Prince William returning to his RAF Valley in Anglesey today, days after his wedding was watched by two billion around the world
A few days ago his every move was watched by an estimated two billion people.
But today it was back to more familiar territory as Prince William returned to work at his RAF base in Anglesey.
Wearing sunglasses he was behind the steering wheel of an Audi seen arriving at the Air and Sea Rescue HQ.
Wearing sunglasses, Prince William drove into the Air and Sea Rescue HQ at RAF Valley
It was thought Prince William and his bride would honeymoon this week until it emerged that the new Duke of Cambridge had to return to work.
Despite his status as second in line to the throne he, like his colleagues, had to apply for leave like his colleagues.
He was given a week off for the wedding but was told that he would have to split any further holiday requests – hence the delayed departure date.
The Mail revealed this week that the couple are due to fly out by private jet in mid-May before being taken by helicopter from the mainland to a tropical retreat.
Two Scotland Yard protection officers checked the destination a fortnight ago to ensure it would give the couple the privacy they crave.
As her son-in-law returned to work, Carole Middleton and daughter Pippa were seen arriving back at their Berkshire home
Prince William had to delay his honeymoon as he was ordered to split his leave requests with colleagues
The Mail is not publishing details of the location, and it is understood that not even Kate is aware of the exact destination.
The Prince is not the only wedding guest who returned to their everyday life just days after the global event of the Royal Wedding.
Five days ago the Queen was the proud grandmother overseeing a wedding watched by two billion people.
But after the bank holiday it was back to the daily routine for the monarch yesterday as she visited Newmarket, Cambridge.
Refreshed: Five days after the wedding the Queen met children at Newmarket Day Centre
Easy rider: William roars out of Clarence House on his beloved Ducati as he went to spend one of his last nights as a bachelor by playing five-a-side football with the boys
Prince William has already confessed that his knees are ‘tapping quite nervously’ as his wedding day approaches.
But nerves did not stop the 28-year-old jumping on his motorbike to spend one of his last nights as a bachelor by playing five-a-side football with the boys.
During a kick-about in a South London park at 10pm on Tuesday, one of William’s friends was overheard referring to his ‘last day of freedom’.
At one point, a team-mate wearing a baseball cap and blue shirt grabbed his arm and bounced the football off the back of his head while the others laughed and jeered.
A second friend then took over, throwing the ball at William’s growing bald patch.
The prince seemed embarrassed by the spectacle and bowed his head in an attempt to shrug off the attention.
Wearing England shorts, a black shirt and socks in the colour of his favourite team, Aston Villa, he sprinted around the park playing central defence to shouts of ‘William’ and ‘Wills’.
Playing with the boys: William looks exhausted as he's flanked by friends after the kick-about in a South London park. One of William's friends was overheard referring to his 'last day of freedom'
Four royal protection officers stood on the sidelines – and even ran off to collect the ball when it soared over a fence.
The 45-minute kickabout is a regular fixture for William whenever he has time off from working as a search and rescue pilot in Anglesey, North Wales.
If his bride-to-be had grumbled about how a sliding tackle could ruin the wedding by leaving him with grazes or even a broken leg, the prince did not let it affect his evening.
But he decided to forgo the usual trip to a pub in Battersea following the game.
Instead, he returned to St James’s Palace on the black £15,000, 180mph Ducati superbike which is his pride and joy.
Pensive: William looked thoughtful as he played football with a group of friends. Perhaps he was having some last-minute jitters
The prince is often spotted zooming around the country roads of Anglesey with Kate riding pillion.
He even has patriotic knee protectors decorated with the England flag.
But last year his father Prince Charles told of his fears about the dangers of the high-powered machines, which are also popular with Prince Harry.
At a reception in December, Charles said: ‘I always worry about them. It’s about other cars not being able to see you. I’m always telling my sons that.’
Her royal dryness: Kate Middleton braves the rain on a trip to Darwen, Lancashire today
Like any bride wanting to look her best, Kate Middleton appears to have shed a few pounds ahead of her big day.
