The gossip about Prince Harry’s love life has slowed down considerably since he left England for his summer work with conservation projects in Africa. Just a few weeks before he left England, back in June, Harry was said to be in the midst of a “month-long fling” with Doctor Who actress Jenna Coleman. I tended to believe that there was something there – the photos of Jenna and Harry seemed very flirty and sexy. But now the Daily Mail claims that around the same time, Harry was bangin’ a Brazilian socialite. The way this young woman is being described… hm.

Prince Harry has enjoyed lengthy relationships with the blondes Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas, but has he now acquired a taste for exotic brunettes? The 30-year-old Prince is alleged to have enjoyed a passionate romance with a stunning half-Brazilian socialite, Antonia Packard, who is reported to be ‘taking society by storm’ with her equally sultry sister, Tessa.

‘Harry was going out with Antonia before he went to Africa,’ claims one of her pals. ‘They were very close. They met through mutual friends. Antonia knows Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie.’

Eugenie, who attended Marlborough College with Antonia, appears to be something of a matchmaker for the Prince. The Duchess of York’s daughter, 25, also introduced him to aspiring actress Cressida, with whom he went on to have a two-year romance. Party-loving Antonia is the 29-year-old daughter of late financier Fred Packard and Brazilian beauty Dulce Maria de Barros Marchi, who lives in Belgravia, around the corner from Buckingham Palace. Her great-grandfather was film producer J Arthur Rank, who co-founded Pinewood Studios and later the Rank Organisation.

Before she met Harry, Edinburgh University graduate Antonia was pictured kissing a frog on her Facebook page, prompting one of her chums to joke: ‘Prince-o-fication in progress, I see.’ Former Apache helicopter pilot Harry is on a ‘gap year’ in Africa after leaving the Army, while Antonia, who runs a charity for victims of domestic abuse, is on holiday. Their alleged romance is the talk of London’s social scene, with Tatler magazine running a feature on Antonia and 30-year-old jeweller Tessa.

Describing the ‘mesmerising duo’ as ‘everybody’s favourite Brazilians’, Tatler says: ‘Antonia recently caught the eye of a royal, Prince Harry.’ It adds she would never discuss the relationship: ‘Apart from good looks, fun and lineage, nothing is more attractive to a prince than discretion.’

Tessa tells me: ‘I’m afraid I don’t comment on or contribute towards social features.’

Kensington Palace took the highly unusual step last night of formally denying the claims. ‘This story is completely untrue,’ said a spokesman, who declined to say if he had discussed it with Harry.

[From The Daily Mail]

Antonia and Tessa Packard sound like the Brazilian versions of the Middletons, except the Packards have much better connections. Anyway, I will believe that Harry and Antonia might have hooked up or gotten flirty or whatever. I will also believe that the Packard sisters are just trying to get attention and they’re trying to publicly connect themselves with Harry for their own gain, to raise their profiles. Some days, it sort of sucks to be the Bridget Jones of the royal family.

Here are some photos of Antonia and Tessa. Um… they really don’t look like Harry’s type at all, but maybe he is going through a brunette phase.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet, Getty.