Did you know that Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas have been dating for 18 months? Ha! That’s like “Waity Math”. They haven’t been dating for 18 months. They’ve been dating, off and on, for about 14 months and that’s with a minor breakup following Harry’s Las Vegas “strip billiards” incident AND with Harry’s most recent tour in Afghanistan. Still, 14 months (off and on) is nothing to scoff at. This has been his longest relationship beyond Chelsy Davy. And Cressida seems more suited for Harry’s lifestyle too – Cressida is tight with the York princesses, Cressida runs in all of the same social circles, her sister briefly dated (and rejected) William and Cressida comes from a wealthy, aristocratic family. So is Cressida The One? UK papers still say she is:
Prince Harry is planning on proposing to his girlfriend Cressida Bonas by the end of the year, royal insiders have predicted. The Prince, 28, has been dating the 24-year-old dance student since July last year but sources have claimed the relationship has become far more serious and they are bracing themselves for an engagement announcement.
Harry sparked rumours earlier this month when he whisked Cressida off on a romantic African safari, just like his brother William did with Kate in 2010 when he asked her to marry him.
The Daily Star Sunday quoted sources who said Prince Harry has joked in private that a proposal could be made ‘any day’ now. The insider told the newspaper: ‘The way it’s looking now people close to Harry and Cressida predict an engagement by the end of the year and a spring wedding. Cressida is The One. People have heard Harry talking about how special Cress is and about getting engaged.’
The source claims the Prince, an Apache helicopter pilot, has proved how serious he is about their relationship by taking her to Africa to show her the work he does with anti-landmine charity the HALO Trust in Angola. It was a cause championed by his mother Diana, Princess of Wales and is also one close to his heart. His mother visited minefields being cleared by the charity just before her death in 1997.
Their safari trip to Botswana also echoed the holiday Prince William and the future Duchess of Cambridge had in Kenya when he proposed to her in October 2010.
According to The Daily Star Sunday, Kensington Palace is preparing itself for an engagement announcement and security teams are even accommodating it in their duty rotas. Dancer Cressida, who recently graduated from the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in Greenwich, avoids the public eye wherever possible and the couple are very careful about being photographed together.
However, they were seen arriving at Kings Cross Station together following the society wedding of the year of Thomas van Straubenzee and the Duke of Northumberland’s daughter Lady Melissa Percy in June. Prince Harry’s ex Chelsy Davy was a bridesmaid at the wedding.
The pair split for good in 2011 after a seven year, off-off relationship and it is believed the pressures of the intense spotlight contributed to the break up. Other than Cressida, Chelsy is the Prince’s only serious relationship although he has been linked to a number of blondes.
He has previously dated lingerie model Florence Brudenell-Bruce but they split in August 2011. A spokesman for Kensington Palace said it was a private matter and declined to comment.
Well, since Harry got back from Afghanistan, he and Cressida have seemed to be very solid, but even then… dating for eight solid months isn’t considered to be all that serious when it comes to the royal family. And it’s kind of funny to think that Harry would propose to Cressida after only dating her for a year or so when Duchess Kate had to waity for NINE YEARS. Of course, Harry is just “the spare”. There isn’t such an intensity to see who he’ll marry. If he does propose to Cressida… well, it will get interesting. And I’ll tell you something else too – Kate will not like it at all. I get the feeling that Kate is on one side, and Cressida and the York princesses are on the other side and there’s a lot of angst and bitchiness and shade on both sides.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Good for Harry if he does marry this totally appropriate aristocrat.
LOVING this couple!! They seem cute and happy together.
Although, a tiny bit of me will miss Harry and Chelsy. Imagine the shade that though girl could have thrown at Kate!
“B, I too may not be of the highest class, but we’re not on the same level. I actually worked as a lawyer, paid my own bills and told little Harry here off every damn time I felt like it. Keep on waity-ing now, you’re excused”.
I’d buy tickets to that.
Big deal. Kate the commoner who may one day be queen will outshine her. Will and Kate’s story captures the heart; many felt Will should have married an aristo, but he married for love. Cressida just looks like another high born girl a British royal is expected to marry. She brings nothing to the table that would endear her with the public, something that is required when marrying into the Firm. At 14 months this is quick. A new royal on the way?
