This is the glamorous brunette with whom Prince William enjoyed a fling during his first term at St Andrews University.
Carly Massy-Birch, now 25, was reported to have dated the Prince shortly before he fell for Kate Middleton, leading to a rivalry between the two girls.
Now her parents have confirmed that their daughter and William were "an item", going out for a couple of months when they were "freshers" at the university. Scroll down for more...
Still friends: Pretty actress Carly Massy-Birch dated Wills in their first term at university
Read more...
But according to Mimi and Hugh Massy-Birch, there is no rift between Carly and Kate. The pair - along with the Prince - are the best of friends.
Mrs Massy-Birch said yesterday: "Carly will be really upset that this has come out. She went out with William for six or seven weeks when they first arrived at St Andrews.
"But there's absolutely no fall-out between her and Kate. In fact, all three of them are best friends.
"Carly has her own partner, with whom she is very much in love. She really wants Kate to marry Wills so that she can be sure of going to the wedding.
"If he falls for someone else, she's worried that she might miss out."
The Massy-Birches, who run a farm and camping park near Axminster, Devon, kept their actress daughter's relationship with the Prince a closely guarded secret.
Scroll down for more...
One the town: Wills and Shery Scrivener in 2005
Partying hard: Wills shows off his moves to Shery Scrivener
However, Daily Telegraph diarist Celia Walden has claimed it was common knowledge among St Andrews students within weeks of the Prince's arrival there in 2001.
Soon after the relationship ended, William, now also 25, was seen escorting Miss Middleton, 26, to parties.
According to one account, Miss Massy-Birch felt a simmering resentment.
However, her mother said: "That really is rubbish. Carly has always been very close to Kate and William, and that has never changed.
"She has tried so hard to keep her friendship with him quiet - we all have - and so she will be upset by this. Scroll down for more...
Get down tonight: Wills and his Australian make-up artist friend dance the night away
"It was something that happened and everybody has moved on. She just wants to get on with her acting. She is based in London and has appeared in a few plays, including some on Radio 4."
Yesterday, photographs of the Prince appeared, showing him dancing with pretty, blonde 24-year-old Australian make-up artist Shery Scrivener at a party in September 2005.
She told a friend last night how the Prince had singled her out: "He came straight over, ignoring all the others. It made me feel very special. "He focused completely on me ... as if nobody else existed. We spent almost all the night dancing together. It was really magical."
Happy together: Kate and Wills have been dating since university
Carly... the beautiful brunette who dated William before Kate | the Daily Mail
Bookmarks