Jennie Bond: My top Royal destinations

Cruise Miles® Ambassador Jennie Bond was the BBC’s Royal Correspondent for more than a decade. During that time, she was lucky enough to travel the world on a number of Royal tours. From South Africa to New Zealand, here, Jennie shares her top 5 destinations: 

Travelling with royalty was one of the perks of being the BBC’s Royal Correspondent for so many years. And I went around the world with them several times! One of my favourite destinations was South Africa. I was there with Princes Charles and Harry shortly after the death of Princess Diana. It was obviously a very difficult time for such a young boy, but his father took him under his wing. In Johannesburg, the two Princes met the Spice Girls, which was a thrill for young Harry, at least! From there, we flew north to a small Zulu settlement called Dukuduku, where Charles was served a very strange concoction of the local brew. Africa has always excited me; it is so vast and full of promise and adventure. Go if you can! 

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Australia several times. But it was with Prince Charles that we travelled to some of the remotest places. A great destination is Fraser Island, off the coast of Brisbane. It is said to be the largest sand island in the world. The band of travelling reporters and cameramen were flown there in small planes for a welcome day off in the middle of a very busy and lengthy tour. We stayed in the same hotel as the Prince, which was something he came to regret. The rat pack, as we were known, decided to let our hair down, have a karaoke competition and then enjoy a rowdy, starlit jacuzzi under the tropical skies. The next morning, a bleary-eyed Prince chastised us saying, “Was that you lot making that goddam awful noise last night? I couldn’t sleep a wink!” 

I shall never forget the wild beauty of the Falkland Islands. I was there with Prince Charles after a rather busy visit to Argentina and Uruguay. There is a clarity of light in the Falklands which is truly special. We were also lucky enough to be flown to Sea Lion Island, where the Prince wanted to see the elephant seals which often inhabit the remote beaches there. We were lucky, there were at least 20 of them, all busy doing what elephant seals do - which is to fart and belch their way through life! It was the cause of great hilarity both for the Prince and his merry band of media alike. Even if you don’t get to that tiny island, the Falklands is a fascinating place to visit. 

You have to fly over Canada to get an idea of just how vast a country it is. I’ve travelled from coast to coast with royalty and we often seemed to spend more time in the air than on the ground. It’s on my bucket list to return one day to explore this mighty land in more detail. I remember Vancouver as a city of majestic beauty, and Iqaluit, up towards the Arctic Circle, as one of the strangest places I have ever visited. 

Another country I would love to return to one day is New Zealand. I was there with Prince Charles on what seemed like a whistlestop tour, 30 years ago. No one could ever tire of witnessing the Maori greetings offered to the Prince or of the stunning and varied scenery. For me, it’s all a bit of a blur, not because of the passage of time but because Royal tours are so fast and frantic. The world, though, is getting smaller and smaller and New Zealand is now more accessible to the holiday market than ever. A top destination, if you can make it!