Looking more slimline than ever, the future Royal was joined by Prince William on their last official engagement together before the royal wedding, braving the rain to attend the opening of a school in Darwen, Lancashire.
Kate, holding her own oversized black umbrella, opted for a subtle but notable sartorial transformation.
Joining the ranks of predecessors including Diana and Jackie O, she wore a smart navy blue fitted jacket, matching skirt and high heels - a look that cements her status as style queen.
Gone is the floaty, A-line silhouette she has come to favour and its place a streamlined shape suit.
Her hair was styled half up half down amid recent speculation that this could be the look she chooses on her wedding day.
Miss Middleton has yet to invest in the see-through umbrellas used by the Queen, which allow her to be easily seen.
Getting in shape: Kate has lost weight as last-minute nerves kick in ahead of the big day and is certainly thinner than she was back in 2005
Instead Kate carried a very large black one, lifting it higher up so she could be seen by the crowds outside the Darwen Aldridge Community Academy.
The Queen's distinctive Fulton birdcage design umbrellas feature a coloured rim which the company produces in exclusive colours for her so she can match them exactly to her outfit.
Union and St George Cross flags flew outside many shops and pubs in the east Lancashire town of Darwen to greet the couple.
William and Kate arrived at Darwen Aldridge Community Academy on the first leg of their day-long visit to the area as hundreds of well-wishers lined outside in the heavy rain
William and Kate arrived at Darwen Aldridge Community Academy on the first leg of their day-long visit to the area as hundreds of well-wishers lined outside in the heavy rain.
They are expected to be met by crowds of thousands on their second and final engagement at nearby Witton Country Park in Blackburn.
William will officially open the academy where he will also launch an award scheme and later observe a sports display in the park with his fiancee
At the academy in the heart of the town, the couple were welcomed by the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Sheila Williams, the chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Graham Burgess, and Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry.
They were then greeted by the principal of the independent non-fee-paying school, Brendan Loughran, and its sponsor Rod Aldridge, former executive chairman of Capita.
William will officially open the academy where he will also launch an award scheme and later observe a sports display in the park with his fiancee
A tour of the academy followed to highlight its focus on entrepreneurial skills which are embedded in its curriculum.
William will launch the SkillForce Prince's Award and give a short address on the scheme and the work of the academy to students, parents, governors and staff.
SkillForce is an education charity which has William as its patron and from summer 2012 it will present the new honour to teenagers who show significant character or make a major contribution to their community.
Hair apparent: Kate's hair was styled half up half down amid recent speculation that this could be the look she chooses on her wedding day
More than 100 accredited newspaper, TV and radio journalists were covering the academy visit including representatives from the United States, Australia, France, Germany and Norway.
Later, William and Miss Middleton will visit Witton Country Park as part of the Prince's role as patron of the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge.
The initiative aims to protect permanently 2,012 outdoor recreational spaces across the UK and demonstrate the importance of green spaces for sport.
The couple will meet local civic dignitaries, view sports activities on the athletics field and see youngsters taking part in a football skills session.
Anticipation: Crowds line up outside Darwen Community Academy ahead of the couple's visit
Miss Middleton will also be invited to start a 100 metres race and meet a group of athletes and coaches.
The couple will also see some young people participating in disabled cycling activities.
Recently the pair have met well-wishers in Anglesey in Wales, visited their former university St Andrews in Scotland and flown to Belfast in Northern Ireland.
The Prince, 28, who is based at RAF Valley, Anglesey, in his role as a full-time RAF Search and Rescue Pilot, and Miss Middleton, 29, will marry on April 29.
Their wedding day will be an official public holiday across the UK.
Little princesses: Two young fans hold Union Jacks of the Royal couple
The big day: The BBC are expected to be dedicating up to 1,000 members of staff to cover the wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William
The BBC is to dedicate the best part of a thousand staff to covering the Royal Wedding, it has emerged.
The corporation's bill for broadcasting the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton will run into excess of a £1million, with a sizeable chunk of that going on the army of staff it will be using.
Once again it will dwarf the numbers of workers being used by rivals ITV and Sky News who will have a fraction of the staff on the day.
