Below Deck Down Under's Harry and Bri label their relationship ‘exclusive partners' as a pre-official step

In episode 16 of Below Deck Down Under season 3, which aired on May 19, 2025, Harry Van Vliet and Brianna Duffield called themselves “exclusive partners” after a chat about their relationship. This came after chief stewardess Lara Rigby told Harry not to assume they were exclusive.

In response, Harry and Brianna agreed to define their connection using this term rather than “boyfriend” and “girlfriend.” Brianna described “exclusive partners” as a step before officially dating, stating it helped her manage expectations. This marked a shift in how their relationship was acknowledged both privately and among the Below Deck Down Under crew.

---

Below Deck Down Under stars Harry and Brianna’s relationship update

The decision to define the relationship

The conversation began when Harry addressed his feelings directly, explaining that they both had strong feelings for each other, but he was cautious about moving forward "too quickly." He then added,

“I really, really like you and I do see you as my girlfriend, you know? I don’t know when the point is to ask you. Maybe this is the point?”

Brianna did not immediately accept the idea of becoming official, prompting Harry to suggest a different approach by proposing that they define their relationship as "exclusive partners," referring to it as making things "Facebook official."

Earlier in the episode, Brianna discussed her hesitation with Lara Rigby and Marina de Barros, explaining,

“He really, really likes me and he made that very clear. But, obviously, I was like in an engagement, and just the idea of having a title again — it’s tough to like think about.”

She also explained that she does not enjoy feeling "overwhelmed." The term exclusive partners was accepted by Brianna during their discussion. After Harry suggested it, she said she was comfortable with the idea, and the two shared a kiss while the rest of the crew, watching nearby, reacted with applause.

---

Clarifying the meaning of their label

Brianna later described the label in a conversation with Marina and Lara, explaining that an exclusive partnership serves as a "warm-up" phase before entering a traditional boyfriend and girlfriend relationship. She emphasized that it served as a transition stage:

“In an exclusive partnership you’re testing the dynamics of the relationship before you fully lock it down....I don’t expect Harry to meet my parents right now. I don’t expect Harry to show up as a partner would. I was not ready to quite sign off on that yet.”

During the same conversation, Brianna acknowledged her ongoing uncertainty, explaining that the situation felt nerve-wracking because she was unsure if she was ready to say she had a "boyfriend." When Lara remarked,

“You’re basically together. You just don’t want to label it,”

Brianna explained that they would not be using the "B and G words" yet, referring to boyfriend and girlfriend, and admitted that the idea still made her feel uneasy.

---

The crew’s reaction and context

The exchange between Harry and Brianna was viewed by other crew members through the yacht’s CCTV system. Sous chef Alesia Harris questioned whether the conversation they were witnessing was the beginning of the "girlfriend talk." Lara commented,

“She’s stressed. She’s stressed right now,” referring to Brianna’s emotional state during the conversation.

Harry also expressed his comfort with the outcome. In his Below Deck Down Under confessional, he said,

“I’m not nervous talking to Bri about being official. I know that we’re on the same page … if the ‘boyfriend/girlfriend’ comes up, then yeah, we can label it.”

The Below Deck Down Under stars underlined that the term “exclusive partners” provided a compromise that suited both of them without imposing additional expectations.

---

Below Deck Down Under airs on Bravo on Mondays at 9 PM ET.