William could have married for love, but he was rejected and after having Kate wait for him while he cheated on her, broke up with her, and mocked her she was all that was left. It’s extremely rare this married couple are even found sleeping under the same roof. This is showing more because the press wants to see the happy family only to find the family is not together.
Cressida brings an aristo upbringing to the table. She knows how to act and mingle at events. She has no want to show off her money. Her family has no wants to have publicity or flaunt their wealth to the cameras. They and she would be discreet. Also, she’s an extremely talented dancer and has a long pattern of dedication to it. Though it’s not much it outshines Kate’s uni degreeand the fact that she’s done nothing with it. It demonstrates a work ethic.
And Kate will be Queen Consort assuming William doesn’t divorce her. There’s a long gap of years from now until Charles hands the throne to William. And William has shown a history of getting sick of Kate and ditching her.
aquarius64 – Considering Diana was higher born than the royals themselves, isn’t it amazing what she brought to the table?
Afterall, according to you, only commoners can do that.
People shouldn’t be judged according to their class until they give you reason to make that judgement.
If this is true Cressida will need to get a stylist STAT!
I hope that being totally appropriate and an aristocrat are not the qualities that persuade someone to propose to you. I hope it is love and mutual respect and admiration. These qualities have nothing to do with wealth or titles. If Harry and Cress have found that then i hope they are happy. But why do they seem so unconvincing as a love match? I read a lot about Cressida’s pedigree but very little of her personality. She comes across underwhelming but maybe she is just low-key.
Apparently she had a huge fight with Harry about his Vegas romp so she must have a little fire, right? Otherwise, yawn.
She’s really pretty. If this is true then I’m looking forward to seeing the wedding pictures and her dress!
I’m not a Waity fan, but compared to this girl, Kate is Angelina Jolie.
Cressida is very pretty. If Harry feels she’s the one then I wish the two of them all the best. 🙂
if he does, then good for him but I’ll believe it when I see it.
Can’t help getting excited, maybe Cressida will be especially involved in charity work to please her Harry and b/c she’ll actually care. Someone might have to up thier game a bit.
I highly doubt it. Cressida’s never worked before, right? And has never shown any inclination to do so, I believe. I might be wrong, but she seems like Waity v. 2.0, now with less wait.
Diana
Cressida went to Leeds. A wonderful school. She’s also a very trained dancer and quite talents and dedicated. She’s also studied at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance on top of a few others. I don’t know if you’re a dancer, but it’s serious training and very hard work. She’s been privileged of course to be able to do this.
She’s shown herself to never talk or leak to the press as well. She’s a good fit. I will believe an engagement when it happens, but for now they seem nice and i hope it will last.
I also want to see Harry smile more.
Cressida graduated last month from her 2nd degree.
If she’s still sitting on her behind after 2yrs like Kate did, then we can judge.
If after 2yrs she gets a non job that is specifically tailored to her vacation schedule and the needs of her BF resulting in a taxing 3 days a week for 9months before quitting altogether, then we can definitely judge.
And if the BF breaks up with her during this time and she takes a 3mth ‘heartbreak leave’ from her job ,which technically means she only worked for 6 months total, then she will rightly deserve to be Waity2.0.
Waity’s label was earned over the course of 5yrs, so let’s give Cressida a chance.
@LAK heartbreak leave? I missed that. Deets, STAT pls!
I’m with Diana on this one. Cressida strikes me as yet another vacuous party girl with too much time on her hands. I hope she proves me wrong, but that’s my take on her.
Don’t crush my Harry/Chelsea wedding dreams, you guys!
I’m with you, Cressida has to go 😉
I love him with Chelsy, too. They’re like the Johnny & Winona of the British royal family.
She just seems so unremarkable! He can/should do better, someone more interesting, vivacious, and less predictable (come on, a waif-thin quasi-aristocratic socialite?). I actually liked Kate throughout her courtship with William.
I totally agree with you !
Yep. Cressida is a cookie-cutter choice for him but he needs someone cool and unique.
He needs his generation’s Fergie, minus all the really scandalous/ borderline illegal stuff.
Agree. I don’t even find her pretty in an interesting way. Her cuteness comes more from youth than beauty. She seems too bland for him, but maybe she has hidden depths. I hope so, or I think he’ll be bored in a year.
she always looks like she just got up from a ruffy nap
Seems to be like Chelsy may well have become Fergie 2.0. That girl was a wild card. Cressida is much the safer choice.