In total there is expected to be 850 BBC workers covering the event, many in London along the route, but also some getting reaction from other locations in the UK. This includes staff for TV, radio and online.
The BBC has defended the numbers claiming that as host broadcaster it will be responsible for beaming images out around the globe and that the wedding is likely to be the most viewed event of the century.
There will be 550 BBC workers covering the actual event, following the route and the ceremony, with Huw Edwards as the corporation's main presenter.
There is expected to be a further 300 news staff who will be providing separate reports from around Britain.
This includes staff from BBC Breakfast, the Today programme and Radio 5 Live.
Commentators: DJ Fearne Cotton and The One Show host Alex Jones will be covering the Royal Wedding
This compares with 437 staff the BBC sent to the 2008 Olympics in BeiJing and the 295 sent to last year's football World Cup in South Africa.
As well as Edwards, Fiona Bruce and Sophie Raworth will be at the heart of the BBC's coverage, which will also see Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton and One Show presenter Alex Jones given presenting roles.
The wedding is expected to be watched by a global audience of two billion.
A BBC spokesman said: 'The Royal Wedding is likely to be the most watched event of the century so far and the BBC is proud to be the host broadcaster.
'Final numbers have yet to be confirmed, but we expect to have 550 people working on the day to bring high quality and distinctive coverage of this special event to a wide audience at home and abroad across TV, Radio and Online.
'In addition BBC News will provide separate reports across the UK and numbers for this are yet to be finalised.'
The venue: Hundreds of BBC staff will be covering the wedding route up to Westminster Abbey
The heat is clearly getting to Prince William as sweat pours from his brow during his tour of Queensland
With his mind very much on his impending wedding, Prince William could perhaps be excused for occasionally feeling a little warm under the collar.
But on a tour of Queensland, Australia, yesterday his normal healthy glow turned to a Royal flush as he struggled to cope in 95F heat.
Visibly wilting with sweat pouring from his forehead, the Prince managed to hold on to his sense of humour and quipped: ‘I’m from England. I’m far too pasty. I need some sunshine.’
The Prince, on a five-day tour of Australia and New Zealand, has been dubbed ‘the Prince of Hearts’ in the north-east of Queensland, which in February was devastated by some of the worst cyclones and flooding in Australia’s history.
He struggled to cope with the heat during a walkabout in Cairns, but told admirers: ‘It’s much nicer down here. The weather at home is dreadful.’
He has wowed the Australians by dressing casually for most of the trip in lightweight trousers and an open- necked pale blue shirt, and insisting on being addressed by his first name.
Unlike his father, who often travels with an extensive team of aides, William has only a small entourage.
An aide said: ‘William likes to keep things simple. He doesn’t want to wear a suit unless he has to and he likes to keep things relaxed. That’s his own way and how he likes things.’
Jim Nicholson, 68, president of the Cardwell Lions community group, said: ‘He’s a really normal, casual chap. He calls you by your first name just like his mother used to do. Diana would have been the proudest woman in the world if she’d been here today.’
Martin Taylor, 40, officer in charge of the Queensland Ambulance service, said: ‘He’s a leader, you can tell by his stature. We chatted about the recovery stage and he was very understanding.’
Earlier he spoke to people who lost their homes and livelihoods and chatted with the emergency services as he visited the ravaged towns of Cardwell and Tully.
His second port of call was to the Royal Flying Doctor service in Cairns. Then his whistlestop tour took him on to a reception with volunteers from the Red Cross and the emergency services who helped during the disaster.
William has wowed the Australians by dressing casually for most of the trip in lightweight trousers and an open- necked pale blue shirt, and insisting on being addressed by his first name
The Prince is warmly received in the flood ravaged town of Cardwell and chatted with residents who lost their homes and livelihoods
Prince William sparked excitement earlier in the day when he mentioned returning to the country for his honeymoon.
He made the comment on a visit to Cairns' cruise ship terminal during what some people have dubbed his 'disaster tour'.
After visiting Christchurch, New Zealand, the prince arrived in Queensland, Australia, today where he visited people affected by Cyclone Yasi.
