King Charles’ brother, Prince Edward, is in an awkward position as his former West End star girlfriend prepares to release a revealing memoir about their secret five-year relationship—details that could be “nightmarish” for Buckingham Palace.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who turned 62 on March 10, is preparing for the July arrival of “The Showgirl and The Prince” by Ruthie Henshall, 59, who was romantically linked to him from 1988 to 1993. Pan Macmillan will publish the book, describing it as “a funny, intimate and touching memoir.” The release comes at a time Richard Fitzwilliams calls the monarchy’s “most serious crisis since the 1990s.”
Fitzwilliams has warned King Charles about the possible repercussions of the memoir given the monarchy’s current vulnerability. “For courtiers, the potential mix of scandal and stardom may well be nightmarish,” Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail. “If she is as open about their romance as she was on television, just think what it could contain.” He pointed out that the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are among only four working royals under 70, making the timing especially sensitive.
Fitzwilliams added there is “considerable concern that it will contain intimate insights into their time together and raise fears of another threat waiting to detonate” for the already strained royal family. King Charles would not benefit from renewed attention on another brother’s private life.
Prince Edward’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He spent 11 hours in custody while police searched his Wood Farm residence on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk and his former home, Royal Lodge in Windsor, before being released under investigation.
Henshall, a five-time Olivier Award nominee who won Best Actress in a Musical for “She Loves Me,” has appeared in “Chicago,” “Billy Elliot,” “Miss Saigon” and “Cats.” She found old love letters from Prince Edward while clearing her garage five years ago, which prompted her to write about their relationship that began when Edward, then 23, worked as a production assistant for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatre Company.
During their relationship, Henshall made secret visits to Buckingham Palace and had tea at Windsor with Queen Elizabeth II. They split in 1993 when Henshall chose to focus on her stage career. When the romance later emerged in the press, the Evening Standard ran the memorable headline: “Prince and the Showgirl.”
Fitzwilliams is particularly uneasy about Henshall’s frank comments on her 2020 appearance on “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” when she made unexpectedly candid remarks to comedian Shane Richie about intimate moments with the prince at Buckingham Palace. She also said she performed for the royal family after getting drunk on martinis at Balmoral.
Henshall later said she was surprised her remarks aired, having covered her clip-on microphone during the chat with Richie and not realizing other microphones were in the camp. She contacted Prince Edward after the broadcast but declined to reveal what they discussed.
After their split, Henshall became engaged to Scottish actor John Gordon Sinclair, though the engagement ended around the time of Prince Edward’s 1999 wedding, which Henshall and Sinclair attended together. She married Canadian singer Tim Howar in 2004, had two daughters with him, and divorced in early 2010. She has stayed on good terms with Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
Despite the impending book, Prince Edward continues his royal duties. He and Sophie traveled to Italy to support Team GB at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, where Edward is Patron of the British Paralympic Association. The couple watched competitors and met team members.
Prince Edward received the Duke of Edinburgh title on March 10, 2023, his 59th birthday, fulfilling an earlier promise linked to his 1999 wedding, with King Charles III conferring the honor in 2023. The title recognized his long-standing commitment to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, one of Prince Philip’s key legacies.
The family lives quietly at Bagshot Park in Surrey with their children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, and three dogs. Sophie once commended her husband as a devoted father and supportive partner in a speech that moved Edward to tears.
