Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas: How to Ruin a Royal Romance

Ah love....

There is nothing like a royal romance. The pattern is predictable: the media goes into hot-pursuit with intrusive coverage, the couple attempt to avoid being photographed together, unflattering paparazzi photos, hunting down any little scrap of titillating information, digging up embarrassing details and ex-boyfriends. All for our entertainment. Let's see just how far she can be chased before she runs for the hills. No matter if she does, just repeat the pattern with the next one.

Reportedly dating since last July, Prince Harry went public with his affection for Cressida while skiing in Verbier. Like all royal girlfriends, we know as much as the media digs up. Prince Harry's new girlfriend, Cressida Bonas is a socialite, model, dancer, former skiing instructor, Leeds University graduate and has a half-sister, Isabella Calthorpe, who rumor has it, caught Prince William's eye. Give it a year and we will have books about Cressida and a royal wedding mug with her engaged to the wrong prince. It almost makes you wonder how royal princes ever get married in the first place. The woman in question has to be strong and determined enough withstand the pressures, not only from the press but also potentially from a fickle prince who cannot make up his mind. As we have seen with Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Kate, it could be years before an announcement takes place.

Cressida ticks off the boxes for royal bride material. She is young, pretty and has an aristocratic background. Her mother is Lady Mary Gaye Curzon, daughter of the 6th Earl Howe and reportedly a descendant of King Charles II. The aristocratic connection is enough to deem her eminently suitable to royal watchers. But are Harry and Cressida compatible? With the prospect of another royal wedding, does it even matter? Marriage may be the furthest thing from Harry or Cressida's minds, but still the media, reading too much into their body language and quoting 'sources', touts her as 'the one'.

Will the intense media interest in their relationship derail it?

That's for Harry and Cressida to decide.

© Marilyn Braun 2013

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