He went to the coastal towns of Cardwell and Tully, before meeting excited locals at the cruise ship terminal, where he sparked hysteria.
William, who is to marry fiancee Kate Middleton on April 29, met Briton Tania Moore, 39, who moved to the area 10 years ago from Winchester.
She said: 'He asked me what I'd be up to today and I said, 'Oh I've been up to the Great Barrier Reef with my kids. It's just stunning - you should go there. Will you get to see it?.'
He reaches out to shake hands with Jane Machin, five, as he leaves the community hall in the town of Cardwell. The youngster had written a sign reading 'Welcome William Our Shining Prince'
Proud Jane shows off the sign she made to welcome the town's royal visitor
Ms Moore, who met the prince with her son Alex, seven, and five-year-old daughter Jessica, said he replied: 'No I wanted too, but I won't have time.'
'Then he was asking about the visibility under water, what type of fish we saw on the reef,' she said.
'This man will be king one day and there he was asking about my day at the beach.
'I asked him when he was going to come back and he said, 'well we might have to come back for our honeymoon!' Everyone started shrieking and applauding.'
The Prince promised wellwishers he would return, and told them: ‘I love scuba-diving. I have always wanted to dive the Barrier Reef. I will have to come back and maybe honeymoon in Cairns. You are all invited to the wedding. I expect to see you all there. I want to see lots of Aussie flags outside the Abbey.
‘I’ve missed all the preparations in the past week.’
Despite flagging in the heat, the Prince told The Mail on Sunday he was coping well.
He said: ‘I’m doing really well and feeling great. Not too much jet-lag, thank goodness.’
Yesterday’s visit was 28 years to the day since Prince Charles and Diana visited Australia with William as a nine-month-old baby.
Flipped out: Kate Middleton concentrates on pancake-tossing as Prince William looks on during their trip to Belfast on Shrove Tuesday
Kate Middleton added another talent to the list as she showed off her pancake-tossing skills today in Belfast.
The future Princess celebrated Shrove Tuesday by mastering the art of the flip, impressing the crowds - and Prince William - with her culinary trick. The Royal couple are touring the UK ahead of the wedding in April and by the looks of things, there is little doubt that she is settling into her new role with confidence and ease.
Mastering the art: Kate looked even more relaxed and at ease as she settles into her new role
And for a refreshing change, Kate opted to wear an on-trend £650 Burberry trench coat with skirt detailing, a notable contrast to the more formal attire we have seen over the last two weeks - swapping her flat boots for high-heel courts.
Perhaps Kate, 29, has been taking note of the fashion critics who have called for the future Princess to adopt an edgier, younger look.
There have already been reports that Kate has decided to have her wedding dress designed by Alexander McQueen's avant-garde protegee Sarah Burton - a welcome choice in the fashion world.
Greetings: The couple meet Lord Mayor Pat Convery and Dame Mary Peters, right, a former Olympic pentathlon athletics champion who is now the Lord Lieutenant of Belfast
And although the rumours have been heavily denied, it seems Kate's slight but bold sartorial adjustment today is a statement that she intends to make conscious fashion decisions when it comes to her wardrobe.
Either way, she looked stunning in the neutral piece, teamed with opaque tights and sapphire engagement ring as the couple brought the centre of Belfast to a standstill.
A small crowd gathered in the bright sunshine inside the grounds of City Hall in the hope of a walkabout after police sealed off streets and diverted traffic as part of a huge security operation for the couple's first visit to Northern Ireland.
Sartorial hit: Kate looked stylish and on-trend in a £650 belted Burberry trench coat with skirt detailing
They arrived at the George Best City Airport at Sydenham, east Belfast.
The couple were met by Lord Mayor Pat Convery and Dame Mary Peters, a former Olympic pentathlon athletics champion who is now the Lord Lieutenant of Belfast.
It was the first in a series of engagements planned for the couple, who are to marry at Westminster Abbey on April 29.
