Prince Harry's former girlfriend Cressida Bonas has opened up about her IVF journey after welcoming her first child.
The model announced the arrival of her baby boy with her husband Harry Wentworth-Stanley last month and has now admitted the adversities she faced in having the newborn.
Cressida, 33, has penned a candid report of how hard it was for her to conceive and the way her struggle affected her both emotionally and physically.
The actress also opened up about how prior to her IVF journey she found herself avoiding situations where she would see children because of the heartache of her infertility.
Writing in The Sunday Times Cressida admitted feeling that "my body was failing me" after a specialist told her and Harry "there was nothing fundamentally wrong."
She wrote: "I spent time and money on reflexology, nutritionists, acupuncture and psychics... Even a German healer who speaks to angels. I heard nothing, not a squeak.
"My mind was on a constant worry loop and my obsession with getting pregnant became overwhelming, No matter how many Mystic Megs I saw or expensive supplements I took, nothing was working, and I felt as if my body was failing me."
Cressida then admitted that she would avoid children's parties held by her close friends and family and that IVF "frightened" at first as she had no "power" over the final outcome.
However, her fears were soon eased when the couple found themselves successful in the first round of IVF treatments leading to the birth of their son in November.
Recognising how they were "lucky," she said: "I am aware how fortunate we are. We haven't suffered the extreme heartbreaks that other couples have. I count myself extremely lucky that IVF worked for us the first time."
Cressida went on to thank her social media following as she detailed how she had shared details of the IVF journey with her followers so she didn't feel "alone."
Cressida and Harry - a partner in a property investment firm - got married in July 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The couple reportedly had just 30 friends and family attend the nuptials in order to adhere to the Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time.
A friend told The Mail: "It was a beautiful ceremony and they are just so happy. It was a very private and intimate ceremony and that is what they wanted."
She previously dated Prince Harry between 2012 - 2014 after they met through his cousin Princess Eugenie, who remains one of her best friends.
Cressida and Prince Harry also remained on good terms after their split and she was even among the guests at his star-studded wedding ceremony to Meghan Markle in May 2018.
