Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton are spending the weekend on the Queen's Balmoral estate having flown into Aberdeen on a scheduled British Airways flight.

The couple, who have been at the centre of a controversy over media intrusion arrived with a bodyguard on Thursday evening before heading off to their Deeside retreat in a Range Rover with the prince at the wheel and his girlfriend in the passenger seat.

Clarence House confirmed that the prince was on a private visit to Scotland but would not provide any further details.

It is understood they are staying at Tam-na-Ghar (Teapot Cottage) a three bedroom gamekeeper's cottage on the Balmoral estate which was given to him by the late Queen Mother as a refuge to which he could escape while studying at St Andrew's University.

The couple have stayed there on a number of previous occasions.

Last month William and Kate, who split up in April, went on holiday together to Desroches Island in the Seychelles giving one of the first public signs that they had rekindled their relationship.

The visit quashes speculation that the prince will be travelling to Paris to watch England bid for a place in the Rugby World Cup final.

It also seems unlikely that the prince, the President of the English Football Association, will be at Wembley for England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia.

The Balmoral visit follows the announcement on Wednesday that William is to serve on attachment with the RAF and Royal Navy next year. The prince, an officer in the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, will start a four-month secondment with the RAF in January, then do service with the Royal Navy.