Prince Harry's engagement dominated headlines last week. But Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas chose not to dwell on what might have been as they hit London over the weekend. The two ladies, who both dated the Prince prior to his romance with Meghan Markle, dazzled in black evening dresses as they attended separate events in the capital. Chelsy, 32, and Cressida, 28, are understood to have had amicable splits from Harry, preferring to focus on their careers without the pressure of being a royal partner. Chelsy flashed a bright smile for the cameras as she attended the Brilliant Is Beautiful gala at Claridge's – hosted by Harry's aunt, Sarah Ferguson - dressed in a black crop top and a full-length skirt, featuring sheer mesh panels. Cressida also opted for a striking black ensemble, sparking in a floor-length beaded gown as she arrived for the Evening Standard Theatre Awards on Sunday night.
© Photo: Getty ImagesChelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas both attended events in London over the weekend
Chesly – born in Zimbabwe – dated Harry on-and-off for seven years, between 2004 and 2011, and she recently spoke about the difficulties of their relationship. "It was so full-on: crazy and scary and uncomfortable," she told The Times in 2016. "I found it very difficult when it was bad. I couldn't cope… I was trying to be a normal kid, and it was horrible." Both Harry and Chelsy were wary of media intrusiveness during their relationship, and when they broke up in 2010, Chelsy said she retreated to her native Zimbabwe to handle the break-up away from the spotlight. "It was nuts," she said. "That's also why I wanted to go back to Africa. Now it's calm, it's fine."
© Photo: Getty ImagesChelsy dated Prince Harry on-and-off for seven years, between 2004 and 2011
Chelsy has also insisted she will "always be good friends" with the Prince, and she remains very much a part of his inner circle; despite splitting from Harry in 2010, she was still invited to Prince William and Kate's royal wedding in April 2011, and made an appearance at Harry’s 30th birthday party at Kensington Palace in 2014.
© Photo: Getty ImagesCressida and Harry ended their two-year romance in 2014
Cressida, meanwhile, was widely expected to marry the royal, prior to the end of their two-year relationship in 2014. Some 24 hours after Harry's engagement news broke, she took to Instagram to share an inspirational post with her followers that read: "No matter how educated, talented, rich or cool you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells it all." The actress has previously shared her frustration at being "pigeon-holed" as Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend. "It's incredibly frustrating, especially in the industry that I'm in," she said. "But you know, it is the way it is. It's about making a stand and saying, 'No, this is who I am and this is what I want to do'."
STORY: Cressida Bonas cosies up to James Arthur in new music video
