Prince Harry's forgotten whirlwind romance with model before he met Meghan Markle

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Before  Prince Harry tied the knot with Meghan Markle and relocated to California, he was widely recognized for his penchant for the vibrant party scene, frequently spotted at some of London's most exclusive nightclubs.

One notable incident occurred in 2004 when he found himself in the company of former "The Only Way Is Essex" star Lauren Pope at the iconic Mayfair nightclub, China White.

On that particular evening, Harry and his older brother, Prince William, were enjoying a lively night out in the club's VIP section, surrounded by an aura of celebrity and glamour.

While William had become adept at navigating the attention from eager admirers, making sure to maintain a level of discretion to avoid sensational headlines, the then 19-year-old Harry was still reveling in his youth, and less guarded about such encounters.

Witnesses at the time claim they saw Lauren make her way to the princes before approaching them, with one adding that she ended up sitting on Harry's lap and whispering in his ear.

Prince Harry was spotted with Lauren Pope back in 2004. (Image: Getty)

"There was an instant spark between Harry and Lauren. He looked very pleased when she plonked herself down beside him and started chatting," The Sun newspaper reported.

"She was leaning over and whispering in his ear. She popped onto his knee at one point, and he draped her arm around him. She kissed his cheek, and he looked like the cat who had gotten the cream."

Harry - who arrived with an Australian friend called George at around 1am and left at 1.30am - did not seem too bothered about being seen.

Lauren later planned to sue those who she felt were responsible for leaking the story that she had been romantically linked to Prince Harry.

Lauren Pope was formerly a lingerie model. (Image: Getty)

The star told the Daily Star Sunday that her friendship with the royal had been ruined by press intrusion.

Lauren said: "It’s weird it happened to me. I can’t believe they did it, to be honest. Hopefully it doesn’t happen to people any more."

A pal added: “It looked like Lauren had sold her story to make a quick buck so it’s no ­surprise Harry cut all ties with her. But all along it was hacking [by News of the World] that ruined everything for her.

"They were starting to get really close and if things had carried on that way Lauren really could have become a princess. She’s got every right to be angry that this happened to her."

A spokesperson from her management commented: "Lauren has been contacted by the Metropolitan Police as part of ­ Operation Weeting. She is taking legal advice over a civil action against the News of the World in relation to information that has come to light about her phone being hacked."