Meghan Markle’s claims against royals debunked in bombshell New memoir No One Saw Coming

A new royal memoir has sparked fresh discussion by appearing to challenge one of Meghan Markle’s well-known claims about life inside the Royal Family. The book offers a very different account of what the family was like behind closed doors, suggesting they could be far more relaxed and informal than Meghan previously described.

West End actress Ruthie Henshall is preparing to release her memoir, The Showgirl and the Prince, on July 16. In the book, she reflects on her five-year relationship with Prince Edward, now the Duke of Edinburgh, whom she dated between 1988 and 1993. Among her memories is a visit to Balmoral, where she says she experienced a warm and surprisingly casual side of the Royal Family.

According to extracts published ahead of the book’s release, Henshall recalled arriving at Balmoral for a weekend gathering that began with drinks before dinner in a large lounge featuring a huge fireplace. She noticed practical touches, including removable sofa covers, which she thought made sense because of the many dogs roaming around the house. She joked that perhaps Queen Elizabeth II had planned ahead, knowing the pets would be everywhere.

Henshall said she performed a curtsy when she entered the room and remembered the late Queen’s face lighting up the moment she saw Prince Edward. She described the Queen affectionately sitting on the arm of a sofa, hugging her son and chatting with him about horses, wildlife and his work. Henshall said she occasionally joined the conversation and was struck by how natural and relaxed the atmosphere felt.

She admitted that she had expected a much more formal environment but instead found the family behaving in a way that reminded her of any ordinary family spending time together. She said their informal behaviour genuinely surprised her and left a lasting impression.

Her recollections have attracted attention because they appear to differ from comments made by Meghan Markle in the Netflix documentary series she filmed with Prince Harry. In the series, Meghan spoke about feeling surprised that the Royal Family maintained a sense of formality even in private settings.

Meghan recalled the first time she met the Prince and Princess of Wales, explaining that she had been wearing ripped jeans and was barefoot when they visited. She said she had assumed that once the cameras were gone and people were at home, everyone would become more relaxed. Instead, she claimed the same level of formality continued indoors, something she found unexpected.

She explained that she quickly realised what she described as the public-facing formality of royal life also extended into private family interactions. Meghan said she expected people to let their guard down behind closed doors, but instead believed the reserved behaviour remained in place.

The Duchess also reflected on cultural differences, saying she had always been naturally affectionate and considered herself a “hugger.” She claimed she had not realised that such behaviour could make many British people uncomfortable, describing the experience as a surprise during her introduction to royal life.

Although Henshall’s memories relate to a different period and involve different members of the Royal Family, her description of Balmoral presents a contrasting picture of a family laughing, chatting and behaving casually in private. The differing accounts are likely to fuel further debate about what life inside the Royal Family is really like and how individual experiences can vary depending on the people, circumstances and period in which they occurred.