It looks like a little friendly competition doesn’t get in the way of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s love for one another!  North America is in great anticipation of the royal couple’s  tour, and a private secretary for the couple announced that the couple will be facing off in a Canadian dragonboat race on July 4th.  The couple will have a race to Canada’s Prince Edward Island where they will participate in come competitive sports with young fans and try out different delicacies, according to People.  After the couple’s visit to Canada, they are reportedly heading to California for further engagements.

What are the benefits of healthy competition in a relationship?

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The Duchess of Cambridge has decided not to employ a housekeeper-dresser in order to live a simple royal and married life.  According to People, Kate’s chief aide said that she initially planned to hire a joint housekeeper and dresser for her apartment with Prince William in London’s Kensington Palace but now feels she doesn’t need one.  Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the royal couple’s private secretary, told reporters the household will be reassessing what they need.  However, the couple will use the staff at the residences of where they’ll visit on their North American tour.  Additionally, Kate is taking hairdresser James Pryce to California during her visit.

What are ways to have a simple life with your partner?

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Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy a royal and elaborate honeymoon.  It ‘s been reported that Prince William and new wife Kate Middleton spent $72,000 a night on their special getaway.  The two flew last Tuesday to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, according to RadarOnline.  They rented their own private resort on a privately-owned island.  “We rented the island to the British royal family,” owner and German businessman Farhad Vladi explained.  “Prince William and Kate are spending their honeymoon there.”

What are some ways to lower the cost of your honeymoon without taking away the romance?

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By Dr. Kenneth Ryan

It’s a fact. I’m not throwing cold water on the big wedding. It was beautiful, and I wish Kate and William all the best.  I’m just saying you can’t judge a relationship by the beauty of the couple or the smiles at the wedding.  Kate caught the Prince’s attention with her invisible dress, and now it looks like they are living the dream.  But they have a tough road ahead.  Diana and Fergie’s marriages began the same way – just like dozens of U.S. celebrities.  As outsiders, there’s no way to know if the royal relationship is built on a solid foundation or if it’s as flimsy as her see-through wardrobe.  Kate and William are really no different than any other couple getting married, as they have great optimism and excitement about their future together.  They’ve already beat the odds by converting eight years of living together into a marriage, because a University of Denver study found that only one in ten couples who live together are still together five years later.

Celebrities have it tough when it comes to relationships.  They’re no wiser than you or me, but their every move is monitored and discussed.   In fact, they’re probably even more confused about relationships than you, because their world is so artificial.  Every person a celebrity meets is suspect because so many people are awed by them, in love with them (fantasy) or just to want to exploit them.   It’s a tangled web of mixed motives when judging any potential suitor, but celebrities have it the worst.  Therefore, it makes no sense to look upon the beautiful people with envy or to necessarily emulate their courtship strategies.   You might end up emulating a “Bad Romance.”

…For 5 tips to finding your prince, click here to read more.

After a week of working and shopping post-wedding, the new royal newlyweds finally left on their honeymoon, reports People. Prince William, now the Duke of Cambridge, reportedly has a two week vacation from his duties with the RAF Search and Rescue Squadron, an organization with which the prince has rescued several people in the mountains of Wales.  Kate Middleton, the new Duchess of Cambridge, was surprised with the honeymoon destination, though British tabloids are speculating that the couple will visit Seychelles, a collection of small islands near Madagascar.

What are some reasons to keep the honeymoon destination a secret?

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By Tanni Deb and Molly Jacob

Did you ever hear the phrase, “April showers bring May flowers”?  Believe it or not, it means something deeper than just storms and blossoming blooms. In life, dark clouds always eventually pass, allowing the sun to shine through. Focusing on the bright side when you’re down can be difficult, but these five famous couples have gone through rough times (in the public eye, no less!) and these celebs are currently doing exceptionally well.

Cupid takes a look to see what celebrity couples made it through stormy times:

…Want to learn more? Keep reading!

We learned after Friday’s royal wedding celebrations that sparks are still flying between Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy. The on-and-off couple since 2004 took part in post-wedding festivities back at the Goring Hotel with Prince William and Kate Middleton.  Sources saw them leaving together at 6 a.m. “You could tell they were an item,” one told UsMagazine.com. “They were acting like a couple and kissed in front of everyone.” Prince Harry took part in all of the day’s wedding festivities before the rendezvous, making the day as special for his brother as possible. One partygoer described Harry as “determined to put on an amazing party for his brother,” saying he spent months “organizing the whole thing and thinking up jokey things that he can do for his brother. He [wanted] to give his brother and his new bride the party of the century!”

How do you know when you’re ready to commit?

