Chelsy to 'move to Leeds' to be near Harry

The 21-year-old student, who is from Zimbabwe, has applied to take a post-graduate politics degree in the city from next month.

Friends say she hopes the step will make the couple, who have been together for three years, closer and enable them to take their relationship to "the next level".

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The third in line to the throne and his long-term love have not even lived on the same continent before.

The Daily Mail can reveal, however, that Chelsy will be absent from Harry's side at his mother's memorial service later this month.

Senior royal sources have confirmed neither she nor Prince William's on-off girlfriend, Kate Middleton, will be at the Guards Chapel ceremony in London on August 31.

Because all senior members of the Royal Family are due to attend the service, Harry feels it would subject his girlfriend to enormous public scrutiny.

"He is besotted with Chelsy and feels very protective of her," the friend said.

"Although he very much wants her by his side, he feels that it would be like throwing her to the wolves.

"He is insistent she is not public property yet."

Chelsy's imminent move to Leeds has stunned many of her friends.

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Look of love: Prince Harry and Chelsy earlier this year

The party-loving millionaire's daughter, who has made her home in South Africa for the past three years, openly admits she hates the English weather.

"She really can't stand how cold and wet England is. And let's face it, you can't get much colder and wetter than the North of England," said one.

Several friends who have studied at Leeds, however, have spoken highly of the university and, in particular, its reputation for having one of the best social scenes in the UK.

The move will also enable her to see Army officer Harry, who is based with the Blues and Royals at Windsor, almost every weekend.

Despite her love of socialising, Chelsy is a grade A student who sailed through her economics and politics degree at Cape Town University.

She and Harry have just spent three weeks in Botswana at the exclusive Meno a Kwena resort, where they were seen hugging and kissing. Leeds University has refused to comment.