William and Kate's 'top secret' skiing holiday with their young children was in A-listers' Alpine destination of choice Courchevel(VIDEO)
Revealed: William and Kate's 'top secret' skiing holiday with their young children was in A-listers' Alpine destination of choice Courchevel
- Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took Prince George, two, and ten-month-old Princess Charlotte on first ski holiday
- William and Kate invited just a single photographer who took a small number of posed pictures on the brief trip
- Decision to travel without telling British media has landed the young parents at the centre of a privacy row
- Couple have previously complained over their privacy being invaded and keep their children out of the public eye
- It comes after Prince William was accused of being 'workshy' over his lack of royal engagements and hours at work
- Did you see William and Kate in the Alps or know where they stayed? Email stephanie.linning@mailonline.co.uk or call 0203 615 1764
- See more of the latest updates on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they take the kids on a skiing holiday
Their aides bizarrely refused to say where the royal family had stayed during their secret holiday, other than to say it was in the French Alps.
But MailOnline can now reveal that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have enjoyed their break in the pretty Alpine village of Courchevel.
The upmarket ‘playground of the oligarchs’ resort within the popular Les Trois Vallées ski region is known for attracting A-list celebrities and royals.
Film star Brigitte Bardot helped to put it on the map in the 1960s and David and Victoria Beckham are regular visitors.
A tourist officer worker said they ‘believed’ William and Kate were there, while locals said the couple were seen lunching at a local mountain restaurant.
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Secret holiday: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge invited just one photographer to capture their first family holiday with Prince George, two, and ten-month-old Princess Charlotte. The couple devote a lot of time to keeping their children out of the public eye
Privacy row: The royal couple, pictured throwing the snowballs, would not reveal where they went on holiday with their children
'Workshy': Prince William, seen holding his ten-month-old daughter to the camera, has previously faced criticism over his work-life balance
And a source who works in Courchevel said: 'I saw a beautiful picture on a mobile phone of them enjoying lunch.
'They were just eating, that's it. It was in a mountain restaurant. I am from Courchevel and I know the mountain behind.'
Royal aides also refused to say whether they flew there on a commercial flight or by private jet.
However a senior royal source said it was a holiday that they ‘booked and paid for themselves’.
Yesterday, the Cambridges have found themselves at the centre of a privacy row after they chose to take their first family holiday in secret.
he royal couple flew with Prince George, two, and ten-month-old Princess Charlotte to the location in the French Alps last Wednesday.
Unlike royal ski holidays of old - when a group of photographers was invited to capture the family relaxing on the slopes - the Cambridges chose to escape the country without telling the media of their plans.
Instead of arranging a photo-call to mark the getaway, William and Kate invited only a single Press Association photographer, who took a small number of posed portraits.
Six carefully selected photographs were then released to the Press yesterday morning, hours after the family's return.
However the details of the trip, including where young Prince George had his first experience of snow, had remained a tightly-guarded secret.
The couple have previously made complaints over the media invading their privacy, and devote a lot of time to keeping their children out of the public eye.
In recent years William and Kate have made increasingly clear they wish to control access to information and images concerning their family.
Traditional photo-calls have been scrapped in favour of Kensington Palace releasing carefully chosen images, often taken by the Duchess herself.
It was Kate who was behind the lens to capture the moment as her son toddled towards Westacre Montessori School for the first time.
The doting mother also took the first official photographs of Princess Charlotte, which were released to the public a month after her birth.
On this occasion the pictures were taken by Press Association photographer John Stillwell.
PA has declined to respond to any of MailOnline's enquiries surrounding the arrangement, including whether the Royal Family were allowed to pre-approve the images released.
The private trip comes after Prince William was accused of being 'workshy' when it was revealed he worked just 80 hours a month as an ambulance pilot with East Anglian Air Ambulance.
A senior aide revealed that he works the hours so he can combine the job with his royal and charity work.
Claiming the Duke of Cambridge's hours were in line with Civil Aviation Authority regulations, the aide insisted he had the backing of both his grandmother and father.
But unconfirmed sources have previously complained he didn't pull his weight. 'He's hardly ever on shift,' it was claimed.
CAA regulations limit flying hours to 90 in any 28 consecutive days. William, whose 80-hour month is roughly half of a full-time, 40-hour-a-week job, donates his salary to charity.
William's public role has been subject to increasing scrutiny after it emerged that his 94-year-old grandfather, Prince Philip, undertook more official engagements than the young royals put together.
The Duke of Edinburgh clocked up 250 official duties at home and abroad in 2015, compared to the 198 conducted by William, Kate and Harry combined.
Both the Duke and Duchess are excellent skiers but haven't had the chance to enjoy their usual annual trip to the slopes since having children.
A palace aide said: 'The family flew out to the French Alps for a long weekend away and wanted to share some images of their trip with the public.'
Sources say the couple have been keen to introduce their children to the slopes as soon as possible in the hope that they will inherit their love of the sport.
HOW THEY DINED AT RESTAURANT WITH VIEWS OVER MONT BLANC
On Sunday the couple dined at Le Pilatus, a restaurant with a large sun terrace, which specialises in traditional Savoyard cuisine.
Large sun terrace: Le Pilatus, Courchevel
Le Pilatus boasts exceptional views over Mont Blanc and its menu includes fondues, raclettes (a local delicacy of melted cheese), Pierre Chaud (meat grilled at the table on a hot rock) and tartiflette (a cheese and potato dish).
An employee said: ‘They were here Saturday or Sunday, I can’t remember exactly. They had a small table, just for four or five people. No one bothered them.’
The approximate cost of a meal for two is £55 including wine.
The family had stayed at Courchevel, an upmarket resort feted by celebrities since the 1960s and now so popular with wealthy Russians that it is known as the ‘playground of the oligarchs’.
Russia’s super elite descend each year on 1850, the highest and most elite of its four villages, where Kate and William are believed to also have stayed.
The resort has its own airstrip right on the slopes, which sees dozens of private jets arrive each day in peak season, and boasts some of the world’s leading hotels as well as Michelin starred restaurants.
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