TVTV NewsRuthie HenshallThe award-winning actress appeared on This Morning and opened up on her five-year relationship with Prince Edward12:03, 14 Jul 2026Ruthie Henshall has opened up about her five-year romance with Prince Edward.‌The 59-year-old West End star recalled the first time she met his mum - the late Queen Elizabeth II - and how it didn’t quite go to plan.‌Describing the royal as her first love, Ruthie and Prince Edward, who is now the Duke of Edinburgh, began dating while working for Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1988, when they were in their early 20s.‌With the release of her highly-anticipated memoir The Showgirl and The Prince book approaching, the star appeared on Tuesday’s (July 14) episode of This Morning as she spoke out on her secret life dating a member of the Royal Family.Speaking to hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, Ruthie shared the major mistake she made the first time she met Her Majesty.‌Cat pointed out: “It got serious, you went to Windsor and we were walking around the ground, then all of a sudden you see a lady in a very flat shoe wearing tweed. And you think to yourself that’s his mum.”Ruthie jumped in and replied: “That’s his mum. That’s the Queen.” She then recalled: “I grabbed her hand to shake it. I didn’t curtsey and my father had said ‘if you meet the queen, you curtsey and you say ma’am as in spam.”The star continued: “And did I? I just didn’t know I was going to see her and I think Edward did that on purpose, so that I wouldn’t freak out because there was a table in the garden and they were all having tea.‌“It was like how you would imagine, you know the sandwiches with the crust cut off and I just thought ‘what am I doing?’ I had a batwing cape on and Edward had just taken me for my first riding lesson and I was dreadful.”She added: “It was a brilliant time but this is like a fully rounded memoir with our relationship woven in and out because it is… it was a beautiful thing. He was my first real love.”‌The musical actress doesn’t hold back in her new book as she also shares details of her sex life with the Duke of Edinburgh.She explained: “I wouldn't say it’s a kiss and tell but let’s be honest we were 20 and 23, you are going to find lots of places to get… romantic.”Ben was quick to ask: “Do we know how he feels about that?” Ruthie revealed: “He has not read it and he never asked to read it. I do not doubt that he might blush a couple of times.”Article continues belowShe continued: “I just don’t want to make him feel uncomfortable in any way but if he reads it, I think he will go down memory lane in a major way because we did have such a laugh.”This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌This MorningRoyal FamilyRuthie HenshallITV