I agree that Kate will not like this. If, a big IF, Cressida is the one, will she be strong enough to hold her own when (not if) Kate tries to throw her weight around, which she can’t do with the York girls. Will Cressida be a push over? I don’t get the feeling she will be able to. Will Harry be able to stand up to his bossy brother? She seems like a nice young woman, but another one who does not work, supported by wealthy parents. I know, I know, dancing school. But has she ever actually worked?
I think Cressida will win. Kate doesn’t appear to have much support within the RF, and Cressida holidays with the Yorks.
Nooooooo!
Still want him to marry me. 🙁
Damn! I want him to marry you too! Just say “no” Harry!
Cressida has never worked and doesn’t do any charity work unless you call wearing some of the ugly clothes she wears an act of charity. I doubt Harry is going to rush in and Cress has told friends she doesn’t want the Royal duties that come along with marrying Harry. While he might be a spare he has duties and when his father becomes King they will increase. Little Cressie likes her lifestyle uncomplicated with things like actual work so I don’t see this happening. Harry is just playing around until Miss Right comes along.
LOVE your take on Cressida and I agree~!
I think there’s a lot more to her and she knows how to be discreet. She knows to play close to the vest. There is a reason she’s held Harry’s interest.
She’s been active in her education and dance. She doesn’t need to work and she is still young so she’s being totally normal.
And Harry’s duties are already surpassing William’s considerably. Not only is Harry logging in more military hours than William, but also assisting Charles in his work. Harry is full time always doing something. I can’t imagine he’d get any busier.
Bluhare
I know you think she’s just a party girl and might always be one. I think she’s showing herself to be more than that. More ambition. More work ethic, More interesting than we see because she knows how to keep secrets instead of leaking to the press.
The speculation with Waity and Wills went on for years, so until it happens my Harry fantasies will carry on
I’d like to see Harry wait a little longer, and marry a woman who is an actual grown-up. It’s not necessarily her age I’m talking about (though I personally think 24 is way too young) but the fact that she’s apparently never held a job and has had no responsibilities or accomplishments of her own.
This exactly.
Sadly, most of the ‘appropriate’ candidates in his circle never had a job. I dont think Kate’s part-time gig as a fashion buyer counts.
I love that Maxima was an investment banker, Mathilde was a speech therapist, and Mabel an NGO exec. Just a few modern examples.
But Anna, Kate did have a full-time job: trying to catch William. LOL
Saying this as a total American outsider, it seems like it would be very good for the monarchy if Harry married a dynamic, interesting woman that the general populace would love. If I was a British taxpayer, I’d want to get my money’s worth out of the royal family and William and Kate are neither interesting nor hard-working.
She just graduated. June 2013. Her 2nd degree. She’s not sitting around waiting or not accomplishing things.
24 isn’t too old for a postgraduate degree in Britain.
Chelsea got her postgraduate at a similar age.
Both Cressida and Chelsea {and Kate] have wealthy parents such that they don’t need extra jobs to make ends meet and none of them have those sorts of jobs. Instead they accomplished things like degrees. 2 degrees for both Cressida and Chelsea.
If after 2yrs Cressida is still not settled in something, then judge.
I know this will sound judgey, but some degrees are just vanity degrees. “I think I’ll go and read art history for a few years just because I can and I will never care to work for a living”…
Btw, a lot of consorts incl those I mention above also came from wealthy/prominent families and yet went after proper careers. The thing with performing arts degrees and careers is that most people with them, unless they are at least B-list, have to wait tables or bar tend for most of the year. Even musicians who play for city orchestras, etc. But I guess Cressida will just occupy herself with partying.
In that context, I actually really respect that Chelsea went for Law, and had several law internships. I think she is apprenticing somewhere legit right now.
Anna – I agree with you with regards vanity degrees. And the reason some girls take them.
Funny thing about Chelsey’s press was that the entire time they were together, she was studying for her 2 degrees, but she was always found wanting when measured against Kate. go figure.
Regarding Cressida, only time will tell if this is a Vanity degree. Her siblings are artists, models, actors so it shouldn’t surprise anyone if she goes that route too.
