Catherine Ommanney, a former romantic interest of Prince Harry, has responded to allegations that she departed a hotel in Majorica without settling her bill, attributing the situation to a “technical error.”
Ommanney, aged 53, was taken into custody on suspicion of fraud following claims by the management of the Playas del Rey Hotel that she had failed to pay a bill amounting to nearly £450. During her nine-day stay, she accrued a charge of €500 (£434) and supposedly provided a credit card with insufficient funds, according to investigators.
Nevertheless, Ommanney has vehemently denied the accusations of non-payment, dismissing them as untrue. She asserted, “The bill was settled. I possess evidence confirming full payment of the bill. This was a mistake on the hotel’s part, and I intend to seek redress through the legal system.”
Speaking to the local publication Majorca Daily Bulletin, Ommanney described Sunday as a “nightmarish day.” She explained, “It was a clerical error, nothing more. The bill was cleared via a bank transfer – as the hotel does not accept credit cards – and Sunday marked the most distressing day of my life. I certainly did not appreciate being detained in a holiday cell.”
Yesterday around 7pm, Ommanney was photographed alongside a Civil Guard officer, leaving her detention cell to attend a private hearing in Palma, the capital city. It was reported that she appeared in court under a previous surname due to a prior marriage.
Following an ongoing investigation, Ommanney was released on bail. It remains unclear whether she presented her case in court this morning to explain the events leading to her arrest. Her legal representative stated that they had not reviewed the media reports concerning her arrest and would refrain from commenting without her approval.
When contacted for a response this morning, a receptionist at the Playas del Rey Hotel in Santa Ponsa mentioned that there was no one available to provide a statement to the press. Ommanney made no immediate comments following her release from custody, and the location of her arrest remains undisclosed.
Ommanney, an interior designer who featured as one of the original main cast members in the inaugural season of the Real Housewives of DC, disclosed to the Sun in 2022 that she had a brief relationship with the Duke of Sussex in 2006, after meeting at Chelsea’s Art Bar. At the time, she was a 34-year-old mother of two, while Harry was 21. The Duke has neither confirmed nor commented on the alleged affair.
Reflecting on their connection, Ommanney told the Sun, “I believe he enjoyed my company because I offered a mature perspective not found in the younger individuals around him. He seemed to be seeking deeper and more meaningful interactions with someone more experienced. This could be why he found me appealing. The age gap was insignificant to me as it was not a focal point.”
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