Will's & Kate's Highland get-away

Prince William and Kate Middleton are reported to be planning a romantic return to Tam-na-Ghar, the three bedroom cottage given to William by the Queen Mother as a place to get away for a little R&R when he was a student. The cottage is located near the Queen's Balmoral Estate in Scotland and it is there that William often invited friends and his girlfriend Kate while they were studying at the University of St Andrews.

William, who usually holidays with a group of friends, is said to have promised Kate that it will just be the two of them. The break is seen as an effort by William to patch things up with his on-off girlfriend who is said to be wanting a better commitment from William. Says a source, "William knows that unless he gives Kate a clear signal he intends to marry her this time she will leave him for good. He will do anything to win her back and has chosen Birkhall, where they have spent many of their happiest weekends together, as the perfect place to show how serious he is.

"It makes her feel like a proper princess when she stays there in the shadow of Balmoral. Taking her there will be William's first step in repairing the damage he caused to her pride when he dumped her so publicly."

The cottage is a part of the 53,000 acre estate of Birkhall which the Queen Mother, who is descended from the Scottish nobility, left to her grandson Prince Charles after her death in 2002. Prince Charles and second wife Camilla enjoy staying at Birkhall when they are in Scotland. There has even been speculation that Charles was planning on giving William his Gloucester farm Highgrove so that he and Camilla could move their household to Birkhall.

Kate and William are reported to share a love of the countryside. During their stay at the cottage they can enjoy biking, climbing, hiking and canoing. Sounds like Kate's rowing training will be put to good use after all!