No mod cons: The Rutundu Log Cabin in Kenya, where Prince William proposed to Kate MiddletonKate: Break was 'so romantic' and a 'wonderful 24 hours'
Prince William asked his long-term girlfriend to marry him in an isolated log cabin miles off from the beaten track.
The pair were enjoying a 24-hour stop over at the spartan Rutundu Log Cabins during their Kenyan holiday when the Prince popped the question.
Far from the opulence of the Royal residences back home, the cabin does not even have electricity and guests are advised to bring all their own food and drink.
Snug: The pair spent their first night as an engaged couple in a four-poster bed carved from local trees
So romantic: The newly engaged pair appeared on TV this week to officially discuss their engagement and show off the ring - once worn by William's late mother, Princess DianaBut the simple surroundings did nothing to dissuade the Prince from slipping his mother’s diamond and sapphire engagement ring onto his sweetheart’s finger.
The 28-year-old groom-to-be asked Kate to be his wife on the veranda of their cabin, The Sun reported.
The pair then enjoyed a bottle of champagne – kept cool in the outdoor ‘fridge’ – a wooden cupboard, before tucking into a meal prepared by the resort staff.
Before retiring to their four-poster bed, the pair are said to have snuggled happily in front of a roaring fire.
Accessible only by air, horseback, or via a 15km walk from the nearest road, the estate is a favourite hideaway for the Prince, who first visited it two years ago.
Surrounded by elephant, hyena, buffalo and leopard, the isolated spot is also famed for its trout fishing at both Lake Rutundu and Lake Alice.
A source said: ‘Short of being inside the SAS’s base at Hereford, this is the safest place in the world for William.
‘It is the one place he can be himself. And he does not have to be guarded because the wildlife there are his guardians.’
The newly engaged pair are even said to be considering having their honeymoon at the rustic bolthole.
On their departure, dated October 21, the happy couple signed the Rutundu guest book, with William declaring: ‘Such fun to be back!
‘Looked after so well. Thank you guys! Look forward to next time, soon I hope.’
Loo with a view: The bathroom features a tub set into a wood panel and an enamel toilet standing over a cesspitThis week the couple discussed the proposal for the first time on screen with ITV's Tom Bradby.
The Prince said: 'We had been talking about marriage for a while so it wasn’t a massively big surprise. I took her up somewhere nice in Kenya and I proposed.'
Kate added: 'It was very romantic. There’s a true romantic in there. I really didn’t expect it. It was a total shock... and very exciting.'
William also revealed he had been carrying is mother's £28,500 engagement ring around in a rucksack for the duration of their three week holiday.
Remote: The cabins are accessible only by air, horseback, or via a 15km trek through an area teeming with wildlifeHe said: 'I literally would not let it go. Everywhere I went I was keeping hold of it because I knew this thing, if it disappeared I would be in a lot of trouble and because I’d planned it, it went fine.
'You hear a lot of horror stories about proposing and things going horribly wrong it went really, really well and I was really pleased she said yes.
'It’s my mother’s engagement ring so I thought it was quite nice because obviously she’s not going to be around to share any of the fun and excitement of it all – this was my way of keeping her close to it all.'
They'll be back: The couple are said to be considering returning to the spot for their honeymoon
source: dailymail
