Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have hit the headlines in recent weeks following their Netflix docu-series that promised to 'share their complex journey in their own words'. However, it is an alleged event pre-Markle that has sparked shock reactions. A new book has claimed that Harry 'stormed off in a huff' after one royal fan’s Christmas request.
For two years, the Duke of Sussex had an on-off relationship with actress and model Cressida Bonas. The pair were first introduced by Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie, daughter of Prince Andrew. While the couple ultimately broke up, with Cressida reportedly unable to settle with the notion of life as a royal wife, a recently published biography claims that there were other reasons which may have contributed to the split.
One report of an incident with a royal fan has been recounted by Tina Brown, author of The Palace Papers, and was reported in the Mirror. It is the first of two 'alarm bell' moments that are said to have led to the couple going their separate ways.
Read more: New speed limit on key city centre road where pedestrians 'take a chance'
In the first alleged incident, a royal fan spotted the couple in a local pub. According to the author, it was Christmas time and Harry and Cressida were staying in the country with Cressida’s half-sister and other members of the family. Upon deciding to go to a small pub in Kidlington, just outside Oxford, for lunch they had managed to secure a table at the back of the venue. However, it was after lunch that the shocking incident occured, according to Ms Brown, and it led to Harry 'storming off in a huff'.
She wrote: “Suddenly as they were leaving, this quite elderly, sweet-looking gentleman came out and said ‘oh, sir, so sorry, I know it’s Christmas time, but could I just take a photograph to give to my wife who isn’t well?' And so Cressida opened her mouth and said ‘oh, of course’. And Harry said ‘get out of my way’ and went bright red in the face and stormed off in a huff.”
The author claims that a similar outburst occurred on Valentine’s Day, when the then couple were on their way to a restaurant in London. In her book, the Daily Express reported she wrote: “A family friend told me she knew the relationship wouldn’t last when there was a blow-up on Valentine’s Day. En-route to the restaurant, they were driving down Kensington High Street when Harry got word that there was a photographer lying in wait. He slammed on the brakes, did a spin turn in the middle of the street and gunned it back to Nott Cott [Nottingham Cottage] for a Valentine’s night of pizza.”
The author said these incidents gave Cressida 'serious qualms' about sharing her life with Harry and about the ramifications marrying the royal would have on her career. It is understood that following this, photographs of William and Kate touring Australia and New Zealand with the then eight-month-old Prince George reportedly further spooked her. She was said to find it 'unimaginable' to drag a future baby into the royal life.
But before they split, according to The Palace Papers, Cressida was the first to encourage Harry to speak to a professional therapist about his mental health. One mutual friend of the Prince and Cressida’s even reportedly said that after they split, he wrote her a letter thanking her for pushing him towards therapy. The pair stayed friends, with Cressida even in attendance at Harry’s 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle.
READ NEXT:
Man launching 'make or break' businesses venture at closed Nottingham gym
King Charles has 'totally outplayed' Harry and Meghan in response to Netflix documentary
Nottinghamshire recycling bank overflows with Christmas rubbish
DWP rejects State Pension petition calling for weekly £380 payment and retirement age of 60
Hope town's new market place will make it shopping destination again
