Ruthie Henshall has revealed a secret five-year relationship with Prince Edward that began in 1988. In her new memoir, the performer claims that the late Queen Elizabeth II viewed Edward as her favorite child.
The claim that Prince Edward was the Queen's favorite child
In her memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince, Ruthie Henshall challenges the common perception of royal dynamics by asserting that Prince Edward was the preferred child of Queen Elizabeth II, rather than Prince Andrew. This claim provides a rare glimpse into the internal emotional hierarchy of the House of Windsor, suggesting a closer bond between the late monarch and her youngest son.
According to the report, Henshall’s perspective is informed by her time spent within the royal inner circle at Windsor and Balmoral. She recalls a supportive environment where she was welcomed by the wider family, including a moment where Queen Elizabeth II complimented Henshall's singing after a performance of "I Dreamed a Dream."
A 1988 pivot from the Royal Marines to the West End
The romance began in 1988,a transitional year for Prince Edward. At 23 years old, the Prince had recently departed from the Royal Marines to pursue an unconventional path working backstage in the West End. While the report notes that Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip initially had reservations about this career shift, they eventually granted their approval.
Ruthie Henshall and Prince Edward grew close during her work on a stage project for Andrew Lloyd Webber,where the Prince served as her primary day-to-day contact. Their relationship transitioned from professional to romantic during a private screening of the 1954 film A Star Is Born at Buckingham Palace, an event that marked the start of their five-year on-again, off-again romance.
Why nightly security searches ended the romance in 1993
The relationship reached an amicable conclusion in 1993, driven by the incompatibility of a high-profile theatre career and the constraints of royal life. As Henshall describes in her memoir, Prince Edward made it clear that continuing their partnership would require her to abandon the stage. The primary obstacle was the logistical burden of royal security, which would have necessitated nightly searches of backstage areas and audiences wherever Ruthie Henshall performed.
This conflict reflects a recurring theme in royal history: the struggle to balance personal ambition with the rigid requirements of the Crown. for Ruthie Henshall, the choice was between her identity as a performer and the role of a royal wife, a position she admits she would not have been able to sustain given the intense public scrutiny and judgment that accompanies the title.
Prince Edward's theory on the 'two wives' needed for royal life
A particularly revealing aspect of the account is Prince Edward's own candid assessment of the royal marriage . according to the report, Prince Edward once told Ruthie Henshall that in a perfect world, a royal would need two wives: one for the "job" and one for love, because subjecting a loved one to the pressures of the royal role felt wrong.
This distinction between the public "job" and the private person highlights the emotional toll of the monarchy . It suggests that Prince Edward viewed the royal institution as a professional obligation that often stands in opposition to personal happiness. This perspective echoes the struggles of other royal spouses who have found the transition from private citizen to public figure nearly impossible to navigate.
Who else in the palace shared this view?
While the account provides a detailed look at the relationship between Ruthie Henshall and Prince Edward, several questions remain. It is unclear if Prince Philip shared the Queen's alleged preference for Edward, or if other family members viewed the "two wives" philosophy as a common sentiment within the palace. Furthermore, the source relies solely on Henshall's recollections, and there has been no official comment from the current royal household regarding these claims.
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