However, she has been serious enough about dance to get 2 degrees out of it as well as study at various dance schools prior to the degrees. I will give her kudos for dedicating herself to her craft as i would anyone else. Dancers are like athletes. She could be the most annoying entitled person ever, with wealth to spread around, but if she can’t achieve physically, no decent accredited dance school is going to accept her. And especially the Trinity Laban.
Ps:- i was so excited when i first heard about Kate especially about the fact that she was at university. There seemed to be a trend amongst all the European princes to date [and eventually marry] educated smart girls. You can imagine my disappointment over the years as i have watched Kate turn into a geisha [sorry Geishas] whose degree was clearly a MRS vanity one.
I can’t imagine what she can say to those consorts you’ve mentioned let alone anyone she has to meet in her public duties.
In reply to judgey Anna: Art History is not always a vanity degree, thank you very little. Some of us went on to successful careers as international art dealers. I’m pretty sure that I’m much more interesting at a dinner party that a, yawn, lawyer.
Judgy bluhare thinks you’re all wet on this one, LAK. 🙂
We’ll know it’s serious when we see articles about her work with lepers in India, pandas in China, and an inner city charity that brings dance to children.
Decloo
If you go to a university to receive your MRS and manage to also receive a degree that’s fine. If you fail to do anything with that degree and never truly planned to anyways that’s not fine.
At my undergrad University a degree in Art History was praised about as much as a degree in under water basket weaving.
The trouble with marrying non-working aristocrats is that it’s hard for them to buckle down to a full time job.
Proper royal duties (not Kate’s pre-pregnancy ideas of the same) basically involve full time travel/being nice to people/always being on display. It takes a certain type of person to cope with that and there is no indication Cressida has the ability. Of course, there is no indication she doesn’t either – she’s never tried.
Whatever the issues with Diana, when it came to sink or swim with royal duties, she did brilliantly. Of course, she had held down a job previously. It might have been the type of job that rich and titled girls did while waiting for the right husband, but that doesn’t make looking after children any easier – she could easily have got a ‘job’ looking decorative and name dropping in an auction house or art gallery (with lots of time off for visits to country houses etc.)
I like Cressida and Harry together, but he isn’t a private person and he has to take that into account in choosing a wife. Chelsey had a steel backbone and would have coped just fine – she just didn’t want the job. The jury is still out on Cressida (and that’s assuming she wants the job).
Well said.
You do have to want the job – JFK Jr’s wife, for example, did not. She hated being photographed, so she was miserable being married to one of the world’s most-photographed men.
In the wife-of-a-prince role, you have to be both refined and an extrovert, an unusual combination.
If Cressy *does* want the job, she will immediately become the world’s highest-paid holder of tertiary dance degree.
With that education, it seems clear she was never planning to survive on anything but family money.
It’s true about planning to live off the family money, but the same goes for Diana’s level of education and at least in regard to work side of being a royal, she turned out well.
Having said that, while Diana didn’t have a career, she certainly had a displayed work ethic – working as a nanny, working in a nursery etc. I’d be happier if Cressida had ever held down a proper job – she’s 24 (I think). Most people are either working full time or in the harder levels of full time education at that point. If she even took the traditional ‘party planner’ or ‘interior designer’ route.
I’m not slamming people who actually do those jobs properly but they seem to be what bored rich girls who get their friends to hire them do for work. A lot of very good people have got their start at the workhorse behind the rich kid who wants a ‘career’.
If I’m wrong and Cressida has done something with her life, then if Harry is serious about this relationship, the Palace PRs need to get working NOW to change her public image.
Actually that’s a misconception.. a lot of people in high-profile roles are introverts who have learned to act like extroverts. We’ve had to to survive. I’m in a public role myself (though not quite of that magnitude) and I’m an introvert.
Why is dance some sort of frivolous occupation? There are certainly better, more fun, injury averse ways to fritter your time away especially when you have no financial worries.
Would you say that Martha Graham or Mikhail Baryshnikof or Carlos Acosta or Sylvie Guillem, to name afew of the world’s renown dancers, are frivolous in their pursuit of dance?
HAs anyone looked at the Trinity Laban website where Cressida did her dance post grad and seen that what they do? http://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/
One doesn’t just show up at Trinity Laban because you have an itch to learn to dance.
