Duchess Sophie breaks silence on Edward’s ex-romance
- By Maria Lopez -
- Aug 20, 2026
Bombshell interview with Nick Robinson forbbc.co.uk, The presenter, himself not a royal, asked questions of the royal at length, touching on her husband’s past love interests, and including excerpts from Ruthie’s new biography, called: ‘The Showgirl & the Prince’. Henshall revealed that she’d started a relationship with Prince Edward when she was 20 and spoke candidly about her love affair with him.
In the revealing book she revealed her first experience of sex with him, saying: “He took me to his bed and we made love for the first time, that I now feel that I can talk about, when my relationship was at its most innocent and I think my age was, very much like when Prince Charles’s ex-wife, Camilla Parker Bowles became involved with the Prince at the age of 20 too.
He was romantic and gentle and definitely NOT GAY!
He had certainly been around the block, and had he not been gay I may have been. But alas! And yes, he has certainly shown that, no, in fact for a few years, even when he started to go out with Sophie Wessex he was still playing the field.
” Ruthie goes on to detail a difficult break-up with Edward in 1993 when he went on to marry Sophie six years later, but admits that their contact hasn’t entirely stopped, claiming he calls her every year on her birthday, adding, ‘including last week.’
Sophie’s remarks are delivered on the back of this interview that, has set the court abuzz – and with quite an impact.”
After The Duke of Edinburgh’s former mistress Ruthie Henshall, said she had stayed in touch with him for years, having sex just six months before he wed the current Duke of Edinburgh’s wife – Duchess Sophie.
But The Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie has recalled one occasion when her hubby gave his wife permission to enjoy a rare, unapproved outing with a senior royal, Duke of Edinburgh. “There was a senior Royal who was a very keen polo player and he was very well-respected in that sphere,” Sophie said.
“There was something with Queen Elizabeth and him. He was a very funny and interesting man. He did make my stomach clench at points.”
The former royal lady confessed: “I had a lovely, great-niece come up to me on a plane about 40 years ago.
He took me to one side: ‘This lady’s husband has gone and died, could you please go and cheer him up. Make it, give him whatever it takes ‘Please just go and be lovely to him.’ ‘ I will say yes he did send me to bed, which is all the rage for royalty.’ And this particularRoyal was of course an ex-lover.
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He was an all round man.
What a woman! Her second chance of marriage – with my spouse – came around two years later – the love of life of the ex Royal – Duke of Edinburgh – once more appeared in The Press this week with shock allegations – even Prince of Edinburgh himself did not manage to keep them away, and The Duke of Edinburgh called her on my birthday.”