ROYAL ENGAGEMENT Meghan a breath of fresh royal air
It accommodates 28 guests. Located just a 30- minute scenic flight from Townsville or a 90- minute flight from Cairns, the picture- perfect luxury hideaway stretches across 11km of immaculate turquoise coastline, and comprises a pristine National Park and surrounding World Heritagelisted Marine Park. Whitsundays The are 74 Whitsunday islands in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef and one of the world’s best beaches – Whitehaven Beach.
The couple could take to the air for the must- have travel HAPPY COUPLE:: Prriince Harrrry and Meghan Marrklle pose tthe mediia iin tthe grrounds off Kensiingtton Pallace.. snap – flying over iconic Heart Reef or explore the lesserknown Whitsunday Coast beaches of Cannonvale, Bowen and Cape Gloucester.
There are also other popular islands like Hayman, Hamilton, Daydream, Long or Dent Island with plenty of options for sailing, snorkelling and diving.
On the mainland, there is Airlie Beach or Hydeaway Bay’s famous sunset or the outdoorsy couple could hike through the rainforest to Cedar Creek Falls or join a crocodile- spotting safari on the Proserpine River and get a selfie at the Bowen Mango. Magnetic Island It only takes 25 minutes on a ferry from Townsville to get there. Magnetic Island’s relaxed tropical lifestyle, quiet, secluded beaches, rugged nature, abundant wildlife and easy access to the Great Barrier Reef make it a wonderful place to relax and unwind.
It sits within the World Heritage- listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and has less rainfall than the Wet Tropics to the north and the Whitsunday Islands to the south. Cobbold Gorge Tours of this natural ancient wonder are conducted with fforr minimum impact on the environment.
From humble beginnings of a basic camping area, toilet block and office, the infrastructure of Cobbold Gorge Tours has grown to include a licensed bar, restaurant and accommodation.
Visitors take guided tours through the gorge on custommade boats with virtually silent, electric motors.
In 2009, a nature refuge agreement was formalised establishing the 4720ha Cobbold Gorge Nature Refuge to protect a number of vulnerable and rare plant species. MEGHAN Markle is to become the most modern princess in British royal history.
A divorced, American biracial actor, feminist and human rights activist, Ms Markle is the most non- traditional woman ever to marry into the royal family, and her arrival is sure to shake up the regal establishment.
In a self- assured television appearance beside fiance Prince Harry early yesterday, Ms Markle, 36, acknowledged she would not be continuing her acting career but vowed to continue speaking out on causes that matter deeply to her, which have included gender equity, poverty, women and children’s rights in the developing world and environmental issues.
“The causes that have been very important to me I can focus even more energy on, because … once you have access or a voice that people are going to listen to, with that comes a lot of responsibility, which I take seriously,’’ she told the BBC.
The pair are also likely to focus heavily on youth issues including destigmatising mental health, homelessness and Prince Harry’s charity for wounded and ill war veterans, the Invictus Games.
The clearly besotted couple, who revealed they met on a blind date set up by a friend, giggled and held hands as they posed for photos and undertook their first media interview together, showing the beautiful diamond ring 33- year- old Prince Harry designed himself, using a diamond from Botswana, and two diamonds from his late mother Diana’s private jewellery collection.
Prince Harry said his mother, who had died at the age of just 36 in a car accident, would have been “as thick as thieves’’ with his fiancee.
“I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me ... would probably have been best friends with Meghan,’’ he said.
“It’s days like today when I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news. I am sure she is with us, jumping up and down somewhere else.’’