Revealed: Harry’s Hottie Number 2 ...and doesn’t she look like you know who!
He secretly dated English model while wooing Meghan – and don’t they look alike!
PRINCE HARRY secretly dated a stunning English fashion model while he was wooing American TV star Meghan Markle, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
The Prince enjoyed a series of dates with Burberry model Sarah Ann Macklin in June and July while he was romancing Miss Markle when she visited London.
Friends of Miss Macklin, 27 – who looks uncannily like the American actress – told us that Harry, 32, met the model at a private party where he took her number and bombarded her with texts, just as he is said to have done with Miss Markle.
It was unclear last night whether Miss Markle, 35, who stars in US television drama Suits, was aware that Harry was seeing a lookalike brunette while he was beginning his relationship with her.
Sources say Harry’s interest in Miss Macklin brought on a jealous reaction from her chiselled ex-boyfriend David Gandy, an underwear model for Marks and Spencer.
A source close to Miss Macklin said last night: ‘Their fling is an open secret among her friends.
‘David Gandy knew that Harry was pursuing her and tried to get her back. At one point she had the country’s most famous male model and a prince vying for her affection, and the novelty was not lost on her.
‘She ended up turning David down and dating Prince Harry. It eventually fizzled out but they are on friendly terms.’
Another friend confirmed: ‘They were introduced at a social gathering and Harry made a beeline for her. She was very flattered by the attention and they went on a few dates. Everything was kept very below the radar.
‘They got on, but are quite different. She is very clean living and barely drinks and in that respect they were on a different wavelength. Harry also seemed a bit non-committal and it never really got off the ground. Things fizzled out before he went to Africa for a month in August.’
Miss Macklin is signed to leading agency Select Model Management and has worked for brands including Burberry, Abercrombie and Fitch and Matthew Williamson. She turned heads in a racy photo-shoot for Esquire magazine in 2012, wearing a lace bra that barely covered her modesty.
Asked about her royal fling last night, she said: ‘I wouldn’t speak about my personal life, whether it’s with Prince Harry or anyone. I wouldn’t tell you whether it was true or not.’
News of Harry’s relationship with Miss Markle broke last weekend. He is said to be ‘besotted’ after meeting the divorced actress in London in May. He deluged her with texts until she agreed to meet up for a date in London.
This newspaper understands the date was set up Markus Anderson, a Canadian who knows both the Prince and Miss Markle. The couple have another friend in common – designer Misha Nonoo, who is married to Harry’s friend, Alexander Gilkes. A source said: ‘Misha and Meghan are great chums. She has known about the romance with Harry the whole time but was sworn to secrecy.’
Kensington Palace has declined to comment on the Prince’s private life, but tellingly there has been no denial from his camp over reports of his relationship with Miss Markle.
‘David Gandy knew that Harry was pursuing her’