Cressida Bonas and Prince Harry dated for about two years, and they broke up for good in late 2014. Personally, I think they had some breakups and makeups in those two years, just as I always thought that Harry and Cressy had some friends-with-benefits thing happening after their official breakup. Cressida seemed like a nice girlfriend for Harry – she was low-key at the time, she was young, pretty and blonde, and she came from an aristocratic background (although she was not particularly wealthy). Basically, a lot of people wanted Harry and Cressida to get married. It was said that Cressida hated the attention of being Harry’s girlfriend, and it was said that she decided she would prefer to become an actress rather than a princess/duchess. So… immediately following the Sussexit announcement last week, this was an interesting tweet from someone who is allegedly Cressida’s friend?
I wish Cressida had said yes.
— Dr Laura-Jane Foley (@laurajanefoley) January 8, 2020
That’s… a lot for a brief tweet. Did Harry propose and Cressida turned him down? Could be. Who knows. Anyway, I bring up this backstory because Cressida has a feature in ES Magazine and she’s asked directly about Harry and Meghan. Some highlights:
On being known as Harry’s ex-girlfriend: “No one likes to be labelled. The hurdles for me are when I’m trying to do my work and people want to talk about him. I work very hard and love what I do but it is still something I have to contend with.”
How she feels about the Duchess of Sussex, a fellow actress & the scrutiny she receives: “I wouldn’t take a position on that because it would be a headline. Also out of respect. It feels like a long time ago. When it comes up it feels strange because I’m in a different place.”
On working with Harvey Weinstein pre-MeToo: “He didn’t do anything weird. What has happened since is such a progression, there is a lot more care being taken on set.”
“I wouldn’t take a position on that because it would be a headline.” They didn’t put the exact question she was asked, but I gather that Cressida was not calling Meghan “that,” the “that” was a reference to the attention and media scrutiny and racism that Meghan has been subjected to. I mean, Cressida was probably genuine in trying to avoid being part of a headline about Meghan or commenting in any way. But it still happened. I don’t doubt that Cressida has moved on though – she’s engaged to someone else. A guy named Harry.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
What a stupid thing to tweet. What, the Monarchy would be saved and the UK un-tainted if he had married Cressida instead of Meghan? F-you and your dog whistles, Crassida’s friend
Sorry that was strong but I found that tweet really irritating
Came here this morning just to say that
That tweet is Jerry Springer level tacky, jfc.
You betcha. It was every level of bad.
That tweet is rude. Any further details on who that person is and whether Cressida has distanced herself from it? On a different note –
I’ve never seen anything she’s been in as an actress? Is she any good at it? She has that generic Sienna Miller/cara Delevigne/a whole bunch of others generic blonde with big dark eyebrows thing that was popular in the UK for a while.
I would bet that her biggest thought on the press scrutiny that Meghan receives is that she herself had a lucky escape.
Yeah I know she’s white, British & an aristocrat but the press were never going to be kind to anyone who married him. Sometimes I wonder whether Meghan was aware of that.
I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that nobody would ever have compared Cressida’s baby to a chimpanzee.
And yes, Meghan has said, MANY times, she was aware of that and that it would be difficult. But the coverage she got went beyond any other media coverage of any other spouse.
They did not say that about Meghan and Harry’s baby, did they? What the actual f*? I shouldn’t be baffled by how lowly and dispicable some people can be but just wow…. Archie is just such a beautiful, healthy, sweet little boy. How can anyone say or even think such a horrible thing!!!! *rage-inducing* So glad the Sussex’s peaced out. The RF is garbage and CANCELLED… like how do you allow this shit to go on and stay silent on it? Their behavior encourages this abuse and they are just as guilty.
Maria, when did someone compare their baby to a chimp? That sounds unbelievable.
Update: I found it. He was saying the royal family are like a group of performing monkeys. And it was taken as racist. Got it.
“The BBC has sacked Danny Baker, saying he showed a “serious error of judgement” over his tweet about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby.
