Prince William hints at marriage... but not for a while

Prince William has hinted that he will marry his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton, but that the couple's royal wedding could be some way off yet...

Prince William has hinted that he will marry his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton, but that the couple's royal wedding could be some way off yet.

During a visit to a centre for visually impaired ex-servicemen in North Wales, the Prince laughed off a cheeky remark about his marriage plans from Corporal Simon Brown, who was blinded by a sniper in Iraq three years ago.

Asked about a possible invite to his wedding, 27-year-old Prince William - who's previously vowed not to tie the knot before his 28th birthday in June - quipped: ‘You will have to wait a while yet'.

While he was touring the St Dunstan's centre in Llandudno, the royal heir had a go at archery after being blindfolded to simulate sight loss.

Though he made no more than an offhand comment, the second in line to the throne has sent royal-watchers into a flurry of excitement that an engagement announcement from Buckingham Palace could be in the pipeline.

Speculation surrounding William's wedding plans has led to 2012 being earmarked as a possible date for his and Kate's nuptials as the occasion would tie in nicely with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

William and Kate have been seeing each other for seven years, after getting together in 2003 when they were both students at the University of St Andrews.

This latest marriage revelation from William comes after a report in the Daily Telegraph last December, which disclosed that the Royal Family had appointed Sarah Sienesi, a wedding planner, as a lady-in-waiting to the Countess of Wessex. There has been speculation that the 27-year-old prince and Kate Middleton, 28, could marry in 2012 to coincide with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

William has been dating Miss Middleton for over seven years now apart from a brief separation in 2007. The two met while both students at the University of St Andrews in 2003. 

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