The Showgirl and the Prince

From much-loved West End and Broadway star Ruthie Henshall, The Showgirl and the Prince is a funny, honest and touching real-life Cinderella story – if Cinders is a lycra-clad chorus girl from Bromley who drinks and smokes too much.

In 1988, Ruthie was at the start of her career, a chorus girl in Cats (third feline from the left). That was when she fell for Prince Edward, who was working for Andrew Lloyd Webber. Edward is kind and thoughtful; Ruthie is warm, flirty and prone to telling risqué jokes. She’s not like anyone he’s dated before . . .

In this charming and poignant memoir, Ruthie recreates a seminal period in her life, navigating a secret relationship with Prince Edward while determinedly following her dream of landing a leading role. She shares hilarious backstage stories from some of the era’s biggest musicals – including Miss Saigon, Les Misérables and Crazy for You – rocks up to Buckingham Palace in dungarees over a leotard (the height of 80s fashion), has tea at Windsor with the Queen and charms Prince Philip at Balmoral. But as she swaps her hotpants for Laura Ashley frocks and tries to be good, she wonders can she have her happy ever after?

In The Showgirl and the Prince Ruthie vividly recreates a golden era of musical theatre and the bittersweet joy of first love.