West End star Ruthie Henshall has opened up about her five-year secret romance with Prince Edward, now the Duke of Edinburgh, revealing intimate details in her new memoir The Showgirl and The Prince. Appearing on Tuesday's episode of This Morning, the musical theatre performer discussed her private life dating a royal family member, candidly sharing that her former lover 'might blush' upon reading her book.
Intimate Revelations in New Memoir
Henshall, known for her roles in Chicago and Cats, described Prince Edward as her 'first real love.' The pair began seeing each other in 1988 while working for Andrew Lloyd Webber, when they were both in their early 20s. In her memoir, which she described as 'not a kiss and tell,' Henshall includes details about their intimate relationship.
Speaking to presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, Henshall explained: 'I wouldn't say it's a kiss and tell but let's be honest we were 20 and 23, you are going to find lots of places to get... romantic.' When asked if Prince Edward had read the book, Henshall revealed: 'He has not read it and he never asked to read it. I do not doubt that he might blush a couple of times.'
First Encounter with the Queen
Henshall also recounted her first meeting with Prince Edward's mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, which did not go as planned. She recalled a visit to Windsor where she unexpectedly encountered the monarch. 'I grabbed her hand to shake it. I didn't curtsey and my father had said 'if you meet the queen, you curtsey and you say ma'am as in spam,'' Henshall said.
She added: 'I just didn't know I was going to see her and I think Edward did that on purpose, so that I wouldn't freak out because there was a table in the garden and they were all having tea. It was like how you would imagine, you know the sandwiches with the crust cut off and I just thought 'what am I doing?' I had a batwing cape on and Edward had just taken me for my first riding lesson and I was dreadful.'
A Beautiful Time
Despite the awkward start, Henshall described the period as 'a brilliant time' and emphasized that the memoir is a 'fully rounded' account with their relationship woven throughout. 'It was a beautiful thing. He was my first real love,' she said. The Duke of Edinburgh is now married to Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
