Chelsy Yvonne Davy (born 13 October 1985[citation needed]) is a Zimbabwean businesswoman. She is the owner and founder of the jewellery brand Aya and the travel agency Aya Africa. She is known for being the ex-girlfriend of Prince Harry.
Early life and education
Davy was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, to Charles Davy, a South African safari farmer, and Beverley Donald Davy, a former Coca-Cola model and winner of the 1973 Miss Rhodesia contest.[1] She has a younger brother, Shaun,[2] and grew up at her family's homestead in the Lemco Safari Area.[3][4]
Her father, Charles, was one of the largest private landowners in Zimbabwe, and was reported to own 800,000 acres (320,000 ha) of land.[5] He maintained business ties with controversial politician Webster Shamu,[6] of whom he said, "I am in partnership with a person who I personally like and get along with. I am not involved in politics in any way."[7][8] After being criticised by the press, however, Davy sold his share in the business.[9]
In 2020, in an interview with Tatler Magazine, Davy announced that Aya would be branching out into the luxury travel sector to organise African holidays.[20] She then announced the launch of Aya Africa on Instagram.[21]
Personal life
Davy is married to hotelier Sam Cutmore-Scott, the brother of actor Jack Cutmore-Scott.[22] They have a son, Leo, born in 2022,[23] and a daughter, Chloe, born in 2024.[24]
Relationship with Prince Harry
Davy met Prince Harry, a member of the British royal family, in early 2004, when Davy was a student at Stowe School; they were in an on-again, off-again romantic relationship (often described in the press as "turbulent") until 2009,[25] when she announced in a post on Facebook that it had ended.[17][26]
In 2011, when rumours of a possible reconciliation surfaced, both Davy and Prince Harry publicly debunked them. Prince Harry professed himself "100 percent single", and Davy, who had attended the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011, confirmed that she would not marry Prince Harry, citing the incompatibility of their life choices.[27][28]
In November 2021, private investigator Gavin Burrows claimed in a BBC documentary that Davy's communications had been targeted, and her voicemails hacked, in an attempt by media outlets to gather information on Prince Harry; he also apologized for the part he said he had played in those efforts.[31] Burrow's claims "are yet to be tested in court and are strongly disputed" by The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World.[32]
In a witness statement that was part of a civil action Prince Harry had brought against Associated Newspapers Ltd, the publisher of the Daily Mail, he claimed that the news company had obtained information about his and Davy's whereabouts through "unlawful means", and that this had left her feeling "hunted" and "shaken".[33] In a witness statement he gave as part of an action he had brought against Mirror Group Newspapers for alleged unlawful activity by its journalists, he claimed that Davy had decided that "a royal life was not for her".[34]
^Tatler (29 February 2020). "The One that Got Away: Chelsy Davy on her Plans for the Future". Tatler. UK: Condé Nast. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020. Aya is branching out into the luxury travel sector, specialising in all areas of the continent. 'It's an organic progression from the jewellery. Africa is where I'm from, where my family is from; it's my heritage and I've always been interested in tourism and conservation.' The plan, she says, is to use her expertise and knowledge of Africa to organise bespoke holidays, working with a team in Cape Town. 'We want to be able to curate incredible trips for people, offering them a personalised, professional service, being there for them 24/7. I'm very knowledgeable about parts of Zambia and Cape Town. We would never send anyone anywhere that one of us hasn't been to, or to an area something more adventurous, like rafting or bungee jumping. We want to curate the trip to fit with your definition of luxury.'
