We know it’s hard to believe, but before they were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and Prince William and Kate Middleton, these royal family members had other men and women in their lives. And we’re not just referring to high school flings, we’re talking full-blown relationships and even marriages.
So, what are all of the royal exes up to now? Keep reading for everything we know.
Royal Ex: Prince Harry
Considered Prince Harry’s first serious love, Chelsy and the Duke of Sussex dated (on and off) between 2003 and 2010. However, the duo remained civil following their split. She even attended his wedding to Meghan Markle at St. George’s chapel.
The Zimbabwe-born socialite studied at the University of Cape Town and later attended the University of Leeds to study law. Aside from practicing for a number of years, the now 34-year-old has also made a career designing jewelry.
Like her royal ex, Davy has also moved on. The entrepreneur told Tatler in March that she’s dating a new man and is “very happy.” “Yes, there is someone, and I am quite taken by this one, but it's very new and I don't want to say too much.”
Royal ex: Prince Harry
An English model, Bonas was allegedly introduced to Prince Harry by his cousin, Princess Eugenie. The couple began dating in 2012 before calling it off in April 2014. It’s important to note that the actress was the last relationship the duke had before meeting Meghan Markle.
Since her breakup with Harry, Bonas has modelled for Burberry and other major fashion brands. She’s also currently engaged to another Harry (we’re not kidding)—U.K. real estate broker Harry Wentworth Stanley, who proposed last year. But like many others, the current pandemic has gotten in the way of their nuptials.
“Unfortunately it has [been delayed],” Bonas said per the Daily Telegraph. “We are not quite sure what our next move is, but we will have to be postponing the wedding.”
Royal ex: Prince William
The daughter Captain Ian Farquhar (former Master of the Beaufort Hunt), E! calls Farquhar the duke’s “first serious girlfriend.” The two grew up as childhood friends before their relationship turned romantic after Will graduated from Eton.
After splitting with William she trained at New York acting school the Lee Strasberg Institute. Fun fact: She also appeared on U.K.’s The Voice where she performed for coaches Boy George, Paloma Faith, will.i.am and Ricky Wilson. Regarding her love life, we’re pretty sure Farquhar is still single.
Royal ex: Prince William
Considered one of the Duke of Cambridge’s first real loves, Craig (commonly known as Jecca) and the prince are said to have had a pretty “complicated” relationship. According to PopSugar, the two reportedly met in 2000 while William was on a gap year from college. The couple spent a lot of time together on her parent’s ranch in Kenya—where her father founded an animal sanctuary.
As for her career, Craig is an environmentalist and co-founder of the organizations Panthera and Stop Ivory (which focus on the conservation of wild cats and protection of elephants respectively).
The now-38-year-old is also married. She tied the knot to Jonathan Baillie in March 2016 and yes, Prince William attended.
Royal ex: Prince William
William’s relationship with Hunt may not have been super serious, but it was still very significant. Why? Because she was his last official girlfriend before he met Kate Middleton. In fact, he was seeing Hunt when he was introduced to the duchess at a charity fashion show at University, according to Express.
Luckily, there were no hard feelings. Hunt married one of the U.K.’s most senior judges, Nicholas Wilkinson in 2015 and even managed to get an invite to Kate and Will’s royal wedding.
Royal ex: Meghan Markle
Perhaps Markle’s most important ex is her ex-husband (yup, she was married) Trevor Engelson. The two met in 2004 and dated for over seven years before their Jamaica nuptials in 2011.
The couple divorced just two years after they said “I do” due to ''irreconcilable differences.'' Like his ex, the Hollywood producer, too, remarried, to nutritionist and heiress Tracey Kurland, who he began dating in 2017. He popped the question shortly after Meghan and Harry’s royal wedding and got married just days after the birth or the royal’s son, Archie Harrison.
Royal ex: Meghan Markle
Although never confirmed, the 38-year-old was linked to professional golfer Rory McIlroy in 2014 shortly after he ended his engagement to professional tennis athlete Caroline Wozniacki.
Rumors began swirling after the duo were spotted a handful of times together, specifically when McIlroy challenged the actress to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (talk about a TBT). She agreed, but only on the condition that he was the one to dump the ice on her. Since their relationship was never confirmed, the end of their relationship is unknown. Like Markle’s other exes, McIlroy also got hitched.
Royal ex: Meghan Markle
Right before she met Prince Harry (or as she calls him “H”), the Duchess of Sussex dated Canadian chef and restaurateur Cory Vitiello. Their relationship began in 2014—right in the midst of Markle’s Suits days—and only lasted about two years before the breakup in 2016.
