In his speech last night, Prince William remembered vacationing in the Bahamas with his late mother in 1993.
He recalled snorkelling in the bright blue waters around “the remaining James Bond ships” off the coast of Nassau with Princess Diana, calling it “the best vacation of my life”.
And it seems that their all-too-short three-day trip to the picturesque nation of 700 islands had such an impact on William and Kate that they vowed to one day get their children back, Mail Online understands.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have spent the last two nights at The Cove, a luxury resort located on the rather aptly named Paradise Island.
They are housed in a three-bedroom penthouse, 4,830-foot retreat with floor-to-ceiling windows, panoramic ocean views, a large living room, office space, and a ten-person separate dining area with a full-service kitchen.
They wake up every morning with stunning views of the crystal clear Atlantic Ocean and sparkling white sandy private beach.
William and Kate promised to bring their children to the Bahamas, MailOnline understands.
Kate, in a pink dress and sunglasses, walks with Will in a navy blue suit and light blue shirt on a tour of the Bahamas.
The Caribbean was a favorite vacation spot for Prince Diana, especially after she broke up with the Prince of Wales. (Pictured: Diana (far left) with William on St. Kitts in 1993)
If William and Kate decide to take their three children—Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three—they offer five different hotel accommodations with 21 restaurants, five miles of white sand beaches, 11 swimming pools . and Aquaventure, a 141-acre water park with thrilling waterslides and river rides. (Family at a pantomime performance at the London Palladium in December 2020)
The relaxed and chatty couple heard them thank the staff for everything they did for them, telling them that the hotel was “wonderful”, the food “delicious” and that they “can’t wait to come back with their kids”.
“They said they contacted their kids via FaceTime to show them the views that amazed them and that they can’t wait to get back with them,” the source said.
“I hope William can create the same happy memories with his family as his own mother.”
The Caribbean was a favorite vacation spot for Prince Diana, especially after she broke up with the Prince of Wales.
She often took William and his brother Harry there, and almost 30 years ago she took them to the five-bedroom Casuarina Beach in the Bahamas.
Located in Lyford Cay, a gated community on the western tip of New Providence, they stayed with Kate Menzies of a millionaire family from the Menzies newsstand, accompanied by Andrew Charlton, a longtime friend of Prince William, and Catherine and Harry Soames. family of politician Nicholas Soames.
The group flew to the Bahamas from Florida, where they spent two days at Walt Disney World and visited the filming location of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Lyford Cay is one of the most prestigious places in the Bahamas, where Sean Connery and the Bacardi family coexist.
Kate and Will meet Stephen Gardiner, the Bahamas’ 400m Olympic champion.
They moved on to the stalls on the beach, where vendors were selling bags and homemade honey.
Kate sat down and spoke to a local girl who was dressed to the nines in a stunning princess outfit.
William interacted with several locals, including a little girl whom he held by the hand as she stood next to a seated elderly lady.
The Duke and Duchess shook hands with well-wishers and told people about the aftermath of the hurricane. William turned down the opportunity to hold the baby, but agreed to pose next to him
Kate beamed as she mimicked the storm, smiling at countless locals for photos, including several small children.
William then made an impromptu stop at a bar. He slapped the bar and said, “This is my stop!”
In a speech delivered to the Governor General’s reception, a visibly relaxed William said: “Looking from space, astronaut Chris Hadfield once said that ‘the beauty of the Bahamas is surreal’ and you can see ‘every blue that exists.’
“This natural beauty is only surpassed by the warmth and generosity of the Bahamian people.
“Katherine and I have witnessed this everywhere we have been today during our first official visit to your wonderful islands.
“The welcome you gave us today at Parliament Square with Junkanoo and Rake ‘n’ Scrape was unforgettable.
“But this is not the first time I’ve been to the Bahamas. I came here with my mother as a child.
“Snorkelling around the James Bond wrecks off the coast of Nassau has given me the most vivid memories of your beautiful blue waters.
“For a boy obsessed with 007, this was the best vacation ever.”
The Duke and Duchess hear people come together to support each other during an incredibly difficult time in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian (pictured at Daystar Evangelical Church)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (pictured) have spent the last two nights at The Cove, a luxury resort located on the rather aptly named Paradise Island.
The Duke and Duchess during a visit to Daystar Evangelical Church in the Bahamas.
The Cove, where William and Kate stayed, is a luxury hotel nestled between two private beaches on Atlantis Paradise Island, one of the top oceanfront resorts in the Bahamas.
If William and Kate decide to take their three children—Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three—they offer five different hotel accommodations with 21 restaurants, five miles of white sand beaches, 11 swimming pools . and Aquaventure, a 141-acre water park with thrilling waterslides and river rides.
The resort also does not use single-use plastic and supports extensive rescue, rehabilitation, research and conservation efforts in the Bahamas through the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation.
Leaving yesterday, the couple stopped by to thank Russell Miller, executive vice president, and Kapil Sharma, general manager, for “being their home” during their stay in the Bahamas.
Tonight, William and Kate are flying home aboard the official government aircraft RAF Voyager, arriving home just in time for Mother’s Day brunch with their children on Sunday.