Cressida has dedicated a big part of her life to dance. This was her post graduate degree which she completed in June 2013.
And a note about Diana, hindsight is wonderful because we can see that Diana’s jobs, gave her some sort of work ethic that she took with her into the royal family. We can also praise her for not letting her lack of education stop her from using her platform effectively.
If Harry or William were to pull out a fiance whose only accomplishments were a few menial jobs and a complete lack of education, there would be an almighty uproar.
You are right about Diana vs education hindsight, but in her generation, even though this was just 30-40 years ago, a career for an aristocratic woman was borderline tacky.
If Harry were to get engaged to a nineteen year old mothers helper and marry her three weeks after her twentieth birthday, many an eyebrow would raise.
Times have changed a lot since 1981.
Although, there is nothing wrong with being a nanny or a nursery teacher – Diana showed the world what you could do with that kind of background. But she was remarkable in many ways. It would be exceptional to get a repeat.
LAK-I almost always agree with you, but not this time. If Cressie were the next Martha Graham or Baryshnikov, she would have already been dancing professionally for years. Sad to say, 24 is actually old for a dancer to get started. I think that she’s dancing for her own enjoyment until she finds a rich husband to support her like her wealthy parents. Which she may not want right away. Marriage, that is. My opinion only, but, as you say, time will tell.
She looks just like Chelsy but less fun.
Perfection!
Michael K is going to have a meltdown if this happens. Hahaha
This pairing makes sense but is Harry under any obligation to marry? He’s not even the spare anymore. Can’t he be a playboy for decades more if he chooses?
Nah, that gets a little sad after a while. Don’t want him turning into George Clooney.
Besides, as Harry gets older, the women only get younger, and then you end up with a Charles-Diana situation, spouses in two different generations.
Harry no longer needs to marry a virgin, but I also don’t see him marrying a mid-30s divorcée with several rugrats.
Nope, he isn’t. There is nothing sad or wrong about staying single should he choose that. It is 2013 after all.
Ah Hah!! Now we know the REAL reason Carole is moving to KP–so she can slip Cressida a poisoned apple in the dead of night..
I have a feeling this is all wishful thinking by the British media. Things are kind of boring and there is not much to write about the royals. Might as well get Harry married off and get people wanting another royal wedding.
I think one of the York girls will marry before Harry does.
Didn’t Harry say recently that since Prince George is here, that the pressure is off of him and that marriage is way off for him (Harry, not George). Harry doesn’t sound like he’s even close to the neighborhood if marriage right now.
Lol @ Bored Suburb…probably so, although I think the Middletons get a bad rap.
He needs someone fun and naughty like Sarah Ferguson was back in the day.
Because that turned out sooo well 😛
Where is the big news about Fergie and Prince Andrew getting remarried????? After a divorce and 17 years of debauchery it should be good for at least one article. I’m waiting……
This news is from The daily Star. A paper that makes the Globe seem like the New Yorker.
Nothing true or good has ever come from The Daily Star, not even by accident.
But I read it on a celebrity gossip site, it must be true. Anyway, here in Europe its all people are talking about and everyone in England is all a-twitter.
(Okay, I’m in the Midwest but a gal can dream, can’t she?)
Is it just me or is Harry starting to look like Prince Charles as he gets older? The too close together eyes and long skinny nose? I guess this takes care of the James Hewitt rumors.
It’s not just you. I see it too.
i cant look at him without seeing prince philip anymore
Cressida is only 24 yrs old; way to young to get married. Even Harry is too young. I’m a firm believer that no one should marry before the age of 30. 32 is even better …
I’m not buying the marriage stories at all Harry is a party boy, only 28, and has a lot of wild oats to sow. No way is he going to settle down anytime soon. Why possible reason would he? He is not going to be king so he doesn’t have to worry about having the perfect partner nor heirs. He’ll part for a least another 5 to 7 years.
LAK says:
aquarius64 – Considering Diana was higher born than the royals themselves, ………..
I’ve seen this or something similar stated on other sites as well and I would really like to know how this is possible.
Yes, the Spencers are related to a few ducal families and also to royal families in other countries but so are the Windsors.
Could anyone explain this to me?
In simple terms, the Spencers’ genealogy is superior to the Windsors’ one.
