Celebrity Style
Where Will Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Honeymoon?
After tying the knot at Windsor Castle in London, England, on May 19, it’s expected that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will honeymoon in Namibia, where they originally got engaged. Africa has played a large role in the royal couple’s relationship — they traveled to Botswana together just weeks after their blind date. In 2017, they celebrated Meghan’s birthday at the Meno a Kwena camp in Botswana, so Prince Harry may want to book a spot that his bride hasn’t visited yet. But which lodge is luxe (or private) enough for a royal love nest? Here is a roundup of some ravishing hotels that just may be worthy of hosting this year’s most famous newlyweds.
Leading the pack for probable honeymoon spots is this eco-friendly front runner, Hoanib Valley Camp. The hotel is super private, and the suites are designed to look like they are topped by a tent for an authentic safari feel.
The camp is entirely solar powered to ensure carbon emissions are kept to a minimum. Inside, furniture is crafted by the local Rundu carpenters and Himba carvers, and baskets are woven by the Omba Project in Windhoek.
Another option on the table for the newlyweds is the Hoanib Valley Camp’s sister property, Shipwreck Lodge, in Skeleton Coast National Park. The brand new camp is set to open just after the Royal wedding in June and is so new that these are renderings of the space, not actual photos.
In the center of the camp is a lounge and restaurant with a wide, wraparound deck that has breathtaking, uninterrupted views across the sand, which stretch out all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.
Shipwreck Lodge is solar-powered — environmental causes and conservation are important to this philanthropic pair. In lieu of wedding gifts they asked for donations to one of seven charities, including Wilderness Foundation UK. But rooms are outfitted with cozy wood-burning stoves in case they need any encouragement to cuddle up on cool nights.
Or Prince Harry may opt for something out of the ordinary, with appropriately regal overtones. Onguma The Fort flouts convention (much like the royal couple themselves) and resembles a Moroccan castle, with massive raw walls, stone cladding, and antique windows and doors.
Large, central beds are shrouded in mosquito nets (functional, but also unabashedly romantic), and window doors open out onto decks equipped with an outdoor shower and lounge chairs. The open layout allows a natural breeze to waft through to counteract the desert heat, and rooms are decorated with North African ceramics, etched metals and dark woods.
The royal couple could be serenaded by lions roaring nearby while they watch the sunsets on the veranda. Wooden decks are outfitted with sun loungers for relaxing and quiet conversation amidst spectacular views of the plains.
Maybe Prince Harry will opt for something rustic, like Doro Nawas, which means ‘the place where rhinos once lived’ in the local ‘click’ language, Damara. The adobe-walled main building is surrounded by thatched bungalows, resembling a fairytale castle, which is apropos. The main area is perched atop a rocky knoll offering unspoiled panoramic views from the dining areas.
Imagine waking up to this view, or falling asleep under the stars. Each unit is designed to blend into the hillside, with a veranda for star gazing or sleep-outs.
When you’re royal, privacy is paramount and a honeymoon is probably the last place you want to be papped. The Damaraland Camp is nothing if not remote (the camp is so far off the beaten track that they have a private airstrip). Prince Harry’s life centers on tradition, and this was the first wilderness camp in Namibia, full of classic safari camp touchstones such as khaki, wicker, and thatched canopies.
Rhinos are close to Prince Harry’s heart, so The Desert Rhino Camp may be a natural choice. One of the last remaining places on earth to see critically endangered black rhinos, this isolated camp has just eight tented rooms and eschews Wi-Fi in favor of old-fashioned entertainment like board games. And as for the de rigueur romantic candlelight dining, this resort checks all the boxes.
The Desert Rhino Camp tents take the edge off roughing it with luxe, stained floorboards, leather armchairs and beds. But there are still plenty of quaint, authentic touches. Canvas can be rolled down to reveal mesh blinds instead of glass windows, to max out the breezes coming off the plains.
The Sossusvlei Desert Lodge has plenty of star power, so it might be a natural fit for these photogenic royals. There’s a fully equipped observatory and skylights above the beds. Prince Harry and Meghan can have cocktails around the fire-lit bar, or take a dip in the spring-fed pool.
There may be many formal dinners in their future at Buck House, but this fun-loving, down-to-earth couple might prefer al fresco dining that supplies nature-inspired drama.
The 10 stone and glass villas of Sossusvlei Desert Lodge are cradled against ancient mountains, and look out onto the Namib Desert. Suites are air conditioned, but a cozy fireplace wards off the night chill. Quad biking adventures would appeal to sports-minded Prince Harry (founder of the Invictus Games) while yoga fan Meghan can perform sun salutations on the private veranda.