According to The Telegraph, around the time of the split was when Prince Harry began asking for Markle’s number. No worries, Vitiello has a family of his own. The Toronto native wed Martina Sorbara and the pair welcomed a child together in 2018.
Royal ex: Kate Middleton
Before there was Prince William, there was another William who had a piece of Middleton’s heart—Willem Marx. According to The Telegraph, the duo dated while attending Marlborough College and he was referred to as “her first love," by one of his friends. No word on why exactly the couple called it quits, however, the two have remained on good terms.
Now a London-based reporter for CNBC, Marx married Italian TV presenter Johanna Botta, in a romantic ceremony in Italy in 2014. While Middleton didn’t attend his wedding, Marx was Kate's only male friend from college to attend her royal nuptials, according to Hello!
Royal ex: Kate Middleton
The now Duchess of Cambridge met Finch at St Andrews University (also where she met Prince William) in 2001 when Finch was finishing his final year of law school. Their relationship was short-lived and the pair broke up after less than a year of dating.
Today, he’s a solicitor in London and is married to Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs. Thankfully, there are no hard feelings between Middleton and Finch, who invited each other to their weddings (although neither could attend). However, the duo did cross paths and Prince William’s cousin’s, Princess Eugenie, wedding at St George’s chapel in 2018.
Royal ex: Prince Charles
Yup, it’s not a typo. Before Charles wed Princess Diana (aka Lady Diana Spencer) the Prince of Wales briefly dated her older sister, Sarah.
As far as first relationships go, this one didn’t last long. The couple split and remained amicable (so much so that she even gave Charles and Diana her blessing). In fact, Sarah is the one who set them up, according to Express. "I introduced them. I'm Cupid," said Sarah shortly after the couple got engaged.
The now 65-year old married Neil Edmund McCorquodale in 1980 and the duo welcomed three children together. As for her professional life, she spends most of her time managing the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.
Royal ex: Prince Charles
Dubbed as the “queen who never was,” Wellesley dated Charles from 1973 until 1974. She had been long friends of the family and grew up around royalty (her father was the Duke of Wellington after all). The relationship came to an end because of the media attention it was receiving. We know how hard dating a prince in the spotlight can be, especially these days.
Prince Charle’s ex later entered into relationships with chef Lloyd Grossman and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg. Her latest romance was with writer Anthony Holden (Charles's biographer), which also ended after a short time. Wellesley remains single to this day.
Royal ex: Prince Charles
Lady Amanda Knatchbull was just as close to becoming queen. The couple met via an arrangement from her grandfather Lord Mountbatten (who is also Prince Philip’s uncle). Charles proposed in the late ’70s but was ultimately turned down (again) because she didn’t want to be put in the royal spotlight.
Knatchbull tied the knot with author Charles Vincent Ellingworth under a decade later. The couple has three sons together—Luke, Joseph and Louis.
Royal ex: Prince Charles
Formally known as the Princess of Wales, Diana began her relationship with Charles in July 1979 while visiting Queen Elizabeth’s Scottish estate (although, they knew each other for years prior). They got engaged in 1981 and married in the summer of the same year.
The couple welcomed two children together, Prince William and Prince Harry. However, the relationship didn’t last and the prince and princess announced their separation in 1992. Both would later admit to having extra-marital affairs, which is how his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles (his now wife) began. Charles and Diana officially divorced just one year before her fatal car accident.
Royal ex: Camilla Parker Bowles
Before she was the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles was married to Andrew, a military man with many ties to the royal fam. After graduating from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he became a lieutenant in the Blues and Royals regiment of the Royal Horse Guards. Per royal biographer Penny Junor, he met Camilla Shand at a debutante party in 1965 before dating for seven years and getting hitched in 1973. Together they had two kids, Thomas and Laura.
Their marriage came to an end in 1996 when they finalized their divorce. According to The New York Times, the duo had already been living apart for two years. Shortly after the split, Parker Bowles married Rosemary Pitman, a garden designer and Camilla went on to marry Prince Charles in 2005. The ex-couple share five grandchildren together and have remained friends throughout the years.
Royal ex: Princess Beatrice
Prior to her engagement to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, the Princess of York had a long relationship with businessman, Dave Clark. As it turns out, Prince William introduced the two at a party—Piers Brosnan’s son’s party to be exact. The couple decided to split amicably in 2016 after about ten years together. Two years later, Clark married American advertising executive Lynn Anderson. We wonder if he’ll be invited to Beatrice’s upcoming nuptials...
