RICHARD KAY: Harry's girl is wrapped up in love: Cressida Bonas wears scarf in aid of Prince's charity

By Richard Kay

PUBLISHED: 20:30 EST, 28 November 2013 | UPDATED: 07:44 EST, 29 November 2013

Cressida Bonas supported her boyfriend Prince Harry by wearing a scarf from a range being sold in aid of his charity Sentebale

Cressida Bonas supported her boyfriend Prince Harry by wearing a scarf from a range being sold in aid of his charity Sentebale

There was a time when a knight would flourish a handkerchief or some other keepsake from his lady love. With modern-day royalty, it seems as if it is the other way round.

Out shopping on the King’s Road, Cressida Bonas sported one of her royal beau Prince Harry’s scarves tied around her waist.

The £180 limited-edition accessory is being sold in aid of the Prince’s charity, Sentebale, which helps Aids orphans in the tiny African kingdom of Lesotho.

Just a handful of the scarves, made by British designers Lily and Lionel, are being made available — and Harry, it seems, has secured one for his girlfriend.

That Cressida, 24, chooses to wear a scarf associated with a cause close to Harry’s heart is bound to be seen as a sign of the ever-increasing seriousness of  their relationship.

The couple have been dating for 18 months and the Prince is said to be ‘very serious’ about the blonde former performing arts student.

He split from his ‘first love’, Zimbabwean-born lawyer Chelsy Davy, shortly after she accompanied him to his brother William’s wedding in 2011, following an often tempestuous seven-year, on-off relationship.

The romance with Cressida appears to be going from strength to strength — much to Harry’s relief.

Only last year in an interview with U.S. television, he complained that girls appeared to be put off by his title and position, and indicated he was keen to shed his playboy tag. ‘I’m not so much searching for someone to fulfil the role, but obviously, you know, finding someone that would be willing to take it on,’ he said. Away from his love life, Harry set up his charity in 2006 in memory of his late mother.

He is involved in every aspect of the charity and the scarves are a small part of its global fundraising efforts. Made from wool and silk, the pattern is inspired by a blanket used by the kings and chief of Lesotho. Its distinctive design is one that symbolises fertility.

Some 75 per cent of the sale price is being donated to Sentebale, which enables the charity to support 28 HIV-positive children.

Harry, 29, hasn’t yet taken Cressida to see the charity’s work in Lesotho, but the besotted couple did enjoy a romantic safari holiday to Botswana in the summer.

 
Prince Charles's (pictured) godson Nicolas Knatchbull is trying to sell items on eBay

Prince Charles's (pictured) godson Nicolas Knatchbull is trying to sell items on eBay

Prince Charles’s godson Nicholas Knatchbull, a former drug addict and heir to the £100 million Mountbatten fortune, is following in the footsteps of the likes of Sally Bercow and Cherie Blair in trying to flog his wares on eBay.

I understand that ‘5DN’ — or Five-Dimensional Nick, the artistic name under which Nicholas prefers to be known — put a black framed glass digital abstract on eBay earlier this month on a ten-day auction with a starting price of £250. 

Alas, there were no takers for the 40in square artwork, meaning it will likely be marketed instead at the Pall Mall and Chelsea galleries where the 33-year-old says he normally exhibits his work.

Prior to this failed experiment, Eton-educated Knatchbull, who has the courtesy title Lord Romsey, has enjoyed more success, selling a £900 Canon camera, an Xbox 360 and various games.

Nicholas is engaged to nurse Raz Tedros, who is credited by friends with helping him get his life back on track after years of substance abuse, including heroin and crack cocaine.

It sold socialite John Rendall the lion he used walk on the Kings Road but now, after 100 years, Harrods’ historic pet shop is set to close for good.

Economic trends  and fashions, it seems, have finally proved a force for change and Pet Kingdom will shut its doors in December with the pet spa following in January.  

Business  for pet sales is nothing like as good as in its neighbouring fashion department on the same fourth floor, where business is booming and set to expand.

 

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It also hasn’t helped that Harrods itself has been on the receiving end of concerted efforts by celebrity supporters, such as Elle Macpherson, of  Pup Aid, an animal rights group campaigning against, among other things, the sale of puppies without their mothers.

