Two Of Prince Harry's Exes Actually Attended His Royal Wedding
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was one for the books. In 2018, all eyes were on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they said "I do" in front of millions of viewers across the globe at St. George's Chapel, according to Parade. For a while, Harry was known as Britain's most eligible bachelor. Unlike his brother, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Harry carried the "bad boy" title as he was frequently seen out partying, per the Mirror. Just like any other twenty-something-year-old, Harry had several serious relationships. However, it wasn't until his early 30s that the prince met Meghan and fell head over heels, per Entertainment Tonight.
At the time, Harry said, "The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was a confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned and everything was just perfect." Just like their relationship, their wedding was also picture-perfect. The event was accompanied by a long to-do list, and one of the most important things on that agenda was probably the guest list.
According to Harpers Bazaar, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had 600 guests inside the chapel and an additional 2,000 on the grounds. There were plenty of notable faces in attendance, including Sir Elton John, Serena Williams, George and Amal Clooney, to name a few. However, it wasn't those celebrities that caught people's attention, but two seemingly innocent women. The reason these women were in the spotlight, though, was that they were former girlfriends of Prince Harry.
Who are Prince Harry's exes?
When setting up a guest list for your wedding, your exes are probably the furthest names from your mind. Some people remain good friends with their ex, which opens the door to the age-old debate of whether people should invite former flames to their wedding. Most choose not to, but Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, invited two of Harry's ex-girlfriends to their royal wedding, per The New York Times.
The lucky (or maybe unlucky) exes were Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas. According to Entertainment Tonight, Davy and Harry first met when he was around 20 years old. The two were in a serious relationship that spanned over seven years. Rumors circulated that the pair may tie the knot after Davy was seen arm-in-arm with Harry as his date for Prince William's royal wedding. Their on-again, off-again relationship ended for good shortly after William's wedding to Catherine Middleton, Princess of Wales.
Harry went on to date a few other women before getting together with Bonas in 2012. The pair reportedly met thanks to Harry's cousin, Princess Eugenie, per Entertainment Tonight. According to The Telegraph, the couple was serious and considered getting married at one point. However, the British media supposedly became too much for them to handle, and they called it quits in 2014. Two years later, Harry met Meghan, and the rest is history. However, the Duke of Sussex decided to bring back the past by inviting Davy and Bonas to his wedding.
Prince Harry is still close to his exes
Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas' appearance at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding shocked many people. What people don't know, though, is that Harry remains "close friends" with Davy and Bonas, per The New York Times. The wedding, however, proved more difficult for one ex than the other.
According to Vanity Fair, Davy and Prince Harry had an emotional conversation a week before the wedding. A friend told the outlet, "It was their final call, a parting call in which they both acknowledged Harry was moving on. Chelsy was quite emotional about it all, she was in tears and almost didn't go to the wedding." The source added, "In the end, she went and promised Harry she wouldn't try and gatecrash the party." Plenty of brides would be uncomfortable with their partner inviting exes to their wedding, but Meghan reportedly came with open arms — literally.
Express claims that the Duchess of Sussex broke traditional protocol by hugging Davy. Davy was supposed to curtsy to the future royal, but instead, Meghan chose to embrace her. The actor was sure to make Harry's ex more comfortable with the gesture. Even though Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was more gracious than most about having her husband's exes at their wedding, there was supposedly a line drawn. Despite Davy and Bonas being invited to the ceremony, they reportedly weren't invited to the party that followed.