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The royal wedding was the hot ticket everyone was after,and according to People, it didn’t disappoint.  The reception was an ‘exclusive’ and ‘cozy’ event that every guest enjoyed.  Prince William and Kate Middleton invited all of their close family and friends, which consisted of 650 people total.  According to Alex van Straubenzee, father of the late Henry van Straubenzee, “It was very cozy.  There was a wonderful relaxed atmosphere.  There were lots of people there – even in a place as big as Buckingham Palace.  I won’t say it was informal, but everyone was having a wonderful time.”  The guests were served two wedding cakes, a traditional fruit cake and a chocolate biscuit cake which was Prince William’s pick because it’s from an old family recipe.

What are some unique wedding reception themes?

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The royal wedding isn’t only the most anticipated wedding ceremony in years, but it’s also one of the most expensive!  According to RadarOnline, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding is expected to cost $34 million altogether.  Included in this expense is security ($32 million), a wedding band ($11,000) in addition to the ring passed down from Princess Diana that is now valued at $1 million, a reception for $600,000 and much much more.

What are ways to cut your wedding cost? …the story continues here.

With less than two weeks left until the big royal day, everyone at the Westminster Abbey is buzzing with excitement.  UsMagazine.com reports that Prince William and Kate Middleton have rehearsed the entire ceremony, including the 1:25 p.m. balcony kiss.  “It’s not the actual kiss that needs rehearsing…” an aide told the magazine.  “However, the angle that they come in at needs to be correct, otherwise they could block the shot and the world will miss out on that momentous moment.”

What kind of kiss should you use at your wedding?

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With the highly anticipated royal wedding on the horizon, there’s a lot of buzz surrounding this high profile event.  Prince William and fiancée Kate Middleton’s glamorous wedding plans fascinate Americans – so much so, that three in five people would pay on average about $600 to get their hands on an invitation to the soiree.

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There will be six (yes, six!) former lovers in attendance for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s royal wedding. According to an article on UsMagazine.com, a source leaked the  guest list, and it was confirmed by three palace sources. Middleton invited Rupert Finch, her ex from St. Andrews University, and her high school crush Willem Marx. Prince William, on the other hand, invited Arabella Musgrave, from his university days, Rose Farquhar, his first girlfriend, Jecca Craig, who was rumored to be his first love, and Isabella Anstruther-Gough-Galthorpe.  What were they thinking?

Are there complications that arise when you invite your ex to your wedding?

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By Tanni Deb

Prince William and Kate Middleton invited an astronomical number of guests to their wedding: 1,900 people!  Yet most of us are wondering how we can get invited without having to work the affair itself.  Sure – you can watch the fanfare on NBC (at 4 a.m. EST no less!), but it’s not the same as getting dressed, attending the event and bumping elbows with A-listers from around the world.  If you feel left out and want to see the ceremony in person, here are strategies that worked for some of the hundreds of guests that will be at Westminster Abbey on April 29:

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Prince William and Kate Middleton are bucking tradition once again, this time with the Prince’s refusal to wear a wedding band after he’s married. According to People, Middleton is going to stick to tradition and sport a ring made from a tiny bit of Welsh gold, which was presented as a gift to Prince William from Queen Elizabeth.  A spokeswoman from the palace says, “There is only going to be one ring, in accordance with the couple’s wishes.”

Should you wear a wedding ring?

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Prince Harry threw his brother Prince William his bachelor bash this past weekend, and according to E! Online, it included water skiing, motor boat racing, and a floating pub crawl with 20 of his best friends.  A Clarence House spokesman didn’t have too much to say about the event.  “Prince William has enjoyed his stag and it was in the U.K,” said the circumspect spokesman to London’s Daily News.

What are some unique bachelor/bachelorette party ideas?

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Now that the world has most of the details on the royal wedding ceremony, the next question on everyone’s mind seems to be where the Prince and his soon-to-be wife plan on spending their honeymoon.  The fact that the pair can take their pick of pretty much anywhere in the world, makes the answer to this question that much more interesting. According to People, Prince William has hinted toward an Australian honeymoon while visiting the areas of the continent that were damaged from last month’s Cyclone Yasi, saying, “I love scuba diving.  I have always wanted to dive the [Great] Barrier Reef, I will have to come back — maybe we’ll have a honeymoon in Cairns [Australia]?”

Where are the best places to go for a honeymoon? Continue reading →

It looks like there’s one more addition to the already over 1,900 people attending the royal wedding. According to RadarOnline, that person is Sam Waley-Cohen, 28, an old friend of the royal couple who is credited with reuniting the pair after they broke up in 2007. Although Cohen is modest in taking responsibility for reuniting the two, it was at a party thrown by Waley-Cohen at his family’s Oxford, England country house where the two resolved their issues.

