding, well thought out, lots of symbolism. She needs to gain some weight PRONTO!

A lot of brides want their wedding photos to be something they can always have to look back on, "I was so thin then" before the 6 kids and sitting all day at a computer year in year out takes its toll on the waistline.

If she is going to one of those who become obsessed with the way she looks in photographs, which can easily happen, it does not bode well.

She has to feel in control, even on days when the pix aren't that great. She has to remember she is setting the good example for all other girls and women who admire her.

She has to remember that her mother-in-law, Diana, stood up and told the world why it is not good to be too thin, and how sick she herself became.

So lets see at least 10 lbs added, Princess Kate, take the dress size back up to a 6 at least. Size 2 is too thin.

[Bonez1]

04:34 PM on 05/01/2011

size 2 is very common and can indeed be a healthy weight for some women...just b/c she is not size 6 does not mean she isn't healthy...
as long as she eats well and is active, no one should judge her just b/c of her weight/size...

in my opinion, size 6 may be obese for her petite frame!
she looks fabulous! don't give her a complex!

[TeeFry]

07:18 PM on 05/01/2011

No. She looks scary skinny.

[Anne Mccormick]

09:26 PM on 05/01/2011

no way, she definitely needs to put 10 to 15 pounds back on. she is too skinny.