Davina Morley, a former girlfriend of King Charles who was once seen as a possible future Queen, has died at the age of 75.

Morley, who was known as Davina Sheffield when she dated Charles, died on September 2 following a short illness, according to the Daily Mail.

Her three sons, Tom, Billy and Henry, were reportedly by her side when she died.

Her family is now planning a celebration of her life. The service is expected to take place in November near her beloved home in the Cotswolds.

A Former Love of King Charles

Long before Charles married Princess Diana, Davina was considered one of the women who could potentially become his wife.

Charles began dating her around 1976.

At the time, the future King was one of the world’s most eligible bachelors. There was intense interest in who he would eventually marry.

Davina quickly stood out.

She was tall, blonde and came from a prominent aristocratic family. She was also known for her intelligence, wit and dazzling smile.

Davina was considered one of Charles’ so-called “English Roses.” The group of well-connected young women surrounding the future King was sometimes nicknamed “Charlie’s Angels” by the press.

Charles was also linked to women including Lady Jane Wellesley, Georgiana Russell, Lady Sarah Spencer, Sabrina Guinness and Anna Wallace during his younger years.

But his relationship with Davina appeared particularly serious.

Romance Quickly Became Serious

Charles and Davina were seen together at several high-profile social events.

They attended a wedding together. They were also photographed looking happy while riding around in Charles’ open-top Aston Martin DB5 Volante.

Then came an even bigger sign that the relationship could have a future.

Davina was photographed sitting beside Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at an equestrian event.

It fueled speculation that Charles had finally found the woman he might marry.

One royal observer reportedly believed Charles had found “the soulmate he was searching for.” Others said the pair appeared very much in love.

Charles also invited Davina to Balmoral.

There, she reportedly won over other members of the Royal Family. She became particularly popular with Charles’ grandmother, the Queen Mother, who was said to enjoy her company.

One friend later told the Daily Mail that Davina and Charles were “wonderful together.”

Why Davina Appeared to Be a Perfect Match

Davina had many of the qualities that were considered important for a future royal bride at the time.

She was born into a wealthy and well-connected family.

Her grandfather was Lord McGowan, a prominent Scottish industrialist who served as chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries, better known as ICI, for two decades.

Davina was also part of the Sheffield family.

The family’s ancestry can reportedly be traced back to King Charles II. She was also a cousin of Samantha Sheffield, who later married future British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Royal expert Michael Rhodes described Davina as the kind of glamorous and blue-blooded girlfriend Charles was looking for during that period.

For a time, everything seemed to be falling into place.

Then the romance came to an abrupt end.

The Revelation That Changed Everything

Before dating Charles, Davina had been involved with powerboat racer James Beard.

Beard later revealed to the press that he and Davina had previously lived together.

Today, such a revelation might attract little attention. But royal expectations were very different in the 1970s.

There was enormous pressure on Charles to marry a woman who met the traditional expectations placed on a future Queen.

The disclosure about Davina’s previous relationship reportedly ended any possibility of marriage.

Their romance was effectively over.

Charles was said to have been devastated, especially because Davina had already earned the approval of members of his family.

Royal author Penny Junor later wrote about their relationship in her 2005 book, The Firm.

According to Junor, Davina initially turned down a dinner invitation from Charles because she was still involved with Beard.

Charles kept pursuing her.

Eventually, she agreed to go out with him, and their relationship developed.

Junor wrote that Davina seemed ideal for Charles in many ways and that the couple appeared deeply in love.

Charles Was Still Heartbroken Over Camilla

The romance came during a complicated time in Charles’ personal life.

He had already developed strong feelings for Camilla.

But in 1973, while Charles was away serving with the Royal Navy, Camilla became engaged to Andrew Parker Bowles.

Charles was reportedly heartbroken.

Camilla married Andrew that same year.

Charles continued searching for a suitable wife. It was during those years that Davina entered his life.

After their relationship ended, Charles eventually began dating Lady Diana Spencer.

Charles had first met Diana in 1977. The couple became engaged in 1981 and married later that year in a huge royal wedding.

Davina Found Lasting Love

Davina’s life also moved forward.

She fell in love with Jake Morley.

The couple married in 1981, the same year Charles married Diana.

Davina and Jake went on to have three sons.

Their eldest, Thomas, was born in 1983. William, known as Billy, followed in 1984. Their youngest son, Henry, was born in 1987.

Davina was also stepmother to Jake’s two sons, Dominic and Sebastian, from his first marriage.

Her marriage to Jake lasted for decades.

Jake died in April 2022 at the age of 80.

Charles Eventually Married Camilla

Charles’ marriage to Diana ultimately broke down.

They separated in 1992 and finalized their divorce in 1996. Diana died in a car crash in Paris the following year.

Charles and Camilla remained close over the years and eventually became a couple.

They married in 2005.

When Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, Charles became King and Camilla became Queen Consort. She is now known as Queen Camilla.

Davina’s Final Years

Davina largely lived her life away from the royal spotlight that had surrounded her during her romance with Charles.

She made her home in the Cotswolds and remained devoted to her family.

Her death closes another chapter in the story of the women who played important roles in Charles’ life before he became King.

Davina is survived by her sons Tom, Billy and Henry, along with her stepsons Dominic and Sebastian.

Her family plans to remember her with a celebration of life at a local church in Gloucestershire.

The service will be held about 15 miles from Highgrove, King Charles’ longtime country home.