West End legend Ruthie Henshall has revealed a secret five-year romance with Prince Edward in her new memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince, detailing intimate moments including discovering 'HRH Edward' stitched into his underwear and leaving him 'bleary-eyed' the next morning.
How the Romance Began
Henshall, now 59, met the then-23-year-old prince after he left the Royal Marines to work as a production assistant at Andrew Lloyd Webber's theatre company. At the time, his decision to quit military training made headlines, with reports noting that his father, Prince Philip, had reacted with such anger that he reduced his son to tears. Edward became the first member of Britain's Royal Family in memory to quit military training.
As they spent more time together, their friendship turned into romance. Henshall admitted she would make a 'beeline' for Edward whenever he was around, partly due to his royal title.
Intimate Discoveries at the Palace
One of their early dates took place at Buckingham Palace, where Henshall made an unexpected discovery. She wrote: 'As I discovered later, Edward had nametags in all his underwear. Yes, 'HRH Edward' adorned every piece.' She explained that the washing was done by Palace staff, so the tags ensured each person's underwear was identifiable.
Edward wanted to take the relationship slowly. After their first passionate kiss, he sent Henshall a letter asking her to be patient about sleeping together, as he didn't want to rush something so special. He regularly sent handwritten letters on Buckingham Palace headed paper, signing them with kisses instead of his name, and surprised her with flowers, usually freesias because they were her favourite.
Meeting the Queen
The relationship introduced Henshall to royal life. Edward took her to Windsor Castle, where he unexpectedly introduced her to Queen Elizabeth II. Henshall recalled thinking: 'Oh f***, it IS the Queen!' Edward introduced them by saying: 'Mama, this is Ruth.' Forgetting royal etiquette, she instinctively shook the Queen's hand instead of curtsying. She later joined the rest of the Royal Family for tea, including Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, the Queen Mother, and Sarah Ferguson. The Queen chatted with her about horse riding after learning she had been nervous during a lesson earlier that day.
Intimate Details Revealed
When the couple eventually slept together in January 1989, Henshall described Edward as 'romantic and gentle'. She joked that she often left him 'bleary-eyed' when he had to get up for work the following morning. The memoir, serialised in the Mail, claims that Edward sent her a letter after their first passionate kiss, asking her to be patient about sleeping together.
The five-year relationship remained largely out of the public eye. Henshall's memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince, is set for release on July 16, 2026.
