Prince Harry ‘was secretly dating David Gandy’s ex Sarah Ann Macklin while wooing American actress Meghan Markle’
PRINCE Harry may have also dated an English model around the time he then attempted to win over US actress Meghan Markle, it has been revealed.
It is not clear if the two definitely overlapped, but the 32-year-old Prince is said to have also gone on dates with Burberry model Sarah Ann Macklin around the months he was wooing his current love interest.
The Mail on Sunday has reported the 27-year-old model did spend time with the royal during the summer after meeting him at a private party, but that it fizzled out.
Friends of the former girlfriend of fellow model David Gandy say she was bombarded with texts to go out with the Prince.
This is also said to be how he got the attention of TV star Meghan Markle, 35, after meeting earlier this year.
A source close to Miss Macklin : "Their fling is an open secret among her friends.
"David Gandy knew that Harry was pursuing her and tried to get her back. At one point she had the country’s most famous male model and a prince vying for her affection, and the novelty was not lost on her."
Friends said the pair were never really on the same wavelength and the relationship ended before Harry went to Africa for a month.
Since news of the Prince's reported relationship with Miss Markle broke last week, friends and family of the actress have said they are both very happy.
Kensington Palace have neither confirmed nor denied the relationship.
Yesterday The Sun revealed Harry whisked the actress off to Los Angeles for a make-or-break hook-up to decide whether their flirtation would become something more serious.
A friend said: “Harry sealed the deal in style. Before they went to LA she’d been flattered about being chased by a prince.
“She is very outgoing and chatty and was basically giggling about it all."
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Harry was said to be holed up in her Toronto home between October 27 and Tuesday this week, sneaking back in to the UK on Wednesday as the world digested the news of the romance.
But while the pair will doubtless be annoyed that their cover has been blown, friends say the fact they have managed to pull it off this long is proof the relationship has legs.
Harry has spoken previously of the “massive paranoia that sits inside me” with the scrutiny any girl he speaks to in public must endure.
He said: “If, or when, I do find a girlfriend, I will do my utmost...to ensure that me and her can get to the point where we’re actually comfortable with each other before the massive invasion that is inevitably going to happen into her privacy."
The pair were said to have spent Halloween together.
A friend of Harry’s said: “He was buzzing with excitement when he arrived. He couldn’t wait to see her again.”
Residents of Toronto neighbourhood The Annex say they saw two blacked-out SUVs with security guards, believed to he Harry’s, around for days. A Canadian cop car was also seen parked down the street.
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