Prince Harry takes 'quite a shine' to Calgary bartender

Last Updated: Friday, June 8, 2007 | 2:22 PM ET

CBC News

Prince Harry paid a visit to a popular Calgary nightclub early Thursday morning and stayed after the bar closed to chat with a female staff member.

The 22-year-old prince, along with three fellow British soldiers and two plainclothes RCMP officers, arrived at Cowboys Niteclub at 12:30 a.m., which closed around 2 a.m.

While being served, "he took quite a shine" to one of the female bartenders, general manager Doug Donald told CBC Newsworld on Friday.

"They had a few drinks together and lo and behold when the place was closed, he wanted to stick around a little bit and get to know her better, so they had some time to talk."

The young woman was earlier identified as Cherie Cymbalisty, 22. Donald described her being "an absolutely beautiful girl" who has a "really sharp wit and a tonne of energy."

Harry, dressed casually in a white shirt and Boston Red Sox baseball cap, was not immediately recognized by the club's doormen, said Scarlett Lee, marketing manager for the club's owner, Penny Lane Entertainment.

The prince declined to choose a private area of the club, she said.

It was ladies' night, and according to Cymbalisty, he did not disappoint.

"He is the prince charming — he's very polite and nice," she gushed.

Cymbalisty asked whether he was the prince, and he responded by showing his military ID. Then, before he left, he kissed her on the cheek.

"It was hot," she said.

Prince Harry, third in line to the throne, has been in Alberta for the past week to train at Canadian Forces Base Suffield, near Medicine Hat.

Harry, or 2nd Lieut. Wales as the British military refers to him, is being trained for possible deployment to Afghanistan.