The tweet, which he later deleted but which has been circulated on social media, showed an image of a couple holding hands with a chimpanzee dressed in clothes with the caption: “Royal Baby leaves hospital”.
https://www.thesun.ie/news/4075188/danny-baker-fired-over-racist-meghan-markle-royal-baby-picture/
With apologies for linking to the Sun newspaper.
Wait, are you two….serious?
A radio DJ was fired over it.
google. Its not unbelievable. It happened.
Yes Meghan was not 20 plus years old when she married, she was older and someone with a career and she does her research. She said she knew it would be difficult but she thought it would be fair.
Momof2rats– you’re not seriously excusing this? “And it was taken as racist”. IT IS RACIST. COMPARING THE BABY OF A BIRACIAL WOMAN TO A MONKEY IS RACIST. It doesn’t matter if another context is that the “royal family are performing monkeys”.
How much clearer does it need to be?
Seriously, Momof2rats? “He was saying the royal family are like a group of performing monkeys. And it was taken as racist. Got it.” Um, NO. He posted a picture of a man and woman with a chimp and said it was the royal baby leaving the hospital. And it wasn’t “taken as racist”. It WAS racist. Good to know who to avoid here.
Kate would have still kept her distance from Cressida because William was once hot to date Cressida’s attractive, older sister.
@momoftwo no. That is what he SAYS he was getting at. What he did was tweet a photo of a chimpanzee with the caption “royal baby leaves hospital.” Then when people said it was racist (and it was) he tried backpedaling and gave a non apology (“sorry you didn’t get my joke”).
She would have been given a hard time, for sure (heir vs spare, heir’s spouse vs spare’s spouse and all that), but we wouldn’t be seeing the same campaign of pure acidic hatred.
We also probably wouldn’t be seeing the same enthusiasm and work ethic, but that’s by the by.
Exactly. I think the tabloids would have always scrutinized whoever Harry married, but NOTHING like what Meghan has faced.
Also, that tweet from her “friend” is gross.
Totally agree. She is lucky
I also have read that while she was with Harry off and on, she was still carrying a torch for her former boyfriend whom she did see occasionally during that time. That former boyfriend is her current fiancé, so I don’t think she was ever that in to Harry.
ooooooh, now that’s some juicy gossip!
Right, maybe she was never that into Harry, and I certainly don’t blame her for not wanting to be a part of the royal family. I always liked her though, much more than I like Meghan. I think she didn’t want to comment on H & M certainly because of what she said–that it would then be in the headlines. My whole theory is that Meghan isn’t that much into Harry either, but more into being someone special. I think the royal thing kind of backfired on her, so it was her idea to leave. I would almost wager that she will want to dump him in a few years and have her freedom back to find another guy. I feel sorry for him now.
Yes they did. It was some person who was either a radio or tv personality.
When news of their relationship broke the press engaged in their usual bloodsport. No she didn’t get nearly what Meghan got but I believe that she was harmed. I respect her wish to distance herself and she must get very weary of people bringing up her past. I have no doubt Kate would not have liked her. At all.
People can tweet about what they wish happened if they want to – not going to change anything. I should tweet I wish Jecca said yes and William does too.
A white woman would not have had to deal with white people freaking out about having to care about a PoC who has more money than them. That automatically would have softened the coverage if Meghan was only white.
I think that’s a large part of why Piers Morgan can get away with his harrasement and why the Cambridges can get away with their bs.
She dodged a bullet, to be sure. Whoever married Harry was in a no-win situation. The Middleton’s campaign to embiggen Kate, and William and Andrew’s need to distract from their own bad press, meant anyone who married Harry would have been thrown under the bus. Cressida would not have faced the worst if it, which are racial attacks, fortunately for her she’s white. But if she was ever compared favorably to Kate (stronger work ethic, more attractive, smarter, etc.) she too would have been crucified non-stop by the Middleton-endorsed tabloids.
