Ruthie Henshall, the actress and West End star who dated Prince Edward for five years in the late 1980s and early 1990s, has made a heartfelt admission about their romance in a new interview. Speaking to HELLO! magazine ahead of the release of her memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince, the 59-year-old said: 'I have so much love for him.'
Enduring Friendship with Prince Edward
Despite their relationship ending more than three decades ago, Henshall revealed that she and the Duke of Edinburgh have remained close friends and still speak several times a year. 'Both our lives moved on, but we have a great friendship,' she told HELLO!. The actress also praised Edward's wife, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, saying she is delighted the royal found happiness. 'I'm a complicated lady to have a relationship with, and so it gives me great joy to see two people I love so dearly still be happy with the perfect person for them,' Henshall added.
Memoir Details and Royal Secrecy
Henshall contacted Prince Edward before publishing the memoir to let him know about its contents, explaining that she did not want him to be caught off guard. 'He thanked me,' she told the magazine. 'I didn't want to blindside him and I wanted to assure him that it wasn't a kiss and tell. My experience with him and his family was really rather lovely.' The book chronicles their five-year romance, which remained largely out of the public eye while Prince Edward was establishing his own career away from frontline royal duties. Henshall said the secrecy surrounding their relationship eventually became difficult, and after separating and reconciling several times, they decided to end the romance for good.
Reflections on Royal Life and Sarah Ferguson
Looking back, Henshall believes she would not have been suited to royal life. 'I don't think I would have been a very good royal and I could never have sat there watching other people do what I love,' she said. The actress also spoke candidly about her former friendship with Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, who had been welcoming during her relationship with Prince Edward. 'She was always inviting me to places,' Henshall recalled. 'If we were all together with the family, she would always bring me into conversations. She was very welcoming.' However, she admitted her opinion of Ferguson later changed. 'I find what has come out since disappointing and horrendous,' Henshall said, adding that the pair are no longer in contact. 'We are not still in touch and I wouldn't be now.' Henshall also recalled Ferguson privately speaking about her struggles within the Royal Family, claiming the Duchess referred to Palace officials as 'the men in grey' and 'the boring old farts.' In a separate interview with The Telegraph, Henshall revealed that Ferguson once advised her to 'get out while you can' while she was dating Prince Edward.
No Regrets and Continued Connection
Today, Henshall says she has no regrets. She remains on good terms with Prince Edward, revealing they still speak by telephone two or three times a year and that he never forgets to call on her birthday. Her memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince, was released on 16 July and offers a personal account of their relationship, describing it as a love story set against the backdrop of the theatre world during the 1980s and 1990s.
