From College Sweetheart To Future Queen: A Look Back At Prince William’s Romantic Relationships

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Reflecting on Prince William’s romantic journey before meeting his beloved Kate Middleton, it seems that the future King of England had quite the adventurous love life! From aristocrats to conservationists, it’s clear that our Prince Charming knew how to capture a lady’s heart.

Before tying the knot with Kate Middleton, now known as the Princess of Wales, Prince William was involved in several romantic encounters. Their love story, starting from their time together at St Andrews University, is widely recognized, although it should be noted that the future royal couple were not an item until later. Some of these relationships were fleeting, while others left a lasting impression. Here’s a glance at Prince William’s romantic history before marrying his university sweetheart.

1999: Davina Duckworth-Chad

In 1999, Prince William started a relationship with Davina Duckworth-Chad, who was then a family friend and a distant relative of Princess Diana. Born into an aristocratic family, Davina is the daughter of Anthony Duckworth-Chad, a Norfolk landowner and alumnus of Eton College. It seems their romance blossomed before William moved to study in Scotland.

In the year 1999, they embarked on a Mediterranean cruise with King Charles and Queen Camilla, his then partner. Despite their relationship coming to an end in a cordial manner, they continued to keep friendly ties. Interestingly, Davina was extended an invitation to attend William and Kate’s royal wedding in 2011. Subsequently, Davina wed Thomas Barber, the son of a baronet, and they are now proud parents of twin girls.

2000: Jecca Craig

In the year 2000, Prince William became connected with conservationist Jecca Craig, whom he encountered during his sabbatical in Kenya. He spent part of his time at her family’s ranch, and whispers about their relationship started circulating. Neither side acknowledged the romantic connection, but it is believed that they stayed in touch throughout the subsequent years.

Jecca married Jonathan Baillie, a fellow conservationist, on her family farm in Lewa. She has now established an amazing career, co-founding Panthera, an organization committed to wildcat conservation, and Stop Ivory, a non-governmental group that aims to stop ivory trading. The couple now has two children.

2000: Rose Farquhar

In the year 2000 during the summer, shortly following his graduation from Eton with A-levels, it’s rumored that William had a short-lived relationship with Rose Farquhar. Their paths crossed at the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire, where they both shared a passion for horses and outdoor pursuits. As the daughter of ex-Beaufort Hunt master Captain Ian Farquhar, Rose is believed to have been William’s first romantic interest.

Despite their romantic relationship not enduring, Rose and William managed to maintain a friendship. They have since been present at each other’s wedding ceremonies. Rose, who tied the knot with George Gemmell in December 2022, has also ventured into a singing career. She showcased her talent on the reality shows How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? in 2006 and The Voice in 2016.

2001: Arabella Musgrave

In the year 2001, prior to attending St Andrews University, William had a brief romance with Arabella Musgrave, who was Major Nicholas Musgrave’s daughter. They reportedly crossed paths in the high-society circles of British nobility, where Arabella was already quite recognized. Their relationship didn’t last long, but she eventually married George Galliers-Pratt, a member of the prominent Cayzer banking and shipping dynasty, in 2014.

Apart from achieving professional milestones, Arabella holds two significant positions. In the year 2020, she was appointed as Gucci’s Head of Communications for North Europe. Currently, she serves as the Director of Entertainment Industry Relations within EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) region. The duo shares a daughter together.

2001: Carly Massy-Birch

In the year 2001, during his first year at St Andrews, Prince William had a romantic involvement with Carly Massy-Birch. They became acquainted as they were both students, having been introduced through mutual acquaintances. Their relationship was short-lived, but in a 2010 interview with Vanity Fair, Carly fondly referred to it as a typical university romance.

They often met due to their shared university life, and they seemed to get along quite well, as if it were a typical college romance. “It was just one of those campus romances,” she put it. Even though their relationship was short-lived, Carly looks back fondly on their time spent together; nevertheless, she has kept her distance from the limelight since then.

2002: Olivia Hunt

It’s said that in 2002, during his first year at St Andrews, William may have been dating Olivia Hunt. At that time, Olivia was studying at Edinburgh University. They were part of a wider social group that included future royals and nobility. Despite their relationship ending rather suddenly, Olivia managed to maintain friendships with both William and Kate.

In 2011 and 2016, Olivia had the privilege of attending both the Royal Wedding and Pippa Middleton’s wedding. Following these events, she tied the knot with barrister Nicholas Wilkinson and now manages Dorsia, an exclusive membership platform. Her brother-in-law is the well-known television figure, Ben Fogle.

2004: Isabella Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe

In 2004, when Prince William momentarily parted ways with Kate, rumors arose about his connection to socialite Isabella Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe. This young lady hails from an aristocratic family and is involved in acting and modeling. It’s said that Princess Eugenie, William’s cousin, facilitated their acquaintance. Interestingly, Cressida Bonas, Isabella’s half-sister, was romantically linked to Prince Harry for some time.

After her bond with William didn’t deepen, Isabella ultimately tied the knot with Sam Branson, the offspring of entrepreneur Richard Branson, in 2013. Since then, they’ve been blessed with two kids: Eva, their daughter, and Bluey, their son.

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2024-09-23 14:38