West End star Ruthie Henshall has revealed how her ex-boyfriend, Prince Edward, reacted when she informed him she was writing a memoir which lifted the lid on their relationship.
The 59-year-old actress, who dated the Duke of Edinburgh for five years, called the royal to give him a "heads up" after securing a publishing deal with Pan Macmillan.
According to Ruthie, the dad-of-two was entirely supportive of the project. Appearing on HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast, the star shared: "I called Edward up, and I said, 'Look, I need to give you a heads up.' And he said, 'Thank you for giving me the heads up. You know, you have every right to tell your story.'"
Ruthie emphasised that the upcoming book – called The Showgirl and the Prince - is not a "kiss and tell," but rather a reflection on their genuine relationship that was kept private at the time.
© Getty Images"It was a real relationship, even if it was kept a secret," she explained. "We were very much in love and could not put each other down."
The actress added: "I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that he knew that I couldn't and shouldn't give up my career. And so we just kept hanging on and couldn't put each other down."
The actress also recalled their final days together at Balmoral, where they both admitted they were struggling to get over each other. However, their relationship naturally came to an end as their lives moved in different directions.
© Getty"I started doing She Loves Me, and he met Sophie," she shared. "And then, so we could actually let go."
Although they went on to marry other people and raise families of their own, the pair have remained close friends over the years. Ruthie revealed that the Duke of Edinburgh still makes a point of getting in touch with her every year without fail.
LISTEN: Why Prince Edward Hid Our Relationship: Ruthie Henshall on Their 5-Year Secret Love Story
"We would talk. Every six months we'd have a phone call, and then we both had children," she said. "And he still calls me every year on my birthday because his birthday is two days after mine.
"So he has called me every single year on my birthday without fail, including this year."
