Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend has revealed she feared being branded an ‘it’ girl for life
Cressida Bonas, ex-girlfriend of Prince Harry and star of new Binge biopic White House Farm, has revealed why marrying into the royal family was not for her.
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Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend has revealed she feared being branded an “it” girl for life after her royal romance – as she now pushes ahead with making a name for herself in acting.
Cressida Bonas, who attended the 2018 wedding of her former beau to Suits star Meghan Markle, exclusively told News Corp Australia that self doubt had “definitely held me back” before finding the confidence to chase her acting ambitions in the new Binge biopic series, White House Farm.
Bonas, who was introduced to Harry in 2012 by his cousin, Princess Eugenie, has struggled in the shadow of her famous ex-boyfriend.
She reportedly ended their relationship because she was not prepared for the kind of searing scrutiny which pushed Prince Harry and Meghan to sensationally quit as senior royals.
“I think I have grown confident and fortunately I have learnt not to sweat the small stuff too much,” the 31-year-old said of her life since the split with Prince Harry in 2014.
“And I just think it has definitely given me a stronger sense of purpose and a stronger sense of what I want or don’t want.”
In her latest role, Bonas is unrecognisable as Sheila, a suspect in the real-life mass murders of a family in an Essex farmhouse, back in 1985.
The miniseries, based on the horrifying true story of the Bamber family killings, aired to critical acclaim in the UK earlier this year.
In her role as a schizophrenic mother of twins accused of murdering her adoptive parents, she has wowed critics with her surprising performance, which will likely catapult her onto the Hollywood stage.
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The popular podcaster, who leads her own discussion with celebrity friends and experts on Fear Itself, said overcoming her fears was key to moving her life forward and taking on her latest role.
“The fear of failing, the fear of rejection, the fear of not getting it right, the fear of not being perfect … I think that has limited me in certain situations in my life,” she said, hinting at what could have been her public life had she married into the British Royal family.
Instead, the sometime model is set to wed another Harry – this time, UK real estate broker Harry Wentworth Stanley, who proposed last year.
Bonas confirmed their high-society nuptials had been postponed because of the global pandemic.
“Unfortunately it has [been delayed]. We are not quite sure what our next move is, but we will have to be postponing the wedding.”
Being labelled an “it” girl, she said, has been frustrating for the bright and talented Bonas.
“I think terms like that are very narrow-minded. I think that I work very, very hard, I love what I do, and I just hope that this role has shown people what I can do and what I would like to do going forward and not be caught in a box in any way.”
Frustratingly for the rising star, her first major role has come at a time when coronavirus has shut down studios worldwide.
But Bonas is hopeful more opportunities will follow once lockdown measures lift.
“It is one of those things, really, and I just hope that when it [the acting industry] does re-open I can carry on doing it, as it is what I love doing.”
* White House Farm is available from Monday, June 8 on BINGE, Australia’s new streaming service.
New to BINGE? Get your two-week free trial at binge.com.au.
Originally published as Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend has revealed she feared being branded an ‘it’ girl for life