Royal screw up: Newly wed prince suffered handbrake hitch

Following their nuptials, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge drove slowly away from Buckingham Palace in Prince Charles's vintage Aston Martin, in what has become one of the most iconic images of the Royal wedding.

But far from being a deliberate maneuver to delight waving fans, it has emerged that their snail's pace departure was due to a manual fault: Prince William forgot to take off the handbrake.

The royal couple had borrowed Charles's dark blue DB6 — decorated with balloons and fixed with a number plate that read “JU5T WED” — to drive to their new residence, Clarence House, as part of their wedding day celebrations.

A royal photographer made the revelation Sunday on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs program.

Arthur Edwards, from The Sun tabloid newspaper, said Prince Charles himself had divulged the reason behind the royal couple's slow exit.

According to the Metro free-sheet that is handed out on the London Tube, Edwards recalled his conversation with the next in line to the throne.

I was talking to Prince Charles about that and I said "did you mind him borrowing that car?" because he loves that car, it's his birthday present from his mother for his 21st, and he said "No, he asked me if he could use it".

I said "there seemed to be a problem driving it" and he said, "Yes, because he didn't take the handbrake off".

Edwards also revealed that William had ensured he got the best Buckingham Palace's "balcony kiss” shot following the marriage ceremony.

The BBC reported that Edwards' original pass meant he was to be stationed outside of Westminster Abbey, where the couple were married.

But William requested that Edwards be allowed to photograph the famous balcony kiss, because he wanted copies for himself.