Prince Edward is said to have laughed at the rumours (Image: GETTY)
Prince Edward previously sparked rumours about his sexuality after his major career change. During his twenties, the now-62-year-old previously dated West End star Ruthie Henshall for five years – with Ruthie having recently spoke out about her former royal partner.
Edward, who has now been happily married to Duchess Sophie since 1999, entered into the showbiz industry after his stint in the Marines – which sparked “gay” rumours. Edward previously worked as a production assistant for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatre Company and later launched his own production company, Ardent Productions, in 1993.
The royal entered the Royal Marines in 1986 but controversially dropped out after starting a year-long commando course just four months into training.
Speaking on HELLO!’s A Right Royal Podcast, Ruthie said: “When he came out of the Marines, he went into showbiz, and then people thought he therefore must be gay. That was how the rumours started.”
She then revealed Edward’s initial funny reaction to the rumours, adding that, at first, he would “roll his eyes and just laugh about it”.
She then added: “Without revealing too much, one of his staff was gay. He had no problem with anybody being gay. Not around him.”
Writing about their former romance in her new book, The Showgirl And The Prince, Ruthie revealed that she knew he wasn’t gay after the first time they had sex.
Prince Edward with his wife Sophie (Image: GETTY)
She wrote: “No, that boy ain’t gay. That’s what I thought.”
Speaking of their “very passionate affair”, Ruthie told HELLO!: “I used to keep him up all night.”
Through his marriage to Sophie, Edward is now a prud father of two – Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex.