Kate Middleton and Prince Willam romance

"Prince William and Miss Middleton became engaged in October during a private holiday in Kenya. Prince William has informed The Queen and other close members of his family. 

"Prince William has also sought the permission of Miss Middleton's father."

"Following the marriage, the couple will live in north Wales, where Prince William will continue to serve with the Royal Air Force."

The Royal Wedding Invitation Didn't get an invite? The Royal Wedding - Official BBC News - Royal Wedding Yahoo! News - Royal Wedding

As the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, William is officially second in line of succession to the British throne before his father, Prince Charles, and ahead of brother Prince Harry, who is third in line.

However, in December 2009 secret palace documents revealed by the UK press has led to strong speculation that William may "represent the best long-term interests of the monarchy," which favors William over his father, Charles, as the next succesor to the British throne.

The news also raises new questions about the timing of William’s engagement. Might he also be preparing for the possible eventuality of being crowned King of England earlier than anticipated?

Wedding Bets Off, Then On

Kate Middleton, (nicknamed "Her Shyness"), and Prince William met while studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. The romance flowered when they later shared a house together.

To date, Middleton have already met William's grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and in the past has frequently appeared on the arm of her boyfriend at official royal ceremonies.

Initial wedding rumors that William was to propose to girlfriend Kate Middleton fizzled early in 2007, with the heartbreaking news of a sudden split. However, reports several months later had the couple seeing each other yet again. Subsequent news that Middleton had left her job in the fashion industry in November 2007 served only to reignite the rumors of an impending marriage.

In August 2008, Kate & William were again photographed together during a summer fling in the Caribbean island of Mustique. Meanwhile, reports also circulated that grandmother Queen Elizabeth expressed a private desire that Middleton first secure a "proper full-time job" before the couple announce their engagement.

William & Kate engaged

The royal engagement ring is the same one worn by Princess Diana in 1981.

Pending the official announcment in November 2010, wedding buzz centered around a report from the March 2009 edition of the upscale French magazine, Point de Vue, claiming that William and Kate had already secretly become engaged in January and that anannouncement "of the marriage between William and Miss Katherine Middleton"was imminent.

Other more recent tabloid stories had William and Kate officially engaged in 2010 and thereafter tying the knot after William had completed his military training.

Related rumors about a possible location for the royal wedding ended in late November when the official news was announced that William and Kate were to be married in Westminster Abbey in London, in the same location where Princess Diana's dramatic funeral took place in 1997.

The Royal honeymoon?

Now the latest buzz centers around where the royal honeymoon will take place. The latest speculation by royal wedding watchers paint several scenarios, including: the newly-married couple whisked away to the English countryside, enjoying a Caribbean getaway or on a romantic trek along the African coast.

Other speculation has led to the possibility of an Australian honeymoon, and even Jordan has been mentioned as a possible location, Meanwhile, the tabloids will have to wait and see until royal honeymoon plans are officially announced from Buckingham Palace.

Related Prince William News, Bios & Pictures | Prince William Quotes

Princess Diana holds baby William, 1982.

William has been in the media spotlight since his birth on June 21, 1982.

Early on, he made history when he became the first royal prince to attend an ordinary primary school at the insistence of his mother, Princess Diana. (Reportedly, Diana's famous disdain for official royal protocol has also been inherited by both William and his brother, Harry.)

By age eight, Prince William was sent to Ludgrove School in Berkshire, later attending the prestigious Eton College near Windsor Castle, one of his grandmother's official residences.

It was during his time that William lost his mother to a tragic car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997 - plunging almost the whole of Great Britain into mourning.

It was Prince William who, it was said, made arrangements for Elton John to sing "Candle in the Wind" at his Princess Diana's funeral. He later walked with his father, brother and grandfather in the London funeral procession.

Prince William at 21.

In 2000, Prince William graduated from Eton and passed three A-level exams, afterwhich he chose to take a gap year to travel and participate in army training in Belize.

Photos of the royal prince - performing manual labor and cleaning toilets - were broadcast around the globe that same year when William offered his services as a volunteer in a remote region of Chile.

In 2001, the prince embarked on his final course of education at the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland where he studied art history and majored in geography. He ultimately took his master's degree with second-level honors in 2005. The colorful, traditional graduation ceremony was attended by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II and his father, Prince Charles.

Kate Middleton graduated in the same ceremony.

In 2006, William went on to also graduate military training at Sandhurst, the prestigious military academy south of London, from which his younger brother, Harry, graduated as a 2nd lieutenant.

Related Biographies:

The Prince of Wales - Prince William

Prince William of Wales - Wikipedia

Prince William Photo Gallery

Hello! Profiles - Prince William

PrinceWilliamStamps.com

Quotes:

• The fortunate thing is I have had such a normal childhood in certain extents and it would very hard to see that slip away.

• The last thing I want to do is be mollycoddled or wrapped up in cotton wool because if I was to join the army, I'd want to go where my men went and I'd want to do what they did.

• It's got to be the best birthday present she ever had. 

On the concert to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of Princess Diana.

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