Royals on honeymoon: facts you didn't know about their post-wedding trips

Royal couples inevitably have very high-profile weddings, but their honeymoons are usually more private. That being said, the location is often glamorous, from the West Indies to the Greek islands and tropical paradise of the Seychelles, just some of the destinations on the list.

One regular fixture on many royal honeymoons is a voyage on the Royal Yacht Britannia - with everyone from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip to Princess Diana and Charles and Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew boarding the iconic trip as part of their honeymoons.

This is everything we know about the most iconic honeymoons, with stunning photographs from the archives.

Royal honeymoon spots

Princess Margaret before her honeymoon in 1960

Princess Margaret is pictured smiling before embarking on her honeymoon with Antony Armstrong-Jones in the West Indies. As anyone who's seen The Crown will know, the couple were known to be very much in love and looked to have a joyful honeymoon in a tropical paradise.

Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones wave from the Royal Yacht Britannia

Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones sailed on the Royal Yacht Britannia - a tradition for royal honeymooners. It was this same ship that Princess Diana and Prince Charles also embarked on during their royal honeymoon in 1981.

Margaret and Anthony look happy and relaxed on their honeymoon

The royal couple looked happy and relaxed as they waved to the crowds from the Royal Yacht Britannia. The couple visited islands such as Trinidad and Antigua, as well as Princess Margaret's favourite place - Mustique (and a favourite holiday destination for the royals).

Princess Margaret and Anthony spent their honeymoon in the West Indies

Princess Margaret's honeymoon was extremely glamorous according to onlookers. "At dinner, she wore a long dress every night, with jewels and a tiara; he put on a dinner jacket," the Daily Mail reported. But it was business as usual for the crew, who were "ordered to avert their eyes as they served coffee or drinks by the pool".

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on their honeymoon

Queen Elizabeth II was pictured smiling in stunning black and white photographs during her honeymoon with Prince Philip in Balmoral - and this place remained special to the couple throughout their lifetime. The couple spent many more holidays there over the years, enjoying the beautiful Scottish scenery.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip wander around the grounds of Balmoral

It was well known that Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip loved walking together, so it's poignant to see such an early photograph of the couple as they embarked on their life as a married couple, dressed for the occasion in smart clothes and fitted coats.

Queen Elizabeth II also visited Hampshire on her honeymoon

Queen Elizabeth (then Princess Elizabeth) and Prince Philip also spent part of their honeymoon in 1947 at Broadlands enjoying the Hampshire countryside. Broadlands is a historic and grand country estate in the region, once home to Lord Palmerston, with sprawling gardens and grand interiors - a setting fit for the honeymoon of the future Queen of England.

Queen Elizabeth and Philip also honeymooned in Birkhill

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip spent part of their honeymoon at Birkhall, which is a picturesque hunting lodge on the Balmoral Estate in Scotland. Balmoral was already a special place for the then Princess Elizabeth, who used to holiday there as a child with her parents and grandparents.

Princess Diana waves at crowds before embarking on her honeymoon with Prince Charles

Princess Diana and Prince Charles wed in 1981 in one of the most high-profile weddings of all time. The couple's honeymoon was also of great interest to the public. Princess Diana is pictured here smiling for the cameras just before embarking on her honeymoon at Eastleigh airport in Hampshire wearing a floral Donald Campbell dress.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles are pictured on their honeymoon

As part of their honeymoon, the couple travelled to Hampshire, just like Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The couple were photographed looking very much in love, but behind the happy photographs, reports later circulated that tensions were rising between the couple.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana pose for the camera

Princess Diana wrote in a letter to Maud Pendrey (her family’s former housekeeper) that her honeymoon with Prince Charles was a “tremendous success” and that the couple had a “glorious time", but later it was revealed that this was not the whole story, with the couple reportedly arguing over a pair of cufflinks Charles wore on the trip.

Prince Charles and Diana reportedly had tense conversations during the honeymoonn

Later in the documentary Diana: In Her Own Words, it was revealed that the former Princess of Wales was upset to find Charles wearing cufflinks with an intertwining 'C', which she suspected was a gift from Camilla. After confronting Charles, she revealed the couple had a huge row.

Charles and Diana greet crowds

Regardless of any drama behind closed doors, the couple still put on a brave face for the camera and dutifully greeted the crowds. And Princess Diana's honeymoon outfits were as stylish as ever. Diana boarded the Royal Yacht Britannia in a floral white silk dress by Donald Campbell and a blue camisole.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles look out to sea

The couple are pictured looking out to see on board the Royal Yacht Britannia, the same ship that other members of the Royal Family, Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, toured years before. Charles and Diana were impeccably dressed throughout their honeymoon, providing a wealth of stunning photographs.

