Actress Ruthie Henshall says in a new memoir that Prince Edward once told her he wished he could have two wives: one suited to royal duties and another whom he loved. The recollection is from Henshall’s account of their relationship; the remark has not been independently confirmed in the supplied reporting.
Henshall and Edward dated from 1988 to 1993, after meeting while she was performing in “Cats” and he was working with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s theater company. In “The Showgirl and the Prince,” Henshall describes struggling with the prospect of royal life and its expectations while pursuing her acting career. She writes that the mismatch between those demands and her ambitions contributed to their breakup.
Edward married Sophie in 1999. Royal commentators quoted in the report described Sophie as a dedicated member of the royal family and discussed the competing personal and institutional pressures Henshall recounted. Those assessments are attributed opinions, not official findings.
The report says Fox News Digital sought comment from Henshall and Edward. It also notes that Buckingham Palace has previously said it does not comment on books.
