Ultimate Matchmaker

EXCLUSIVE AT HOME: ULTIMATE MATCHMAKER LARA ASPREY ON FIRST DATES, ROYAL MATCHES AND FINDING HER OWN PERFECT PARTNER

- Jane Dowdeswell

In the months before Prince Harry met Meghan Markle, another woman had her sights set on the eligible royal.

“Purely in a professional capacity,” Lara Asprey quickly adds, which is clear as she cozies up to her handsome husband, Spanish investment banker Juan Miguel Custodio, and their gorgeous two-year-old daughter Elise, for our exclusive shoot in their bright and stylish London home.

Her role as head of Asprey Introductions explains her interest in Harry. “I did put the feelers out to see if we could help him. We have friends in common and had lots of people for him. Then he was introduced to Meghan, damn it,” she laughs. “Someone else got there first.”

With her wealth of dating expertise, would Lara have predicted a successful match in Meghan? “I would not have necessarily picked her as perfect for Harry so it just goes to show that chemistry is unpredictable. Had I met her I’d have seen it because they’re great together.”

Finding winning love matches is at the heart of Lara’s business, set up five years ago and which has led to her being described as the world’s best matchmaker.

“It’s a flattering title, I’m blown away by it,” she says as we meet ahead of the return of her TV show The Ultimate Matchmaker, which sees Lara and her team send clients on magical dates to castles and private islands.