Charles bans Chelsy from Highgrove party

by LAURA COLLINS, Mail on Sunday

Last updated at 08:23 02 January 2005

Prince Charles banned Prince Harry's girlfriend from spending New Year's Eve at Highgrove, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Harry had asked his father whether Chelsy Davy could stay over and be officially introduced to Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

But, according to Royal sources, Charles refused, saying he did not want to upset the domestic arrangements he had already made.

One source said: "Charles is also anxious that Harry keeps a low profile in January as that is when he was supposed to be starting at Sandhurst.

"The worry is that with Chelsy around Harry will end up cavorting around and doing stupid things. Obviously that wouldn't look good when the reason he has postponed going to Sandhurst is because he has injured his knee."

Compromise reached

But Charles has agreed that Chelsy, 19, can stay at his Gloucestershire home in a few weeks time - although he has banned the pair from sharing a room.

A Royal insider said 20-year-old Harry and Chelsy, a student at Cape Town University, had had a "very relaxed time" when he visited her in South Africa last year. The pair also shared a beach hut when they enjoyed a ten-day holiday on exotic Bazaruto Island, off Mozambique, in December.

But the insider added: "Things will be a bit different at Highgrove. The boys do run rings around Charles and he just says, "Oh no, here we go again... but he's adamant on this point.

"Harry's been told they will have to sleep in separate rooms and can't even have adjoining suites, which may become a bone of contention."

Harry and Chelsy secretly dated for at least eight months before their affair became public five weeks ago. The couple have seemed inseparable and there has even been speculation that they may become engaged.

According to sources, the couple spent Christmas apart and are now both very anxious to see each other again as soon as possible.

One source said: "Harry invited Chelsy to join him on the skiing holiday during their break on Bazaruto Island. Harry and Chelsy and a group of friends will ski for ten days before Harry goes on to join his brother and father on their Swiss Easter holiday at Klosters.

"But they really don't want to wait until then to see one another, hence Harry's determination to get Chelsy to Highgrove."

The young couple have already discussed the possibility of Harry visiting Zimbabwe, where her millionaire father Charles Davy runs a safari business.

Mr Davy has come under fire for his close relationship with the regime of Zimbabwe's dictator Robert Mugabe.

Politically dangerous

It is a politically dangerous situation for Clarence House and one it has seemed reluctant to address.

But, as Harry and Chelsy appear to move ever closer to putting their relationship on a more formal footing, it is a problem Royal aides will not be able to ignore for much longer.

While Charles is understood to be well disposed to Harry's relationship with Chelsy, the harsh political realities of the situation could prevent him from giving the couple his overt blessing.

Last night, asked about Chelsy's proposed visit to Highgrove, a spokesperson for the Prince of Wales said: "We don't comment on Harry's private life or the private life of his friends."