This year, the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—may break from recent tradition and plan a major holiday far from the UK. While it’s unlikely that Princess Catherine, due to health reasons, will make an international trip, it's impossible to say for certain, especially considering that she tends to keep her plans under wraps until the very last moment. According to a source close to the family, William and Catherine are possibly planning a getaway to a third destination, and if Catherine is feeling well, they might escape to Mystique, her favorite holiday spot for some sunshine.
The private Caribbean island of Mystique has long been a favorite of the royal family. It was the destination of Prince George's first overseas trip back in August 2014. For years before the pandemic, the family would pack up and head there with their longtime nanny, Maria Teresa Turion Balo, bringing along more mosquito repellent than could fit in an Asprey trunk. George, Charlotte, and Louis would enjoy a relaxing beach holiday, with George even spending his fifth and sixth birthdays there. It's a place where the family can truly unwind.
On Mystique, the Wales children are known to partake in activities such as tennis, volleyball, and hanging out at the famous Basil's Bar. Prince William reportedly enjoys vodka cranberries, while Kate opts for piña coladas. The interesting thing is that the Palace is known to be quite agile when it comes to making these trips happen. Over the past few months, they’ve moved with a surprising level of flexibility—something we certainly couldn’t have predicted a year ago.
Typically, when the Wales family goes on holiday, they stay somewhere near Anmer Hall, which is their Norfolk home. The royal couple, along with other members of the royal family, have long been avid ski enthusiasts. In 2016, the Wales family took their older children to the French Alps for their first skiing adventure. They even shared a charming set of family photos from that trip, featuring George and Charlotte in snowsuits. Last year, it was reported that the family was seen on a skiing holiday in Courchevel, France, during the Easter break.
In 2021, Kensington Palace shared their holiday plans, revealing that William and Catherine would be taking their children to Jordan. This year, however, has been far from ordinary for the Wales family. Given the current climate, if the family were to head to the balmy waters of the Caribbean and perhaps inflate Louis's inflatable polo pony, it would be a positive sign of Catherine’s recovery, if not the trip itself.
When traveling abroad, the Wales family must carry some royal essentials: passports, wallets, phones, and other personal items. But for the royals, there is one extra, more somber necessity: a black dress or formal attire. This isn't just for any formal occasions, but rather as a precaution in case of a family emergency. The tradition was established after Queen Elizabeth II's sudden flight back to the UK in 1952. At the time, Princess Elizabeth was on a Commonwealth tour in Kenya when her father, King George VI, passed away unexpectedly. Since the queen had not packed a black dress for the occasion, one was brought to her upon her plane's arrival in London the following day, so she could change before disembarking.