People person: The future Princess hugs a newborn, and shows off her sapphire engagement ring
Fans: The crowds gathering in the city centre after word leaked out because of the heavy security presence
The couple accepted a framed photograph of City Hall and a book on the building's architectural history.
They arrived in an eight-car cavalcade, with William and Miss Middleton in the second.
They paused for a time on the steps of the front door, acknowledging the cheering crowd, some of whom waved miniature Union Flags.
The look of love: Kate shoots an admiring glance at her future husband
Heavily-armed police patrolled adjoining and nearby streets, and at one stage used steel rods to check litter bins close to the City Hall gates and grounds.
One officer using binoculars kept watch from the rooftop of the Robinson & Cleaver building directly opposite, and at least two others, also using binoculars, positioned themselves on the top of City Hall, just few away from the Union Flag which fluttered in a gentle breeze.
Surprise: Senior officials at the Northern Ireland Office who were involved in organising the trip did not confirm William and Kate even planned to make the visit until their aircraft landed in east Belfast
Senior officials at the Northern Ireland Office who were heavily involved with Buckingham Palace in organising the trip did not confirm William and Kate even planned to make the visit until their aircraft landed in east Belfast.
But by the time the entourage pulled up in front of City Hall, word had already leaked out because of the heavy security presence.
No longer just good friends: Prince William and Miss Middleton together at a rugby match in 2004
The waiting is finally over, for Kate Middleton and Britain. Prince William, heir to the throne, appears to have found his perfect girl-next-door in the form of a friend from university.
Almost from the moment they first stepped out together, back in 2003, the nation has been anticipating the announcement of an engagement. Eight years later, that day has arrived.
It has been such a long time coming, poor Miss Middleton, 28, has earned the nickname 'Waity Katie', with her regular presence on his arm at the weddings of his friends drawing criticism that she has been hanging on for a proposal. But her patience has finally paid off, and she can finally look forward to planning her dream wedding, set to take place next spring or summer.
The couple's long courtship began with a friendship back in 2001, when they met at St Andrews University.
it has been a far from easy ride for the bride-to-be, whose family, career and even fashion sense have come under criticism over the past decade.
Her lack of blue blood has been a source of criticism, even though the Countess of Wessex and Sarah Ferguson both hail from more aristocratic backgrounds.
Miss Middleton, who was studying history of art, had an early taste of the limelight during their first year, when William was spotted in the audience as she modelled in a charity fashion show.
The Prince, who read geography at the Scottish university, paid £200 to watch fellow students take to the runway, but Miss Middleton, in a sheer black lace dress over a black bra and bikini bottoms, stole the show.
Though the pair would go on to live together during their second year, they did not start dating straight away. Miss Middleton dated fellow student Rupert Finch, while William was linked with close friend Jecca Craig.
It is not known exactly when William and Kate became an item but it is rumoured to be around Christmas 2003. Their romance was finally exposed after they were pictured on the ski slopes of Klosters together in March 2004.
William's statement on the same holiday was perhaps an indication of the wait Miss Middleton had coming. He said: 'I don't want to get married until I'm at least 28, or maybe 30.'
The following year, William was still noncommittal about the relationship, and Miss Middleton was a noticeable absence at his father's wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles.
Just three months later, however, she was on his arm at the wedding of William's close friend Hugh van Cutsem - the first of many the pair will attend together.
Shortly after, their families met for the first time their graduation ceremony. Now that their studies were over, it would be the first of many occasions that would spark rumours of an engagement. Separate lives: The couple were forced to endure long periods apart when William began his Army Officer training at Sandhurst in 2005.Kate was hounded by photographers and was forced to threaten legal action
Instead they would enjoy a string of lavish holidays, taking in the Lewa Downs game reserve in Kenya, and another skiing trip to Klosters, where they were pictured kissing for the first time, before William began his Army training at Sandhurst.
Breaks in his training were also punctuated by luxury getaways in Mustique and Ibiza.
Of course, this would do nothing to deter media interest in the couple, which would become so intense, that in 2005, Miss Middleton's lawyers - the same used by the Prince of Wales - ask newspaper editors to leave her alone, claiming she is being hounded by photographers.