Man….the media is turning over every stone to create controversy, real or imagined. How much longer is this anti Sussex hate campaign going to continue. Cressida tried to steer and the media has still dragged her into it.
Cressida was very classy I liked how she told it was ages ago her life situation is different and that she doesn’t make a headline. Perfect response
she’s smart. and gorgeous.
The anti-Sussex campaign will never end. The racist royal reporters will be spewing their hate for years to come.
I was going to say how much longer before the palace does something, but the palace will never do anything about it. Charles, William and Liz have proven they care more about good press than a so-called beloved family member, and they always will. I wonder how Harry felt when he figured that out?
And that’s why he didn’t marry her…
Anything she says about Harry is going to be a headline, so that ship has sailed.
She really should have said something supportive. But she’s still buds with Eugenie and Beatrice, and I doubt that would have made them happy.
I politely disagree. She made a Point she doesn’t want to be asked about her ex she’s engaged now
Tweet from her friend is still up. If I were engaged and refusing interviews on that basis and someone I knew posted that, I’d have asked them to take that down.
She might have asked her to take it down, and she didn’t. We don’t know what her relationship is to this person.Plus I think any response about it is going to get crap and additional questions. I’m sorry at this point they are relentless about this even to players who have long been removed from it like Cressida. It is better to say you don’t respond to it. This just makes me wonder how long it will be for Meghan’s crap to calm down. If they really want this to die down I’d try to be behind the scenes for a while but I know their are money issues too and they want to press forward with their projects. Although it always makes me scratch my head about money issues with multimillionaires but I guess it’s all relative.
Unfortunately her “non-answer” is still an answer. “I do not wish to comment on that at all” is better than “Oh, I absolutely refuse to take a position on that, it feels so strange when people ask me about when I dated PRINCE HARRY, I’m in such a different place from when I dated PRINCE HARRY.”
And frankly, she isn’t long removed from it. She’s close to the York girls, which is how she met Harry in the first place, and they have their own issues with Meghan.
@Maria: She is under no obligation to discuss her personal relationship with Harry. Period. She handled herself maturely, diplomatically, and without injecting anything personal into the conversation. Her friendship with the York sisters pre-dated her relationship with Harry and continues, which shows how much respect she gives to that friendship. You are presuming and projecting thoughts and responses that have nothing to do with her relationship with Harry and the Yorks other than your own fevered and silly imagination.
Never said anything about her being under obligation. But decent people don’t watch this shitshow and not say anything. And again, her “no response” is a response.
It’s been discussed on here how Beatrice and Eugenie do not like Meghan. And their behavior at her wedding doesn’t exactly disprove it. And we know her friendship with them predates Harry –Beatrice set them up and hoped they would wed.
“Fevered and silly?” Grow up.
Maria – it’s called being diplomatic and acknowledging that it’s none of her business. What did you expect her to do? Come out swinging at Meghan? Harry? Their relationship is NONE of her business and the very fact that someone asked her about it is utterly tactless. You seem to be living in an alternate universe where you know all of the intricate inside doings of royal relationships.
Don’t know why you are so invested in personally attacking me. A small statement of support for Meghan would have been nice, which was literally the whole point of my comment. And her reasoning for not doing so is speculation like the rest of what we do here. I didn’t *expect* her to do anything. But I’m allowed to have an opinion on what she did say. No need for you to start name calling and saying things about my mental health.
She should be left alone. I think her answer was ok but it would have also been great if a white woman flat out said it’s racist.
I agree – I’m ok with her saying she doesn’t want to be part of the story, but yeah, it would have been nice to see her say “Meghan has been treated terribly” or “the scrutiny she has faced is racist and unfair”.
She’s very pretty. I think it’s for the best she and harry didn’t work out.
Anyone Harry would’ve married chewed up so what? Her “friend” wishes she had said yes (if he even proposed in the first place) cause Cressida would’ve shut up and taken it?
lol yes and seeing what’s happened to Meghan, why on earth would you wish that upon a friend?
