According to a royal author, the breakup between Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas was caused by an alleged altercation with a royal fan. The couple, who were introduced by Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie, dated on and off from 2012 until 2014.
In her account of the incident, best-selling author Tina Brown claims to have pinpointed the exact moment when their relationship soured. Brown attributes the split to Harry's cold reply to an older admirer.
The couple spent Christmas 2013 with Cressida's half-sister and other family members, as per Brown's report.
They had decided to have lunch at a little pub in Kidlington, which is just outside of Oxford, and they had been able to reserve a table that was hidden away in the back of the business.
The pair finished their meal and started to depart, but a pubgoer interrupted them. As they were about to go, this very sweet-looking and old man suddenly appeared and said: "Oh, sir, so sorry, I know it’s Christmas time, but could I just take a photograph to give to my wife who isn’t well?’” Tina wrote.
"And so Cressida opened her mouth and said: ‘Oh, of course.’ And Harry said: ‘Get out of my way’ and went bright red in the face and stormed off in a huff," she claimed.
The Duke of Sussex, who provided a brief account of their connection in his incendiary book, Spare, published earlier this year, has not corroborated the occurrence.
Harry's fear of being in public followed by paparazzi reportedly made Cressida nervous about their relationship. She also felt uneasy about photos of Prince William, Kate Middleton, and baby George touring New Zealand and Australia. However, Cressida advised Harry to seek professional help for his mental health before they ended their relationship.
"There was massive affection, deep and abiding loyalty — but not love everlasting," he wrote of their split in his memoir.
Despite their final breakup in 2014, Harry still considers Cressida to be one of his close friends, and in 2018 she was invited to his wedding to Meghan Markle.