Should you hire a matchmaker?

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With the big day next month, England’s Prince William and his fiancée Kate Middleton dropped by Westminister Abbey, the site of their wedding, along with father-of-the-groom Prince Charles.  According to People, the trio was there to sort out musical arrangements.  “The orchestra also had a few pieces that they had wanted the bride and groom to hear,” a royal source said.  The source added that the couple seemed themselves while making sure all the details were perfect for the big day.

What are some ways to keep your spouse involved in wedding planning?

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As of Monday, Prince Harry will officially be the best man at the wedding of the year. Prince William and fiancée Kate Middleton have announced their wedding party and have each chosen their siblings to be best man and maid of honor. According to People, the rest of Middleton’s bridal party will truly be a treat for everyone watching.  Included are Lady Louise Windsor and Margarita Armstrong-Jones.

How do you decide who will be your best man/maid(en) of honor?

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Even a prince needs a bachelor party.  But who will help plan the celebration for Prince William’s last night of freedom before he weds Kate Middleton on April 29?  People reports that Guy Pelly, 29, a friend of Princes William and Harry for nearly two decades, will take on the daunting task.  And Pelly, who recently opened the London nightclub Public, is the perfect man for the job, according to royal expert Katie Nicholl.  “Guy is very much the life of the party, but he is also fiercely loyal and protective of the princes,” Nicholl told the New York Times.  “There is a lot of history there.”  For now, Pelly is keeping details about the party secret, although there are rumors that the bash could be in South Africa, where Pelly and the princes have raced motorcycles together.

What are some “out of the box” ideas for a bachelor or bachelorette party?

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By Vicky Sullivan of aspiringsocialitenyc.com

According to E! Online, the War of the Roses has once again taken to the British Isles.  After details of the much-anticipated royal wedding between Prince William and the lovely Kate Middleton were announced, Queen Elizabeth II was less than enthused.  In fact, she was livid.  Apparently, her royal highness learned of her grandson’s wedding plans just as the rest of us did, by watching the news.  The traditional matriarch steeped in the tradition of the British crown was enraged at the couple’s plans for Middleton to arrive at Westminster Abbey in a car rather than the traditional horse drawn carriage.  According to witnesses of her breakdown, the Queen made it very clear that buffets have no place at Buckingham Palace.  Though the royal wedding craze rightfully glamorizes Prince William and Middleton as the world’s most fascinating couple, this family feud makes the impending royal wedding almost familiar.  As the bride and groom stress over the guest list, an overbearing grandmother has already pulled the plug on their breakfast buffet and dance party.  Royalty or not, weddings can be a royal pain. Perhaps, the couple should do away with their trendy plans or it’s off with their heads.  Plus, the Tower of London isn’t much of a honeymoon suite!

How do you keep your family from messing with your wedding plans?

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This weekend, Kate Middleton got to know her future royal family a little better at the wedding of a close friend of her fiance, Prince William. People reports that Middleton and Prince William joined Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice and Middleton’s future in-laws at the wedding of Harry Aubrey-Fletcher to the Honorable Sarah Louise Stourton on Saturday. Kate Middleton, who turned 29 on Sunday, will get married to Prince William on April 29 at Westminster Abbey.

What are some ways to impress your future family?

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This may have been the last Christmas Kate Middleton spends with her own family, Us Weekly speculates.  While Middleton was with her parents in Berkshire, England for the holidays, Prince William spent the holidays doing search and rescue work in a helicopter in North Wales.  Once the couple weds next April, Middleton will most likely be spending Christmas 2011 at the royal Christmas Day celebration at Sandringham.  Sources say that traditionally, her parents would not receive an invitation.  But also according to sources, changes may be in store for royalty in England.  “William is determined for this to be the beginning of a new royal family with new ways of doing things, he wants his marriage to last.”

What sacrifices should you make for a relationship?

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Becoming a princess doesn’t happen overnight.  After announcing a royal engagement, Prince William assured the public that “he wanted to learn from lessons done in the past to give [Kate Middleton] the best chance to settle in and to see what happens on the other side.”  Middleton believes, “William’s a great teacher, so he’ll be up to help me.”  It was evident Middleton was practicing her royal etiquette, accompanying Prince William to a cancer charity event in Norfolk, England, according to People.   A royal source confirms, “Between now and the wedding there will be occasions when Catherine does shadow Prince William, to learn the ropes and see how things go.”

How do you prepare your partner to handle your career?

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