Prince Harry ex-girlfriends: who did Duke of Sussex date before Meghan Markle and for how long - dating timeline

Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare is officially on the shelves, with people queuing from midnight outside bookshops to get their hands on a copy.

The autobiography, which was ghostwritten by JR Moehringer has been making headlines after the Prince revealed intimate details from his life including claims about his experiences in Afghanistn, physical fights with his brother Prince William and drug use as a teenager.

The Duke has also shared how he lost his virginity and other details about his romantic life before meeting his wife, Meghan Markle.

So, who did Prince Harry date before he settled down? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who has Prince Harry dated?

Prince Harry’s dating life has been public knowledge, with many of the Prince’s girlfriends and his relationships making headline news. But who was he serious with before he settled down with Meghan?

Here are the women Prince Harry has dated or is rumoured to have been in a relationship with:

2003 - Natalie Pinkham

Prince Harry briefly dated Natalie Pinkham in 2003, with the Royal reportedly meeting the sports presenter at the Rugby World Cup in 1999. The relationship was never made official or confirmed by either of them. Pinkham is now married with two children and is a Formula One reporter for Sky Sports.

2004 - Cassie Sumner

The pair met at London’s Chinawhite nightclub in 2004, when Harry was 19-years-old and Cassie Sumner was 21. Sumner shared details of their encounter with the press. Reported by the Daily Mail she said: “He made eye contact as I stood at the bar with friends and invited me to join his private table. It wasn’t long before he began cuddling up to me”. However, apparently it was a one-time thing with Sumner adding: “I can’t see myself getting invited home for tea with Prince Charles and Camilla”.

Chelsy Davy 2004-2011

Prince Harry’s first serious girlfriend, he was in an on-again-off-again relationship with Chelsy Davy for seven years. Throughout this time she was his plus one for William and Kate’s wedding and even met the Queen.

The pair parted on good terms, with Davy finding the press attention too much. In an interview with the Daily Mail in 2016, the Zimbabwean revealed that the pair “will always be good friends”.

Astrid Harbord - 2009

The Prince was linked to Astrid Harbord during the time he and Davy had split. Harbord, who is a friend of the Princess of Wales reportedly spent a night at Clarence House, however the couple’s relationship was never confirmed or made public.

Caroline Flack - 2009

In June 2009, Harry was linked to ITV presenter Caroline Flack, who shared details of the relationship in her autobiography, Storm in a C Cup. The pair allegedly split after the news went public, with Flack reportedly writing: “Once the story got out, that was it. We had to stop seeing each other. I was no longer Caroline Flack, TV presenter, I was Caroline Flack, Prince Harry’s bit of rough.”

Mollie King - 2010

The Saturdays singer met the Prince at the Asprey World Class Cup at Surrey’s Hurtwood Polo Club in 2010. The pair did go out for a drink, but King admitted Harry reportedly called it quits according to the Evening Standard because she was too open about their relationship.

Camilla Romestrand - 2010

The Norwegian musician has shared that she spent the night at Clarence House and that Prince Harry even made her breakfast in bed. However, the Prince has not confirmed the two were an item.

Florence Brudenell - 2011

Harry reportedly dated Florence Brudenell, a daughter of the Earl of Cardigan following his split with Davy in 2011. The relationship didn’t last long, with reports the model ended things as she felt the Prince had a “wandering eye”.

Cressida Bonas - 2012-2014

Another of Harry’s serious girlfriends, the pair dated for two years from 2012 to 2014 after they were introduced by his cousins Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. Their relationship was relatively low-key, however when Prince Harry and Markle announced their engagement, Bonas, who is an actress and model shared a photo on Instagram which read: “No matter how educated, talented, rich or cool you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells it all,” alongside the caption, “Truth #quotestoliveby.”

Ellie Goulding - 2015

Prince Harry and Ellie Goulding’s relationship has never been confirmed, with the pair reportedly just good friends. However, it was reported in 2015 by the Daily Mail that the pair were spotted “canoodling” at a polo match.

When did Prince Harry start dating Meghan Markle?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle started dating in October 2016 with Markle describing herself as the “luckiest girl in the world” in an interview with The Vancouver Sun. It was also reported that around the same time Harry had brought her to allegedly meet with Prince Charles.

In their six-part Netflix docuseries Harry explains that he first met Markle “over Instagram” in summer 2016. The Prince explained: “I was just scrolling through my feed and someone who was a friend had this video of the two of them, like a Snapchat, with dog ears. That was the first thing - I was like ‘who is THAT?’”