Congratulations to the royal couple. Amidst rumours of a budget stay in the Scilly Isles, I thought I’d take a closer look at the custom of the post-wedding holiday, and considerations of location…
A honeymoon describes the time just after the wedding, when things are at their sweetest – a phase which is said to wane after around a month. According to Wikipedia, the earliest use of the term in English was ‘hony moone’, recorded in 1546. The current day custom of a newlywed couple going on a holiday together originated in early 19th century Britain, adpoted from India, where upper-class couples would take a ‘bridal tour’, sometimes accompanied by friends or family, to visit relatives who hadn’t been able to attend the wedding.
When Queen Victoria’s second daughter, Princess Alice, was married at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, the honeymoon was spent a few miles away at St Clare, where the princess and her new husband spent just one day alone, before the Queen visited them for tea. And the Queen also visited her youngest daughter, Princess Beatrice, twice during her five day honeymoon to Quarr Abbey House, again nearby on the Isle of Wight.
Later, newly-wed royals were expected to be available for a photograph opportunity at some stage during their honeymoon. The future King George VI and Queen Elizabeth spent their honeymoon at Polesden Lacey in Surrey, where they played golf and posed for a photographer outside the home of Mrs Greville that was supposedly their hideaway. Afterwards, they visited Elizabeth’s home, Glamis Castle, where, according to the Illustrated London News, it rained – and she unromantically caught whooping cough.
Princess Elizabeth and her new husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, initially honeymooned in Broadlands, near Winchester in Hampshire. On the way there, they shared the compartment of the Royal Train with the Princess’s Welsh corgi, Susan – from whom all the royal corgis are descended.
These days a honeymoon is often used as an excuse to take the trip of a lifetime – though many of us end up staying indoors, having spent vast sums of money travelling abroad to a fancy hotel in the sun. Also popular are luxury all-in packages – a wedding ceremony and honeymoon in one. Mintel research estimates that 16% of all UK wedding ceremonies are now conducted overseas, including that of the poor couple in the Maldives, who were mocked for being infidels…
Ever more obscure choices of honeymoon destination can sometimes have painful consequences – one might end up with Malaria, food poisoning, or fall into rapids whilst white water rafting. But presumably that won’t put off some from paying $200,000 for the ultimate extreme adventure vacation – the chance to play astronauts, courtesy of Virgin Galactic. So, will the next big thing be exchanging vows in space? And what about a honeymoon on the moon? Something for Princess Beatrice and Galactic Dave to consider, perhaps?
Anyway, my suggestion for a happy honeymoon is: forget location. The perfect honeymoon involves just love and laughter. And the best honeymoon memories usually entail the simplest and silliest of things – that could transpire absolutely anywhere. I’m suddenly reminded of Tom and Susanna in last week’s edition of Channel 4’s Lake District-set The Hotel, as they laughed off the non-flushing lavatory in their room on their wedding night. In the absence of a plumber, the heavily pregnant bride was kindly given an ice bucket by the Manager. They thoroughly enjoyed their stay.
Very topical Susan, as I’m off on my honeymoon this week! -with a pregnant bride too so hopefully we wont end up with an ice bucket..
Congratulations, Worm – that was fast work! (Worm II I mean, not the honeymoon) Have a lovely time.
I did spend a second or two wondering what arcane and intimate requirement a pregnant woman might have for a bucket of ice.
It’s a pity this royal couple won’t be able to get away with being ” available for a photograph opportunity at some stage during their honeymoon.”