Reality star Catherine Ommanney dated Prince Harry when he was 21. There was a 13 year age gap.

These days, Prince Harry lives in Montecito, California, with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie and Lilibet. 

After marrying the American actress in 2018, the pair stepped down from their senior roles in the royal family and left England in search of a life away from the public. It's a life that could not look any more different from his younger days. 

But according to American reality TV star, Catherine Ommanney, it has always been Harry's dream to find freedom and it was something she says "he was desperately searching for back then".

Watch: Harry and Meghan through the years. Post continues after video.

Catherine Ommanney, best known for being on the reality show Real Housewives of D.C., spoke to The Sun recently about her relationship with the prince. 

At the time, Ommanney was 34 years old and Prince Harry was a 21-years old. After spotting her at a London bar in May 2006, he introduced himself.

"[He] was wearing an Australian-style hat that made me laugh so I asked him, 'What are you doing looking like a t**t in that?'" she recalled. 

"I don’t think he was used to people taking the Mickey and once we started talking, it was like there was no one else in the room."

16 years on from their first interaction, Ommanney is choosing to share the intimate details of their romance after finding out the royal, now 38, is planning to write about his ex-girlfriends in his new memoir, Spare.

Catherine Ommanney, 2010. Image: Getty.

"I doubt I will be in Harry’s book as a prince can’t run off with a 34-year-old mother-of-two, it’s just not the done thing," she told The Sun.

The 13-year age gap was one aspect of their relationship that Ommanney was very aware of. They hit it off straight away, but the socialite said "a relationship was the furthest thing from my mind," due to his age. 

"He was only 21," she said, before explaining how their first meeting quickly turned into a first date. 

"But when everyone started leaving at around 11pm, Harry pointed to one of three Range Rovers parked outside and said, 'Hop in with me,' which I found very flattering."

After being driven around, the pair ended up at a private nightclub in South Kensington. 

"A few moments later the manager came over and asked, ‘What is your favourite song?’ Harry said, 'Gnarls Barkley, Crazy,'" she recalled. "It came on a second later and I said, 'You are so spoiled'. Harry just laughed."

Things took a turn though when Ommanney claimed the royal dumped a "cloth out of the champagne bucket" on her head while she was "chatting to somebody".

"I was a bit upset because it was freezing. I told him, 'Stop being so needy, that is not the way to behave,'" she said. "One of his security guards came over and told him off, saying, 'Get a grip, you can’t behave like that'."

Ommanney added: “I saw him get told off like that a few times."

Prince Harry, 2006. Image: Getty.

The reality TV star said the pair went on to another club later in the night before detouring to "his friend's place in Chelsea" for a "good bacon sandwich". 

"Harry and I shared a cigarette on the steps outside and he really opened up to me," she shared, adding that it was from there on that their relationship became intimate.

"We went upstairs to the bathroom and started mucking about like teenagers, singing into toothbrushes like they were microphones. We got into the bath with our clothes on and one of our friends took a photo on my phone," she shared. 

"Harry and I went to the kitchen, and he made a great bacon sandwich. We sat in the kitchen chatting for ages and we both had the giggles. We started play fighting and I think we were wrestling on and off for about 15 minutes when I told him I needed to go home.

“It was then that he lifted me by my waist off the floor and held me against the wall. He gave me the most incredible, passionate kiss I have ever had in my life. I was absolutely speechless.”

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According to Ommanney, the royal insisted on going home together before adding: "We continued texting and I saw him again about a week later at a bar in Kensington.

"We had another kiss and Harry was very complimentary, telling me how beautiful I was. We met a few more times, always in private bars."

Their romance ended quickly though after the pair's relationship was made public. 

After two final dates, Prince Harry changes his number and Ommanney did not hear from him again. 

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The pair wouldn't see each other until three years later in 2009, when they had a run-in at a polo match in Barbados.

"Harry pushed past his bodyguards to give me a kiss and a hug and we had a great conversation. In hindsight, it’s a shame we couldn’t have remained friends," she shared.

"I had the time of my life when I was with Harry as we got each other’s sense of humour."

The reality star shared that if the royal had only been a few years older, they might have pursued a relationship. 

"Without being arrogant, I think we both quite fancied each other even though he was way too young for me. If he wasn’t a royal and was maybe ten years older, he would be my perfect man," Ommanney said. 

"If Harry walked through the door here now, he would probably give me a high five and I am sure we will meet again, because the world is a small place."

Feature Image: Getty.