Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend Florence St George reveals she struggled with 'scrutiny'
One of Prince Harry's ex-girlfriends has shared how their relationship impacted her mental health as she struggled to "cope" with the "scrutiny" of dating a royal.
Florence St George, 35, dated the Duke of Sussex, 37, back in 2011 when they were both in their mid-20s.
She told The Sunday Telegraph's Stella magazine about the sudden glare of media attention she received when news of their relationship broke.
The artist, who was known as Florence Brudenell-Bruce at the time, said: "My privacy ended abruptly, and the scrutiny began. A new story would appear almost every day in the press, my school friends were interrogated and there were photographers outside my front door."
She added: "I take my hat off to those people who can cope with that lifestyle, but I knew I couldn’t. Although it was sad at the time, I feel lucky that the relationship was short-lived."
Before her relationship with the duke – who is now married to Meghan Markle – St George had previously dated Formula 1 driver Jenson Button.
She said: "I’ve probably lived with anxiety since my teens, but it became really noticeable when I was in my 20s."
The former model and actress noted that, while struggling with her mental health, to onlookers she was "having a fun, frivolous time, modelling, acting and travelling the world".
Soon after splitting with the duke, St George met her now-husband Henry – the vice-president of the Grand Bahama Port Authority – and they married in 2013.
The couple moved to the Bahamas, where they raise their daughter Iris, who was born in 2014.
St George – who promotes her pottery business on Instagram – revealed in the same interview that, seven months after giving birth, she was diagnosed with postnatal depression.
Her ex, Prince Harry, went on to date actress Cressida Bonas from 2012 to 2014, before he met the Markle in 2016.
Watch: Royal weddings through the years