That was my thought. What kind of friend would wish this on someone. You worst enemy maybe, but not a true friend. Plus that was a sh!t-stirrer comment if ever there was one. Btw isn’t Cressida’s sister or half-sister one of Wills exes? I remember talk of Kate not wanting her to marry Harry. So we would have had World War III anyway.
She looks like a blonde Kate to me. Really similar features.
Both are pretty to me.
I don’t think he proposed, but maybe. I’m sure if he did, he’s glad she turned him down now.
I respect her for not saying anything in a way – she cant help being asked the question – but I also wish she had condemned the racism. although maybe she’s one of the many who refuse to believe its racism.
Classism and racism wafting off of that tweet. Gross. Cressida, as a wannabe actress, is no different than Meghan. Her family is full of its own drama, with both parents being married multiple times. But she’s white and highborn and that makes her so much better.
Pretty girl though. I don’t see a problem with her answer. She doesn’t want to get involved and she’s moved on. Commenting on this seems like a lose-lose proposition from her point of view, though ideally yes, I would like to see her show public support for Meghan.
Her family does have multiple divorces, but they all seem very supportive and close. Even the new wife and ex-wife all pose happily in pictures together. Coming from a divorced/remarried family I really appreciate when blended families can be close. I can’t see them selling her out like the Markles did. Meghan really was getting it from all sides when she was pregnant – the Markles, Windsors and the media. I was actually surprised when Kate didn’t embrace Meghan. I thought she would be relived when Harry and Cressida broke up because her half-sister is Isabella Calthorpe who was supposedly the one who “got away” from William.
Just to be clear, I didn’t mean to imply divorce is a bad thing; I was just pointing out the double standards and classism. Multiple divorces are not considered okay unless one is upper class. My mom’s parents have been divorced and happily remarried since she was young, and it’s been a lovely arrangement for everyone. I have also been divorced and remarried. Meghan probably would’ve been judged for her family situation even if they had kept their mouths shut. Their insistence on showing us how truly awful they are on her dad’s side is just icing on the cake. She was judged for her own divorce; I’m sure they’d be looking down their noses at her family background no matter what sort of character the individual members ended up having.
Apologies for the insulting tone, wasn’t intended!
I think it’s perfect response. No Juice for the press. She’s in a different stage she respects the couple doesn’t want to be on front page. She doesn’t want to get into the discussion dragged into drama. It’s much better response that serena william’s no comment).
Was it really a good answer?! I don’t know… What’s the problem with all these British aristocrats to take a position against racism?? Shouldn’t be that difficult. I’m not impressed. And no, they’re not fellow colleagues.
I thought it was very classy. They dated half a decade ago and both have moved on…..and I never really got the vibe that their relationship was all that serious anyway
I’ve worked with her. She has no interest in being an proper actress, she just does enough acting work to give her attention and credibility as a socialite. Her entire career and life is based on pimping out her connection to Harry.
For non-Brits, the ES is a free newspaper owned by a dodgy Russian oligarch and the editor is the former Tory Chancellor of the Exchequer (it was actually illegal for him to take a job as newspaper editor while being an MP). ES is infamous for being basically Nepotism Daily. They are an open joke in the theatre industry. Sometimes you’ll open the ES and they’ll literally have a half a page article on page 3 about some random profit share fringe play running above a pub somewhere, or even an amdram society or student drama society show, and of course it’ll have a celeb’s kid in it. Then their coverage of the latest West End smash hit starring Judi Dench will be one paragraph on page 37.
And that’s the tea!! Love it.
Delicious! That’s some tasty tea!
So she’s a typical old aristocrat then. Gotcha. Not any better than the rest of these trust fund babies who are coming out with apps on how different types of coconut oil will help you center your chakra while you do yoga.
I doubt he proposed. After they broke up, Ingrid Seward (close friend of Cressida’s mother) published an embarrassing editor’s letter in her magazine begging Harry to take her back. This friend of Cressida is likely being a petty loser.