Public romance: The pair kiss on the slopes during a skiing holiday in Klosters, Switzerland, in 2006
Further complaints were made over the following year, and legal action was threatened.
The media attention focused on the couple was so intense, that the pair even split, briefly, in April 2007.
It was not to last long though. Just two months later the couple were seen kissing and dancing together at an Army party, and by May the following year, it seemed that the relationship was back on track when Kate attended the wedding of William's cousin, Peter Phillips, to Autumn Kelly, on her own, while her beau attended another wedding in Africa.
Meanwhile, Miss Middleton responded to public criticism over her lack of career - one of the factors that earned her the 'Waity Katie' nickname, with a job as an accessories buyer with Jigsaw, the fashion chain owned by friends of her family.
Back together, April 2008: The couple's reunion appears permanent, following a brief split in 2007
But it was during William's Sandhurst passing-out parade that Miss Middleton's mother, Carole came under fire.
Mrs Middleton, whose former career as an airline stewardess earned her the sniffy nickname 'Doors To Manual', was highly criticised for chewing what turned out to be nicotine gum during the formal ceremony.
But the couple would spend increasing amounts of time with each others' parents - they spent New Year together in 2008 at Birkhall, Prince Charles’s private residence on the Balmoral estate, and in December 2009, the Queen's lawyers warned newspapers against publishing paparazzi photos of the Royal family, fuelling speculation (again) of an engagement.
But still, there was no news of a Royal wedding, not even when William joined the Middleton family on a skiing holiday in Courcheval in March this year.
Engaged: Kate Middleton and Prince William at a wedding last month. The pair are to marry next summer
When asked by a member of the public about the prospect of a royal wedding, William said: 'You'll have to wait a while yet.'
But the rumour mill into overdrive when Miss Middleton's parents were spotted enjoying a shooting weekend at Birkhall earlier this month - a clear sign that the middle-class family had been accepted into the Royal fold.
And last week Royal aides would not rule out the prospect of an invitation for Miss Middleton to spend Christmas Day on the Sandringham estate for the first time - though this now looks less likely given that William has volunteered to work at RAF Valley in Anglesey on Christmas Day.
Though given that Miss Middleton has a lifetime of Royal formality ahead of her, she may be relishing the fact that this is the last 'normal’ Christmas she has left.
THE GIRLS HE LEFT BEHIND
No less than three of William's old flames attended the wedding of his friend Harry Meade in Gloucestershire last month.
While it is unlikely that, after ten years, any of these girls are brokenhearted, the Prince has left a string of beauties in his wake.
Olivia Hunt: Aged 28, she dated William at St Andrews, swiftly quitting the scene upon Kate's arrival. The trio have remained friends, however, and Olivia went on to romance William van Cutsem, son of Prince Charles's friend Hugh. That relationship has since ended.
Jecca Craig: The 28-year-old party events manager was William's Kenyan teen romance. Their love blossomed at her family's Lewa Downs 55,000-acre game reserve. She broke off her engagement to her long-term boyfriend, Hugh Crossley, last year.
Rose Farquhar: The aspiring actress, now 26, stole William's heart after he left Eton in the summer of 2000. Rose, daughter of Captain Ian Farquhar, master of the Beaufort Hunt, has known William since they were children and they are still firm friends
Jecca Craig, whom he met as a teenager, was the first to be romantically linked with him. William was said to have been so besotted with the heiress that they staged a
mock engagement ceremony when he spent his gap year in Kenya on her family's estate. Rose Farquhar was William’s first serious girlfriend, and dated the prince shortly after he left Eton.
And during his first year at St Andrews University, he dallied with Olivia Hunt, but the relationship soon fizzled out.
Prince William returning to his RAF Valley in Anglesey today, days after his wedding was watched by two billion around the world
Wearing sunglasses, Prince William drove into the Air and Sea Rescue HQ at RAF Valley
As her son-in-law returned to work, Carole Middleton and daughter Pippa were seen arriving back at their Berkshire home 
Prince William had to delay his honeymoon as he was ordered to split his leave requests with colleagues
