Royal honeymoon quotes 'fabricated'

Nairobi - Authorities in the Seychelles refused to comment on Wednesday on newspaper reports saying Prince William and his wife Kate are spending their honeymoon on the Indian Ocean islands.

Several British newspapers reported the couple arrived on Tuesday in the archipelago by private jet before transferring to a private island for a two-week idyll.

The Seychelles presidency, in response to a question from AFP, said it "had no information" as to the possible presence on the island of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the title of the pair since their April 29 wedding in London.

'Fabricated quotes'

The head of the Seychelles Tourist Board Alain St-Ange for his part neither denied nor confirmed the arrival of the couple, saying in a statement sent to AFP: "We never make statements on who is here because privacy is what we guarantee."

St-Ange said he never made comments attributed to him in some media reports confirming the arrival of William and Kate in the Seychelles.

"The quotes published about the royal honeymoon has not come from the Seychelles Tourism Board. They are simply fabricated quotes," he told AFP.

The Indian Ocean archipelago numbers 115 islands and is a popular top-end tourist destination, with some villa accommodation costing as much as €10 000 per night.