But a Harrods spokeswoman insists:  ‘We are closing Pet Kingdom due to retail space needed for fashion and accessories expansion.’

 

The Queen has had an unwelcome reminder on the pitfalls of owning jump horses. Nicky Henderson, champion National Hunt trainer, could not contain his excitement this week over five-year-old gelding Close Touch, which has won four of its five races.

‘He’s the best prospect I’ve had for the Queen,’ said Henderson as the horse prepared to make its seasonal debut at Newbury today.

But yesterday the trainer revealed the nag is being scratched from the novice chase and may be off for some time, having picked up an injury. ‘Unfortunately, this is the brutality of the game,’ Henderson says.

 

She might not have had managed to get Simon Cowell’s attention when on American Idol, but singer Quinn Archer certainly got Prince William’s as a surprise guest at his charity gala and concert at Kensington Palace.

‘Maybe it was my work with homeless people that got me on the show — but otherwise I’m mystified,’ says Quinn who was invited to join the star-studded event in aid of Centrepoint.

Quinn Archer was excited to be asked to perform at the Centrepoint charity gala this week. The stockbroker's daughter said she did not know how she had managed to get to perform

Quinn Archer was excited to be asked to perform at the Centrepoint charity gala this week. The stockbroker's daughter said she did not know how she had managed to get to perform

Quinn, 29, real name Juliet Quintin-Archard, is a convent school-educated brunette from Putney now living in Los Angeles where she has been seeking her fortune. ‘I got a few small parts acting — I was Sienna Miller’s PA in GI Joe — but music is my passion,’ she tells me. ‘It was in LA where I tried my luck with Simon’s show as a singer, but sadly he didn’t notice me!’

The stockbroker’s daughter’s ambition to succeed was hardened by family tragedy when a few months after she arrived in LA, her beloved father, Martin, died at 45 climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

 

He’s been linked to a string of beauties from Cameron Diaz to Jennifer Aniston, but model Paul Sculfor says he finds it difficult to get an ‘ordinary’ girlfriend.

Speaking at the opening of Barbour in Piccadilly, he says: ‘Because of the job, I tend to go to trendy parties with Hollywood stars and hang out with well-known people — it’s inevitable, I suppose, that I end up dating celebrities, and not my fault!’

Sculfor, 42, adds: ‘It would be nice to date someone who, unlike me, is not constantly judged on their appearance. I definitely don’t seek famous women out, it’s just the way it happens.’

 

The democratisation of Who’s Who continues apace. Next year’s volume will include former Strictly judge Arlene Phillips, violinist Nicola Benedetti, Blur bassist-turned-gentleman-farmer Alex James and comedienne Miranda Hart.

Even so Richard Fitzwilliams, editor of International Who’s Who for 26 years, says it is time for change.

‘There should be more up-to-date coverage of film, popular music, fashion and contemporary art,’ he says, adding: ‘Since we know who heads MI5, surely the time for an anonymous editor, Who’s Who’s policy since 1899, is past.’

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Toyota Cressida is what I think of. What a ugly name.

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I don't understand the negative comments regarding Cressida's looks. I think that she is beautiful. She is young and dresses like many women her age. I'm sure with maturity her style will change.

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We in America know that Prince Charles is deeply in favor of Agenda 21. If you haven't heard of this plan, look it up if you are interested.

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Cressida's a beauty , with a stylist she'll outshine Kate if and when she marries Harry. Doolittle and Carole must be having an absolute conniption over this relationship.

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She dresses like a 12 year old girl

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Climb back into your box.....its called Boho chic

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Goodness this girl is sloppy.

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She is very plain.

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Naturally beautiful

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Cressida is a pretty girl-next-door type with more than a dash of punk rock. She and Harry make a cute couple since he's also less conventional a prince. But I can't see her melding into the Establishment. This girl is more Diana than Kate and I can't see her playing by the rules just to suit other people.

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Wills might end up being king, but Harry's got the better girl.

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"The romance with Cressida appears to be going from strength to strength..." Substitute Cressida with Kate and you'll have the same line the DM used over and over when blindly speculating on Kate & William's relationship. C'mon DM...time to get some new, factually vague, exaggerated one-liners and phrases now :P

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