Or taking a nasty jab at Meghan?! See if only the blonde white Aristo had said yes, poor Harry would not be leaving us.
I have always said Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy were very lucky. All the money, none of the scrutinity.
Sorry, but if Cressida was a decent person, she would have said something like, “the constant media scrutiny on the royal family can be very stressful. Meghan has my sympathies.” Instead she refused to comment and has not disavowed her friend’s ugly tweet.
This. Not sure why anyone is saying her response is classy.
I agree. I also think William and Kate would have preferred he marry either of the blondes as I think of them. Chelsy is smart (she got a law degree) but seems to prefer living the rich, boozy, partying lifestyle. Cressida strikes me as a rather bland Social skater who doesn’t make any waves if she can help it. Harry got the real deal with Meghan who challenges him to be his best self.
Not sure if Kate would have wanted Harry to marry Cressida. She is the half-sister of Isabella Branson, who William was so obsessed with that Kate ordered him not to see or talk to her anymore.
Forgot that about Cressida’s sister. Thanks for the reminder. My bad. 😱
@Maria – just said the same thing above. Did Kate really do that? Isabella was invited to their wedding.
Meghan does seem like the real deal. I can understand why Will/Kate didn’t like Meghan showing them up workwise, but I don’t get why Charles and the Queen didn’t support her more. She was doing a lot of good work for the monarchy. You would think they want that to continue?
I agree with the image you have of Meghan and I can’t help but think higher if Harry because he’s with someone like that. Great line from 30 rock from Carrie Fisher ‘men break up with you for someone less ‘complicated”.
Snap Happy–comment twins! I’d believe it, since Kate’s jealousy has been corroborated by many sources. They invited lots of people to their wedding – but I think Kate just wanted William not to talk to her or see her on a personal level.
That’s what I thought before I read her response. But after I did, I truly think she was trying to avoid press headlines along the lines of “Harry’s former love weighs in on the controversy!!” accompanied by an old photo of them kissing, etc. She specifically said she and Harry have long been over, so for her to weigh in would not be RESPECTFUL. While I think Cressida tried to handle a no-win situation gracefully, her moronic friend who posted that tweet is disgusting.
I agree, she is trying to move on with her life. I have always admired Jane Asher’s 100% refusal to discuss her relationship with Paul McCartney. As she has said, it’s over and it’s nobody’s business. Of course, I’d love to hear Jane’s take on it, but I’ve got to respect her for staying silent.
I don’t think we can really judge her answer without knowing the question?
The caucasity of that tweet…no ma’am.
Amen
There are conflicting stories about how serious the relationship was. Most observers believed that she wanted her career and was using her relationship with Harry to further it.
Her sister Isabella was also thought to be using the fact that Will was pursuing her to make Sam Branson jealous and get him to propose.
If my “friend” did that, I’d ask them to take it down.
I don’t think that nutjob isCressida’s friend. She’s a weird Cressida stan with an obsession with both Cressida AND a hatred for Meghan. Her Twitter feed is bonkers.
Typical white lady feminism. Color me unsurprised
Yup. Imagine what a boost it would be if she HAD made a statement defending Meghan? But that would require far too much effort and risk for HER so she won’t. Textbook white feminism.
Cressida was in one of Foley’s plays, An Evening with Lucien Freud, based on some of Foley’s life experiences (Side note, Freud came off like a total old white man predator of young women). Foley is about seven years older and has a child with Tim Rice, age 71, married to another woman.
It did not sound like she and Cressida were childhood friends. They knew each other because Foley cast her in a thinly disguised autobiographical role.
She clearly wants the drama and limelight from her embarrassing and rude tweet which is still up. I saw an interview with her where she actually lamented encountering rudeness online when she ran for office (and lost, thank goodness). Sooooo I wonder how she thinks her Tweet comes across or how it hurts Meghan or Harry (or Cressida, who obviously wants to move on)?
