The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed a quiet and carefree life in their country house in Wales in a small seaside town, but even then they wore silly disguises and would drive around in a beat-up van in search of anonymity.
Prince William and Kate’s secrecy-seeking antics were very entertaining to the residents of Anglesey, where the young royals lived since 2010.
The manager of the local cinema told The Daily Mail they once wore brightly coloured wigs as a disguise when they went to see a film in private.
“They turned up in fancy dress and wore big afro wigs. Prince William’s was purple if I remember rightly,” she said.
“No one knew they were coming until they turned up, and they said they were wearing the wigs for charity.”
Though they may have had fun playing dress-ups, the married couple needn’t have worried about having their photograph taken, another staff member revealed. It’s not the Anglesey way.
“Although they were trying to be incognito, people recognized them instantly — but no one would have dreamed of taking a photograph. That’s just not the way things are done on Anglesey.”
The couple lived on the Welsh island for three years since before they were married in 2011. Locals say they were openly affectionate, often spotted walking with their fingers entwined, but would sometimes try to be more discrete.
On resident, 53-year-old Julie Franklyn, told the Daily Mail the pair would drive around in an old Ford transit van wearing oversized sunglasses and baseball caps covering their recognisable faces.
“Everyone thought it was quite hilarious when they twigged it was them,” she said.
“It was very funny — William as a white van man.”
They led a relatively normal life, driving around on Prince William’s motorbike and occasionally stopping off at the local pub for a burger.
As Prince William has completed his service in the air force and no longer needs to be by the Anglesey base, the pair left their homely farmhouse on the island only weeks ago.
The couple are preparing to move into their official London residence in Kensington Palace in less than two weeks with baby Prince George, but farewelling Anglesey, Prince William expressed how he and Kate would miss their country lifestyle.
“I know that I speak for Catherine when I say that I have never in my life known somewhere as beautiful and as welcoming as Anglesey,” he said.
“Both of us will miss it terribly.”
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