Prince Edward's Real Reaction to 'Gay' Rumors Revealed by Former Girlfriend
Prince Edward's ex Ruthie Henshall has revealed how the royal really reacted to years of rumors about his sexuality during their romance.
Long before Prince Edward settled down with Duchess Sophie, he had to deal with plenty of unwanted attention over rumors about his sexuality. His former girlfriend, actress Ruthie Henshall, was dating him when the gossip first took off, and she is now revealing how the Duke of Edinburgh actually responded to all the speculation.
Looking back on their relationship, Henshall said the gossip only picked up after Edward swapped military life for a career in television and theatre. Speaking on HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast, she explained, “When he came out of the Marines, he went into showbiz, and then people thought he therefore must be gay. That was how the rumors started.”
According to the West End star, Edward initially brushed off the gossip with little more than an eye roll and a laugh. Over time, however, she noticed his attitude toward the rumors began to change. She also shared that someone on his staff was gay, adding that Edward never had an issue with anyone's sexuality and was completely accepting of those around him. She said, “Without revealing too much, one of his staff was gay. He had no problem with anybody being gay. Not around him.”
Henshall also writes about their five-year romance in her new memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince. In one chapter, she recalls realizing the rumors did not match reality after the couple became intimate for the first time, joking that her immediate thought was, "No, that boy ain't gay."
Henshall first met Edward in 1988, when he was 23 and working behind the scenes at Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre Company. In her memoir, she looks back on what she describes as a passionate relationship, even joking in an interview with HELLO! that she "used to keep him up all night." Although their romance eventually ended, Ruthie says the pair have remained on good terms and still catch up on the phone several times a year.
Edward eventually found lasting love with Sophie Rhys-Jones, whom he married in 1999 after nearly six years of dating. More than 25 years later, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are still regarded as one of the royal family's strongest couples. They have two children, Lady Louise and James, Earl of Wessex.
