Duchess Sophie “humiliated” as Edward’s ex reveals raunchy details of their love affair
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are typically seen as being the squeaky-clean, scandal-free members of the royal family.
However, Prince Edward now faces major embarrassment, as his ex-girlfriend, Ruthie Henshall, is releasing a tell-all book all about him, their romance and his relatives.
Titled The Showgirl and the Prince, an excerpt has been published in the lead-up to its full release on July 14, and she’s already revealed that Edward had underwear labelled “HRH Edward”.
Not only that, but she also dished that her first private dates with the Duke of Edinburgh ended with a kiss on the lips, and that he wrote her a letter asking her to be patient about intimacy.
She even shared details about him inviting her over for a platonic sleepover.
Now, an insider has exclusively told New Idea that Edward’s wife, Duchess Sophie, is “absolutely horrified” and “worried about the effect on their two children” James, 18, and Lady Louise, 22.
“The timing was never going to be great, but why this ‘showgirl’ has to kiss and tell right when their kids are coming of age is distressing to Sophie,” the insider reveals.
Not only are there concerns for the children, but another well-placed palace source claimed that it has also added an unprecedented strain to the couple’s marriage.
“Edward and Sophie have built their entire lives around being discreet and drama-free,” the well-placed palace shares.
“They take enormous pride in keeping their heads down and doing the work without seeking publicity, so the idea of intimate details being dragged into the public domain is mortifying.”
How did Ruthie and Prince Edward meet?
Ruthie and Edward, 62, met in 1988 when she was appearing in Cats and Edward was working in production for renowned theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber.
They dated on and off for about five years, and it’s thought they stayed on friendly terms after the break-up. Ruthie even attended Edward’s wedding to Sophie in 1999.
The 59-year-old previously said she was inspired to write the book after finding a box of old love letters from Edward.
“I was struck by how precious this time in my life was,” the British theatre star revealed. “I was on the West End Stage – my dream as a girl – and shared a love with a man very few people even know.”
Despite her friendship with both Edward and Sophie, Ruthie still regularly spills the beans on her time dating the Duke.
During a 2020 stint on the UK version of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, she shocked many when she boasted to her fellow campmates that she “shagged in the bedrooms” of Buckingham Palace.
In a previous 2008 interview with The Telegraph, the actress and singer also revealed that she and Edward used to openly laugh about the rumours he was secretly closeted.
Our source says this new book is “the last thing” the royals need, given the “intense scrutiny” they are all under due to the controversy surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. It’s not known if the royals have been given a preview of the book.
“Even if Edward ends up being portrayed in a relatively flattering light, the exposure alone is humiliating, and it’s put him in a terrible mood,” says the source. “Sophie is in a horrible spot because she’s having to contend with his bad temper and her own anger over being dragged into this.”
“It’s also still not clear what exactly will be included in the book, so she’s having to brace for what could come out and how it might be spun,” the source continued.
“At the moment Sophie’s got to keep calm and carry on — but she is far from calm.”
