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Prince William's ex-girlfriends: Six ladies who warmed the royal’s heart before Kate

Entertainment
 Prince William was very popular with the ladies before meeting Kate (Image: Tim Graham/Getty Images)

Despite pressure from his family and the media, Prince William was determined not to rush into marriage.

He'd seen his parents' relationship fall apart first hand and knew he had to make sure whoever he picked to join the royal family was the right person - and they truly understood what they were getting into.

Constantly asked about his love life in interviews, William famously said: "Look, I'm only 22 for God's sake. I’m too young to marry at my age. I don't want to get married until I am at least 28 or maybe 30."

As a good-looking real life prince and the future king of England, it's hardly surprising that Wills got a lot of attention from the ladies while he was at school and university, and before falling in love with his friend Kate Middleton he dated a number of beautiful, intelligent and interesting women.

 Prince William relaxes on the beach at St Andrews, Scotland, in 2003, before meeting Kate (Image: Reuters)

But he ended on good terms with most of them and invited a number of his former flames to his wedding to Kate in 2011.

However, things weren't quite as simple with one of his university exes, and she had a very awkward run in with Kate and William while playing the drinking game I Have Never.

Jecca Craig

Wills reportedly dated Jecca when they were teenagers, and he spent time on her family's estate in Kenya during his gap year.

She was reportedly his first love and the couple even had a "pretend engagement" during the trip, reports Mail Online.

 Jecca Craig (Image: Getty Images)

Courtiers have also insisted they were just friends, but there were countless rumours before William settled down with Kate.

Jecca was reportedly the cause of upset at William's 21st birthday party, which she travelled to the UK to attend.

Kate and Wills were secretly dating at this point, and the prince had lied in an interview insisting he was completely single.

He invited Kate to the party as a friend but insiders say he didn't spend any time with her at the event - instead putting his focus on Jecca.

His ex was given one of the best seats in the house for the celebrations while Kate was positioned far from the action.

 Jecca and William spent time together in Kenya

In her book Kate: Our Future Queen, rexpert Katie Nicholl writes: "Kate didn't know whether they had been romantically involved or not, but she noted that Jecca had been seated at the head table next to William, whereas Kate had to raise her glass to toast the prince from afar.

But things all worked out in the end, and Jecca attended Kate and William's wedding at Westminster Abbey in 2011.

Wills flew to Kenya five years later to watch his ex marry Zoological Society expert Professor Jonathan Baillie.

Olivia Hunt

Wills dated aspiring writer Olivia, the sister-in-law of TV presenter Ben Fogle, during his first year at St Andrews.

When Kate and William realised they had feelings for each other and decided to take their friendship to the next step, Olivia disappeared from the scene.

 Olivia Hunt and her husband Nicholas Wilkinson at Meghan and Harry's royal wedding (Image: Getty Images)

However, she later became good friends with the couple and even went on holiday with them.

She was invited to the royal wedding. However, Kate and Wills didn't join the celebrations when she married Nicholas Wilkinson.

Rose Farquhar

Wills and Rose were childhood friends and insiders say romance blossomed after they finished college.

Rose has a pretty impressive family and she's daughter of Captain Ian Farquhar, the previous Master of the Beaufort Hunt.

 Rose Farquhar appeared on The Voice (Image: BBC)

Even though their romance didn't work out, the pair stayed close and she's become good friends with Kate. The trio are often reunited at society weddings

Rose appeared on BBC talent show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria before going on The Voice in 2016.

She reportedly reached to her ex to check before signing up for the reality TV shows.

Carly Massy-Birch

Wills had a short fling with fellow St Andrew's pupil Carly during their first semester.

Her parents later confirmed they dated for just under two months and they enjoyed dinner parties together.

Speaking about their time together she later said: "We got on well, but I think we would have got on well even if nothing had been going on romantically. It was very much a university thing, just a regular university romance.

"There wasn’t really a club at St. Andrews, so we tended to go to pubs and bars, and there was always a good dinner party going on."

But after things had ended there was reportedly an awkward moment during a night out with Wills and his new girlfriend, Kate.

The group reportedly started playing the drinking game I Have Never, which sees people say something they have never done and then everyone who has does it has to drink.

In her book The Making of a Royal Romance, expert Katie Nicholl claims that Carly said: 'I've never dated two people in this room".

She writes: “When it was Carly’s turn to play she announced, ‘I’ve never dated two people in this room,’ knowing full well that William was the only one who had because Kate was sitting next to him.

The source continued: “We knew they were together but it was the first time William confirmed his and Kate’s relationship in public.”

Katie claims that Wills shot her a "thunderous look" and said "I can't believe you just said that" under his breath.

Isabelle Calthorpe

Wills met the blonde actress, the daughter of John Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe and banking heiress Lady Mary-Gaye Georgiana Lorna Curzon, at a ball in 2001.

She's friends with William's cousin, Princess Eugenie and the half-sister of Prince Harry's ex, Cressida Bonas.

 Isabella Calthorpe (Image: WireImage)

He was apparently really keen on her, but their relationship never developed into anything serious.

Isabella married Richard Brason's son, Sam, in 2013.

Arabella Musgrave

Shortly before moving to Scotland for university, Wills fell head over hills for Arabella Musgrave.

She was part of the 'Glosse Posse', the nickname given to William and Harry's inner circle of trusted friends, so they were always at the same parties.

 Arabella Musgrave (Image: Getty Images)

Will had known Arabella, the daughter of the Cirencester Park Polo Club, since they were kids but royal expert Katie Nicholl claims things changed at one particular house party.

She writes: "As she walked through a friend’s house party, William did a double-take. Arabella had blossomed into a gorgeous-looking girl, and he wondered why he hadn’t noticed her properly until now."

"They danced and drank into the early hours, and when Arabella said her goodnights, the prince quietly slipped out of the room to follow her upstairs. It was the beginning of a passionate romance and the two spent as much time together that summer as possible."

Katie claims that William was so smitten with Arabella that he even considered binning off his university place to be with her.

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