This Foley person has tweets attacking Maghan, some of them agreeing with PoS Piers Morgan (vomit).
I think it’s hilarious that this Foley person is complaining about the harassment they faced as a woman running for office, but sees no issues in funneling that same type of harassment towards a woman of colour on the exact same platform.
‘I wish Cressida said yes” ??? Yes to what, he didn’t even ask lol. But a lot of people around Cressida at the time were lobbying for them to get engaged. Didn’t her auntie or godmother, who edited Tatler at the time write an open letter begging him not to dump her? From what I can recall from the tea back then, she was just as thirsty as Kate. But I’ll give her more credit than kate for the fact she actually worked. Also I think he treated her the same way William treated Kate, she was there, eager to please, wanted the job. if no one else came along, she might have got a ring, but I don’t think he really loved her, like he loved Chelsy or Meghan.
It was Ingrid that was begging Harry to take her back. She was friends with Cressida’s Mom or Aunt. His friends said she was clingy and that is why they broke up.
There are a lot of White women who will NEVER get over the fact that Harry didn’t marry ‘one of them’. It’s one of the main tragedies of their lives, which shows just how tragic their lives are.
Amen, kerwood. This shows how conditional and tenuous the support of (some) white women can be. Meghan got the “prize” that some of them wanted for themselves. I wonder how many white women who go to womens marches and wore pink cathats turned right around and wrote terrible crap about Meghan on twitter and tumblr.
Probably a lot of them. They’re the same ones who outright hated (and still hate) Michelle Obama or at least never bothered to speak out against the racism she’s faced throughout her time as FLOTUS. All those outcries about defending Melania “as a fellow woman” in 2016/2017 and yet most of those voices were silent when Michelle had 1000x worse treatment. It’s the same thing I’m seeing now with many white women dismissing Meghan’s treatment with responses like, “But what about the treatment Kate got? What about Camilla?”
@Lanne yes I’ve seen some who profess to be liberal feminists say some really misogynistic things about Meghan on social media. Solidarity goes out the window when it comes to women of colour. Rinse and repeat
Yup…they must be burning in some private rage that Harry chose a woman with wit, balls and intelligence over white privilege. Hence the endless dog-whistling and covert racism.
It’s not just white women, it’s also specifically aristocratic white women who are probably spitting with passive aggressive rage that they weren’t the first choice for someone like Harry. They’re the type who are perfectly okay with Oxbridge educated POC, who they’ll hang out with at charity benefits and tout the good works of on Instagram, but that’s only as long as they feel those POC are staying “in their place” which they think is beneath them and their inbred collapsed chins and buck teeth. The classicism is an added layer on top of the virulent racism of these types, some of whom probably have posters of Diana Mitford and Nancy Astor on their walls (because #girlpower!!!!)
That tweet is beyond gross. I wonder if that gross person actually does have a connection to Cressida. Cressida should really distance herself from that kind of grossness, it reflects poorly on her
She’s come a long way since her messy Cressy days. She’s pretty and her fiancé is hot hot hot
The first 6 in line to the throne have to get permission from the Queen to marry and they have to meet the Queen formally. So if Harry and Cressida were serious and wanted to get married they would have met the Queen( and Meghan met her a few times) Why go through all of that for her to turn him down? Translation: He never asked her.
I went through this lady’s twitter feed and she is bonkers and hates Meghan. Wow.
Was she the one at Harry’s wedding thousand-yard-staring like her dog just died?
Anyway. That is one of the straight up bitchiest tweets I’ve seen in a long time.
No that was Chelsy Davey having the worst day of her life
When people say sh-t like that tweet from Cressida’s “friend”, I love to ask “why do you say that?” So they have to explain their sh-tty position and everyone can see how they’re actual human garbage.
She seems much more mature and put together than her stupid ass friend on Twitter.
Only a C You Next Tuesday would tweet such a stupid thing. Dr Jane? For real- I would question her actual level of intelligence