The Royal Yacht Britannia is an important part of royal history

The Royal Yacht Britannia is an important part of royal history, essentially acting as a floating palace for the British Royal Family between 1954 and 1997. Now it's docked in Edinburgh and acts as a popular tourist attraction for visitors to the Scottish capital, who can tour the spaces where royals enjoyed parts of their honeymoon.

Princess Diana and Charles also honeymooned in Greece as part of a cruise

Princess Diana and Prince Charles also honeymooned in Greece as part of an 11-day Mediterranean cruise aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. During the trip, they visited Tunisia, Sardinia, Greece, and Egypt, beginning the journey in Gibraltar.

Prince William and Kate Middleton before their honeymoon

Prince William and Kate Middleton were pictured before their 2011 honeymoon in the idyllic Seychelles. The couple jetted off soon after their elaborate wedding, and it's thought that Prince William planned the entire itinerary. “He decided to keep details of their honeymoon a secret from Kate until after the wedding,” The Mirror reported. “It was only then that the bride discovered that they would be spending two weeks in a private villa in the Seychelles.”

Kate Middleton and Prince William on their wedding day

Kate Middleton and Prince William's 2011 wedding was one of the most watched royal weddings in history, with millions tuning in to see the stunning ceremony at Westminster Abbey. The now Princess of Wales wore a stunning dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen for the occasion.

Kate Middleton and Prince William wed at Westminster Abbey

Shortly after the couple's wedding at Westminster Abbey, Kate Middleton and Prince William boarded a private jet to the Seychelles. The couple travelled to the exotic destination straight from the UK.

Kate and William honeymooned on the exclusive North Island in the Seycelles

Kate and William travelled to North Island, a private and very exclusive island in the Seychelles. Here they are thought to have enjoyed fresh seafood, beautiful sunsets and plenty of time on the beach during a honeymoon in paradise.

North Island is one of the most exclusive places in the Seychelles

North Island is considered one of the most luxurious resorts in the Seychelles, with just a few villas designed for honeymooners. It's a private and idyllic place, with white sandy beaches and panoramic views of the ocean.

Prince Charles and Camilla's honeymoon in Scotland

Prince Charles spent his second honeymoon in Scotland with his new bride Camilla - and it looked to be a very wet and windy affair. The honeymoon took place in Birkhall, where his mother also honeymooned with Prince Philip.

Camilla pictured on her honeymoon with Prince Charles in Scotland

Camilla is pictured smiling despite the wet weather during her honeymoon to Prince Charles in 2005. The newlywed wore a tartan scarf as a nod towards the Scottish location and held a large umbrella with a printed royal emblem.

Charles and Camilla brave the rain during their honeymoon in Birkhall

During their honeymoon in Birkhall, Scotland, Charles and Camilla braved the rain to greet crowds. While it was a rainy affair, the couple still looked happy and relaxed as they greeted onlookers with umbrellas - and Charles was certainly dressed for the occasion in a tartan kilt.

Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall on their wedding day

Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall wed in 2011 at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland, the same year as the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Zara looked stunning in a full-length ivory silk gown designed by royal favourite Stewart Parvin. The couple had a relatively low-key wedding, much like their upcoming honeymoon in Cyprus.

Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall honeymooned in Cyprus

Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall are known for being a down-to-earth couple, and their honeymoon proved this theory. Rather than jetting off to a far-flung destination, Zara and Mike reportedly enjoyed a package deal to popular tourist destination Limassol in Cyprus instead.

Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly on their wedding day

The Queen's grandson, Peter Phillps, and his wife, Autumn Kelly, were married at St George's Chapel in 2008. The bride looked stunning in a fitted white dress, and her bridesmaids followed with sage green dresses and impressive bouquets.

Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly's wedding caused some controversy

There was some controversy surrounding Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly's wedding, as the couple reportedly sold photos of their wedding to HELLO! Magazine, apparently for £500,000. This was allegedly met with disapproval from other members of the Royal Family. "The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were totally baffled by the whole episode and Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were furious," a source told The Daily Mail. "They thought it was downmarket and tacky. A lot of noses were put well and truly out of joint."

Peter's honeymoon in South Africa

For their honeymoon, Autumn and Peter jetted off to South Africa for a bucket-list holiday. The couple was thought to have spent their honeymoon at a five-star lodge in a game reserve in Madikwe.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson on their wedding day

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson wed at Westminster Abbey in London in 1986, just four months after announcing their engagement. The couple soon enjoyed a honeymoon in the Azores Islands, again on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson enjoyed the sunny climates of the Azores Islands

The Azores are in the middle of the Atlantic, halfway between the USA and continental Portugal, and offer beautiful beaches and incredible architecture. The couple reportedly had a Portuguese navy escort ship following them for security purposes.

Prince Andrew and his wife enjoyed an adventurous holiday

During their five-day trip, the newlyweds were thought to have explored ‘off-grid’ locations on an adventurous honeymoon. The Azores Islands are known for their dramatic landscapes and quaint fishing villages surrounded by beautiful green hills.