Their First Vacay as a Family of Five! ROYALS IN PARADISE
Prince William and Kate Middleton touch down in beautiful Mustique for fun in the Caribbean sun with their three adorable kids
Being a royal isn’t all tiaras and teatime. Sometimes it means posing for photos that will be seen ’round the globe just hours after giving birth or stressing over your kids behaving in front of world dignitaries. Because Kate Middleton isn’t just a duchess, she’s a mom. “Catherine has been doing an amazing job as a mother,” hubby Prince William has raved. “I’m very proud of her.”
Now he’s shown his appreciation in the most lavish of ways. Life & Style can exclusively reveal that Wil- liam whisked Kate and their three kids off on a $5 million Caribbean vacation in July. Since son Louis’ arrival in April, “Kate has had a busy few months, and William wanted to go somewhere where his wife could completely switch off: Mustique,” reveals an insider of the private island oasis. “With its clear blue water and white sandy beaches, Mustique is one of Kate’s favorite destinations. And, for their first getaway as a family of five, William made sure to spare no expense!”
MAKING MEMORIES
Just getting to this piece of paradise costs a pretty penny. Rather than worry about George, 5, Charlotte, 3, and Louis, 3 months, acting up around other passengers, William and Kate, both 36, took a private jet, says the insider, and hired a second plane to carry their security team! “The flights and security alone cost $1 million.” Also on board the second flight? A pile of presents for eldest George. The tropical holiday coincided with the tyke’s 5th birthday on July 22, so “they had an early party
in London, but Kate flew out a huge cake and lots of balloons to celebrate his actual birthday in Mustique,” says the insider. “William and Kate don’t usually spoil their kids, but to mark George’s 5th birthday they really went all-out, surprising him with gifts to play with while on vacation.”
But everyone was made to feel special during the family’s Mustique getaway. It’d be hard not to feel special staying at a private villa that costs upwards of $40,000 a week and comes complete with a staff of six. During their trip, the royal brood set up court at Obsidian, a multimillion-dollar, sixbedroom seaside hideaway. “It boasts a 60-foot pool that Charlotte loved playing in,” says the insider. “William spent hours teaching her how to swim. She loves being in the water!” As the family found out in Mustique, so does her little brother. Says the insider, “Even Louis had a dip in the pool and was excitedly kicking his legs and giggling away as William held him.”
Family fun also included building countless sandcastles and painting pictures for Gan- Gan Queen Elizabeth II, 92, back home. And avid pho- tographer Kate captured it all. “She took hundreds of photos,” says the insider, adding that William even texted some to his brother, Prince Harry, 33. “Harry joked about how jealous he was and said he wished he was there with them.”
MUCH-NEEDED ‘ME’ TIME
Getaways with the kids aren’t always so relaxing. But William, who often travels for royal appearances while Kate stays home with George, Charlotte and Louis, made sure the devoted mom got to enjoy some time to herself. “William occupied the kids by taking them horseback riding, biking and snorkeling,” says the insider, “so that Kate could enjoy daily massages, facials and other spa treatments in the privacy of their villa.”
With their own version of Mary Poppins, nanny Maria Borrallo, along for the getaway, there was also plenty of opportunity for romance for William and Kate — who have frequented Mustique together since 2008. “They enjoyed couples massages, walks along the beach and romantic candlelit dinners,” re- veals the insider of the duo, who also babymooned on the island in 2013 and 2015. “Prior to Mustique, William and Kate were barely seeing each other due to William’s royal duties, so this trip definitely helped re-strengthen their bond.”
A PROMISE TO RETURN
A lot of the focus over the past few months has been on the royal family at-large — from the spectacle of Harry and Meghan Markle’s May wedding to the pomp and circumstance of the queen’s June birthday celebrations. But it was all about William and Kate’s little brood in Mustique.
“George and Charlotte loved the trip and didn’t want to leave. Charlotte burst into tears when William and Kate started packing to go home,” says the insider. “George said he wants every birthday to be in Mustique!”
The declaration got his parents thinking, says the insider. “The whole family had such an amazing time in Mustique that Kate and William are looking at buying their own multimillion-dollar home on the island so they can go more frequently!”