Where are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle most likely to go on honeymoon?

Now that Prince Harry of Wales and American actress, Meghan Markle, have announced their engagement, thoughts are turning to their wedding, which will take place in Spring 2018. Naturally, we at Lonely Planet are particularly keen on discovering where they might spend their honeymoon.

While they will probably surprise us with the location they ultimately choose, we took a look at some of the locations that are significant to Prince Harry and Meghan, either as a couple or separately. Perhaps one of these will get the royal seal of approval?

Africa

Maybe the loved-up couple might return to Africa, as Prince Harry and Meghan went there shortly after they were introduced in July 2016. “It was, I think, about three, maybe four, weeks later that I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana, and we camped out with each other under the stars,” the prince said during their engagement interview. Back in August, the prince took Meghan to Botswana again, which is a place he has visited on several occasions over the past 20 years. They stayed in a luxurious tent with a veranda at the Meno a Kwena camp, overlooking the Boteti River, where elephants and zebra come to drink. Prince Harry also sourced the main stone for Meghan’s ring from the country, which she said is special to both of them.

They were also said to have visited Victoria Falls in Zambia, one of the seven ‘natural wonders’ of the world, during their three-week stay in Africa. Perhaps Harry might also want to introduce Meghan to the wonders of Lesotho, where along with Australia, he spent part of his gap year after school.

Antigua

When Prince Harry was on a Caribbean tour last year, it was in the very early days of his relationship with Meghan. This caused him to visibly blush when Antiqua’s prime minister, Gaston Browne, invited him to spend his honeymoon on the Caribbean islands of Antigua and Barbuda. “I understand that there may be a new addition to the Royal Family very soon?” he said. “I believe we are expecting a new princess soon. I want you to know that you are very welcome to come on your honeymoon here.”

Sadly Barbuda was badly hit by Hurricane Irma in September, but Antigua attracts people because of its beguiling enamel-blue water, candy-coloured villages, rum-infused mellowness and bright-eyed locals that greet you with wide smiles.

Canada

Canada is a special place for Prince Harry and Meghan, because the actress lived there while filming her role on the US drama, Suits. The prince visited her several times and usually stayed at her house, but when he was hosting the Invictus Games, an international multi-sport event he created for wounded or ill armed services personnel and their associated veterans, he and Meghan reportedly stayed at one of Toronto‘s most prestigious hotels, the Fairmont Royal York hotel. If they decide to go back, Canada is more than its hulking-mountain, craggy-coast good looks though: it also cooks extraordinary meals, rocks cool culture and unfurls wild, moose-spotting road trips.

USA

As Meghan is from LA, she might want to show Prince Harry around her old neighbourhood. She grew up in the Hollywood area, and of course, La La Land is an amazing place to visit, with so much to do and see. If Meghan wanted to take the prince on a trail of where she lived while in third-level education, they could visit Northwestern University, near Chicago, where she did theatre studies and international studies. Then it would be on to the colourful city of Buenos Aires in Argentina, where she interned at the US embassy.

The Seychelles or Greece

The exclusive paradise resort of North Island in the Seychelles seems to draw both royalty and celebrity. Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, chose it as their own honeymoon destination in 2011, as did George and Amal Clooney in 2014. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie also previously holidayed there.

If Harry wanted to recreate his own parents’ honeymoon in 1981, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana flew off to Gibraltar to board the Royal Yacht Britannia. Then they embarked on a cruise around the Mediterranean that took them to the sun-kissed Greek islands, including Crete.

Then again, maybe Prince Harry and Meghan might like to take inspiration from Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018. They’ll find plenty of wonderful ideas for amazing places to visit there.