William, Kate to stay out of public life for two years
By IANSMonday, January 24, 2011
LONDON - Queen Elizabeth has told Prince William and his bride Kate Middleton that they can stay out of public life for the first two years of their marriage, and instead concentrate on their careers.
The queen wants 29-year-old Kate to have time and space to adjust to royal life, while William, 28, will be allowed to focus on his Royal Air Force career rather than worry about performing full-time public duties, The Sun reported.
She fears thrusting the new bride into the public gaze too soon could damage the marriage.
The queen, now 84, herself spent the first 18 months of her marriage to Prince Philip in Malta, where he was a naval officer.
Sources, however, denied the decision was a result of “lessons learned” from the troubled marriage of her son, Prince Charles, and Princess Diana.
William will be working as a search and rescue helicopter pilot based in Anglesey in North Wales.
He and his bride, Kate, will also take on a string of overseas tours but apart from that, Kate will be a normal housewife.
“This is the best wedding present William could have hoped for. The queen knows there is enormous pressure when the heir to the throne first marries,” a palace source said.
It has also been revealed that the queen will not meet Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael, before the wedding in April.
A spokesman, however, said it was not a snub.
