Prince Harry had long dreamt of a "normal life" and is "finally free" since moving to the US, his ex has revealed.
Catherine Omanney, who says she met the Duke on a night out in Chelsea in 2006, believes he was right to quit the UK with Meghan as the couple dropped the trailer for their explosive documentary this week.
The reality TV star claims to have had a two-month fling with the prince when he was aged 21.
Ms Omanney said she felt the shock decision to quit life as a working royal and move his family across the pond was something they both "really needed", and felt "proud".
She told OK! magazine : “Meghan and Harry look very happy together and I wish them all the best," said Catherine, speaking from her home in the Spanish island of Majorca.
"I am so proud that Harry had the courage to move to the States and I think he really needed to do that – to finally be free.”
She jokingly added: “I have nothing but respect for Meghan, and the fact that Harry is with her shows that he does have more than one type after all – he is clearly not only interested in blondes!”
The trailer for the six-part Netflix documentary into the couple's move was released last week, with the miniseries set to give an insight into their relationship and why they stepped back from the Royal family.
Made by two-time Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning director Liz Garbus, thge series also promises to look at “the state of the British Commonwealth today and the royal family’s relationship with the press”.
Its makers say: “The series does more than illuminate one couple’s love story, it paints a picture of our world and how we treat each other.”
In a trailer, Harry, 38, revealed he decided to make the film – which has reportedly caused some upset with his family – because: “No one sees what’s happening behind closed doors.”
Meghan added: “When the stakes are this high, doesn’t it make more sense to hear our story from us?”
Catherine, 51, told how Harry has always dreamed of being “normal” and felt suffocated by royal life.
“I did feel sorry for Harry and how little freedom he had to be himself. He seemed a little lost and I think that was because he was surrounded by so many hangers-on who didn’t have his best interests at heart.
“I could see there was little upside to his position beyond the obvious privileges and the three bodyguards that shadowed him didn’t seem to allow for much privacy.
“I remember saying to him, ‘I imagine your life must be genuinely hard, being in such a goldfish bowl.’ He replied: ‘It definitely has its moments.’
“I also asked Harry, ‘Would you like to swap your life with somebody else’s life?’ He said, ‘Yes, often. I would love to lead a normal life.’”
Catherine also spoke out ahead of the publication of Harry's tell-all memoir, Spare, due to hit bookshelves in the new year.
The self-penned autobiography is expected to cover his relationship with his father, King Charles, the loss of his mother, Princess Diana and struggle maintaining a relatively normal life growing up under intense public scrutiny.
This was certainly something Catherine witnessed, who found that the media attention was so intense she could no longer drive her two daughters, then aged six and eight, to their private school in London.
She recalled having to explain to them that “Mummy has been on a couple of dates with a prince.” Catherine added: “They thought it was amazing.”
The interior designer, who was born in Marlborough, Wiltshire, had little idea of the chaos that was about to ensue when she met Harry at the Art Bar in Chelsea in May 2006.
She said: “I knew Harry was going to be there as we had mutual friends, but I wouldn’t say I was excited to meet him – I’m not impressed by celebrities. We started talking and realised we have mutual friends in Australia.
“Later, when we were alone, Harry told me about his grandmother and how close they were, and how supportive she was of him as the younger brother. I got the impression he was her favourite, as he was the naughty one.”
Harry took Catherine’s phone number and their second date came about a week later
She said: “I had a babysitter at home and wasn’t planning on having a big night. It was midweek and I had been at work until about 7pm. We had a kiss and Harry was very complimentary and attentive, telling me how beautiful I was. I think the biggest compliment he paid me was when he said that I made him ‘feel normal’.”
After a couple more dates the romance fizzled out and Harry changed his number, something Catherine said was common for security reasons.
“I was not heartbroken whatsoever – I knew nothing was going to come of our relationship,” she said, adding: “I don’t think Harry cared about anything other than the chemistry we had, but his public image was the issue.
“I got the impression his security was against our relationship from the start. They were no doubt trying to protect him from running off with a 34-year-old mother-of-two. And I am convinced they had a big part to play in it ending when it did.
“I genuinely hope that Harry has more freedom now, as I think it was something he was clearly craving. And I hope he’s happy with Meghan. I only wish him the best.”