The crucial point as to how the Windsors’ bloodline was diluted despite remaining directly linked to William the Conqueror is the decision to move the crown sideways to the protestant Electress Sophia rather than to better male British claimants who were catholic.
The Windsors then continued the tradition of marrying their European cousins, whereas the Spencers for the most part intermarried other mutually illustrous BRITISH families also connected to illustrous blood lines.
The end result is that the Spencers have more blue blood than the Windsors.
and @FLORC – that’s what Kate brings, the common touch. Something that endears her to the masses. Put on or not, she comes across as warm. Cressida comes off as cold and snobby, like she wouldn’t want to mix with the hoi polloi, even for an official visit. Harry is a blood prince and he gives off a sense of humanity.
aquarius64 – I’m sorry, what???!!!
We know nothing about Cressida nor have we seen enough of her to form a solid picture, so this is your own prejudice.
Kate having the common touch??!!! It’s funny that there is no evidence of this common touch in her engagements, so i am really curious why you think she has it.
Aquarius
If Kate ever had a common touch she and her family have worked extremely hard to get rid of it.
Kate’s fake posher than her own aristo husbands, accent… She speaks so slowly just to maintain and many sources that knew the Middleton’s personally said that was not their natural accent.
Kate’s plastic surgery. New teeth, nose, reduced under eye bags… etc. Those Coal miner’s roots were removed with a scalpel and regular botox injections.
Kate has exploited her royal connections for years too. Does anyone remember how she got her discounted Audi throwing Wills name around? I sure do.
Kate comes across cold to me. She makes no connection with those she meets. Even her scouts visit. She was there for an hour total. She ate a private lunch away from the kids and adults before leaving on her helicopter for a polo event. This is just not a woman who screams warmth to me.
Cressida may not be warm, but she’s shown she’s not looking to capitalise on a royal connection so she’s already in better standing.
Thanks for the reply! 🙂
But I have to admit that I still don’t get it how the Spencers can have “more blue blood” thana the Windsors. Yes, they married mostly “their cousins” but these cousins were highly aristocratic themselves. And they are related to many (ex-) royal houses.
I apologies if I come across as bitchy (English isn’t my first language), I’m just curious how a royal family with such an lineage could be seen as “inferior” to a non-royal family.
Eh, it’s not that important anyway. 🙂
Thanks again for the reply!
She’s a man ..baby …..
I prefer Cressida to Waity every day of the week and twice on sunday.
I love Harry, but he’s not ready to be married. He needs to wait until his 30s.
Uggghhh! I’m still firmly Team Chelsy after all these years! I never understood why she got such a bad rap…she was college educated and went on to study graduate study in a country a continent away from her home. I can’t imagine Waity doing that! I always thought Chelsy was intelligent and hard-working…much more so than Waity. But because she liked fake tans and ciggies she was unsuitable. Honestly, she seemed like she’d be fun to me. And she’s still working as a lawyer which impresses me more than Kate ever did.
He always seemed into Chelsy and I agree with everyone else, she got a bad rap and was definitely well matched for Harry but sadly she did not want the lifestyle. Cressida seems too much like a free spirit, too wishy washy. She looks like a fling but not someone you settle down with. I also agree, she is far too young ESPECIALLY for the position/role she would take. This is not a Waity girls, she doesn’t ache for her man (its obvious from the pics thus far). Anyone will look better than Waity, but Cressida isn’t much better IMO apart from her standing in her social circle. Harry needs a challenge. He hasn’t found it yet.
A guy who got photographed naked in a Las Vegas hotel room with a group of other partiers just a few months ago is NOT ready to get married. Not happening.
I was under the impression Kate changed her major to Art History because that’s what Wills was studying… So did wills get a “vanity degree” as we’ll?
Actually, Willy changed his major to Geography. What is a geography major? One of the few good things I can say about Kate is she convinced Willy to stay at St. Andrew’s to finish his degree. Apparently he wanted to bail.
Or maybe she just wanted to sink her hooks in to him further.
I think- Harry need a lady with both parents- and sibbling like Kate- strong family support,since Harry will leave for work at times. Family support is very critical in the choice of a wife for Harry. Kate’ family background Is a good example of the type of what Harry shld look for
Second- Harry shld take serious the fact that Will dated Cress half sister-and so think of another lady since Chelsy Davy Is gone out of the market