Queen plans 60th anniversary return to Malta

The Queen and Prince Philip plan to celebrate their diamond wedding on a private holiday in Malta, where they enjoyed some of their happiest days as a young couple. From The Daily Telegraph:

..The royal couple will stop off at the island, for what has been described as a second honeymoon, on their way to Uganda for an official Commonwealth trip. Officials at Buckingham Palace would say only that it was a "private stay" at the invitation of the Maltese government. The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, with Prince Philip in Malta. The Queen has spoken of her ‘deep affection’ for the island..

However, they confirmed that there were no official engagements during the break and that it would take place on the outward journey to East Africa. The Queen, 81, and Prince Philip, 86, are due to arrive at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Uganda on Nov 21. The 60th anniversary of their marriage falls on the previous day. The holiday abroad is unusual for the royal couple who, despite being among the world's greatest travellers for duties of state, rarely take vacations outside Britain.

It is said that they have made an exception because the island holds a special place in their hearts. They lived on Malta in the early days of their marriage when the Prince was on naval service. It is the only place outside Britain that they have lived together as a couple. As a young mother, Princess Elizabeth fulfilled her duties as a Royal Navy wife on Malta in the days before her accession to the throne. The couple spent several periods there between 1949 and 1951 while Prince Philip served on the destroyer Chequers with the Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet...It is often thought that their time in Malta was as close as the couple ever got to the life of ordinary citizens...