Ruthie Henshall, the former girlfriend of Prince Edward, has disclosed a five-word warning she received from Queen Elizabeth II during a private tea at the palace. The revelation comes from Henshall's new memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince, which details her secret romance with the Duke of Edinburgh in the late 1980s.
Meeting the Prince
Henshall met Prince Edward in 1988 when he left his military career to pursue performing arts, working as a production assistant at Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre Company. At the time, Henshall was starring as Jemima in the musical Cats. She recalled their first encounter: 'He was tall, blond, very calm. I was pleasantly surprised by how attractive I found him, although it wasn’t an overwhelming feeling of “Phwoar”. I gave him my best smile and said, “Welcome to the litter.” “I’m the runt,” he said, making me laugh. And I thought, “You’re not what I expected.”'
Romance Develops
Three months after their first date, the couple shared their first kiss at Windsor Castle. The following day, Edward sent Henshall a letter asking for patience regarding intimacy, as he did not want to rush something special. They eventually consummated their relationship in January 1989, with Edward planning a 'spontaneous' meeting to ease Henshall's nerves.
Meeting the Queen
Henshall became acquainted with the Buckingham Palace switchboard operator, Laura, and often visited the palace before meeting the royal family. She joined Sarah Ferguson, Princess Margaret, Prince Philip, and the Queen Mother for an outdoor tea with sandwiches and Earl Grey tea. During the gathering, Henshall shared her fear of horses after a childhood incident. The Queen responded with advice: 'Horses smell fear. They can pick up on emotions. And never stand behind a horse. It can’t see you, so it will be afraid and kick out.' She added, 'I’m sure with a few more lessons, Edward will make a horsewoman out of you.'
The Five-Word Warning
According to Henshall, the Queen was 'evidently proud to see her son had met someone' but issued a five-word warning. The exact phrase is not disclosed in the article, but it highlights the late monarch's protective nature over her son's relationships. Henshall's memoir offers a rare glimpse into the private life of Prince Edward before his marriage to Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999.
