Prince Edward, King Charles’ sibling, is in an awkward position as his former West End partner prepares to release a frank memoir about their secret five-year relationship—content that could be “nightmarish” for the Palace.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who turned 62 on March 10, is preparing for the July publication of Ruthie Henshall’s “The Showgirl and the Prince.” Henshall, 59, linked to him from 1988 to 1993, is published by Pan Macmillan, which describes the memoir as “a funny, intimate and touching memoir.” Richard Fitzwilliams notes the release comes during what he calls the monarchy’s “most serious crisis since the 1990s.”
Fitzwilliams warned King Charles about possible consequences of the memoir given the monarchy’s vulnerable state. “For courtiers, the potential mix of scandal and stardom may well be nightmarish,” he told the Daily Mail. He suggested that if Henshall is as open as she was on TV, the book could be explosive, and highlighted that the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are among only four working royals under 70, making the timing sensitive.
He 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 an already strained royal household. Renewed attention on another brother’s private life would be unhelpful for King Charles.
Separately, their 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 Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate and his former Windsor residence, Royal Lodge, before being released under investigation.
Henshall, a five-time Olivier 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 led her to write about their relationship that began when Edward, aged 23, worked as a production assistant at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatre Company.
During their relationship, Henshall secretly visited Buckingham Palace and had tea with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor. They split in 1993 after Henshall decided to prioritize her stage career. When the relationship later became public, the Evening Standard ran the headline: “Prince and the Showgirl.”
Fitzwilliams is especially uneasy about comments Henshall made on “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” in 2020, when she made candid remarks to Shane Richie about intimate moments with the prince at Buckingham Palace. She also said she performed for the royals after drinking martinis at Balmoral.
Henshall later said she was surprised her remarks aired, claiming she thought she had covered her clip-on mic and didn’t know other microphones were live. She contacted Prince Edward after the show but declined to reveal what they discussed.
After their breakup, Henshall became engaged to Scottish actor John Gordon Sinclair, though the engagement ended around the time of Prince Edward’s 1999 wedding, which both attended. She married Canadian singer Tim Howar in 2004, had two daughters with him, and divorced in early 2010. She has kept amicable relations with Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
Despite the forthcoming memoir, Prince Edward continues his public roles. 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, attending events and meeting athletes.
Prince Edward received the Duke of Edinburgh title on March 10, 2023, his 59th birthday, fulfilling a promise tied to his 1999 wedding. King Charles III granted the title in recognition of Edward’s long support for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, a key legacy of Prince Philip.
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 praised her husband as a devoted father and partner in a speech that moved him to tears.