Tucked away in the sprawling scenic countryside of the North East is a fairytale cottage fit for courting royals.
And so it proved for Prince William and Kate Middleton as the third in line to the throne whisked his then girlfriend off to the picture postcard bolthole.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would head for the secret hideaway after meeting at St Andrews University in Fife.
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The Record reports how the pair would head up north from St Salvator's Hall after Kate caught her future husband's eye at a charity fashion show in 2002.
Set in the majestic grounds of Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, it was the perfect setting for the young lovebirds' romance to blossom.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been seen at Balmoral several times over the years, a place where they can escape for family picnics, fishing and deer-stalking in utmost privacy.
Indeed, the family has their own home there, a three-bedroom cottage called Tam-Na-Ghar.
The couple, who have now been married for 11 years and have three children together, have used the cottage as a retreat since the days when they were both students at St Andrews University, according to HELLO!.
The beautiful residence was reportedly left to Prince William upon the death of his great-grandmother, the Queen Mother, in 2002, and it's been said they have spent some of the happiest days together there.
The house, which sits on the 50,000-acre estate, is so private that there are hardly any photos of it, although we are sure there are some in the family's private photo album.
It is located close to Birkhall, Prince Charles and Camilla's residence on the estate.
According to My London, a royal source told Vanity Fair that the couple stayed at the home in 2019 with their three children. "The Queen has a lot of guests coming and to ease the pressure the Cambridges are likely to stay at the cottage," they said.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also have two other homes in London and Norfolk. Kensington Palace is the family's main base and couple moved into the 20-room Apartment 1A shortly after the birth of Prince George in 2013.
In January 2013, the couple were also allocated Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate by the Queen. Many adaptations were carried out including a new roof, a conservatory, new kitchen and a substantial tree-planting scheme to offer the family more privacy.
However, they are expected to make a permanent move to the Windsor Estate later this year with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis so that they can be closer to The Queen.
