Prince Edward’s former girlfriend has shared new details about their time together, revealing why their relationship came to an end.
With honesty and grace, Ruthie Henshall expaliend that the two simply grew apart, choosing different paths in life, but parting with respect and no regrets.
Showering praise on Duchess Sophie’s husband, she said the Duke of Edinburgh was ‘not just a prince, he was a prince of a man.’
Teh West End actress recalled when Edward once told her that “in a perfect world” he would have “two wives: one for the job, and one for the woman you loved – because you wouldn’t want the woman you love through the job.”
The 59-year-old musical theatre star appeared on Sunday Brunch this weekend to discuss her newly released memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince.
She used the occasion to speak candidly about her romantic history with King Charles younger brother.Their relationship, which lasted on and off for five years, began in 1988 while Henshall was performing in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats.
After several brief separations, they parted ways permanently. The demands of keeping their relationship hidden from the press, combined with their increasingly different professional paths, placed considerable strain on the partnership.
The royal and actress romance flourished as Henshall’s career took off, with the talented performer from Bromley securing leading roles in Les Misérables, Miss Saigon and Crazy for You.
Henshall acknowledged openly during the Channel 4programme that the relationship was ultimately doomed, conceding that a lasting union between a working actress and a member of the royal family was simply too difficult to manage.
Presenter Tim Lovejoy described the romance as “the impossible relationship” during their on-air conversation.
“He’s a prince and you’ve got a great career, it could never really work, could it?” he put to her.
“No. It was never going to work,” Henshall responded without hesitation.
However, she did reveal that she remains “in touch” with the Duke.
2026-08-04 14:33:00
