Woman who took Prince Harry’s virginity reveals why she came forward for tell-all interview

Sasha Walpole was hired as an assistant groom at Highgrove in 1999, which is where she first met the young prince

Eleanor Noyce
Thursday 09 February 2023 14:34 GMT
Comments
Prince Harry calls for cost-of-living support for children in first charity video since Spare

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The “older” woman who took Prince Harry’s virginity has revealed why she came forward in an exclusive interview with Piers Morgan set to air on February 10.

Sasha Walpole, 40, disclosed her identity earlier this week following the publication of the Duke of Sussex’s biography, Spare, in January in which he described losing his virginity “in a field”.

However, Ms Walpole said she was driven to come forward after Prince Harry’s team failed to warn her that she’d been written about. Although it was an anonymous recount, she tells Piers Morgan that he “could have given [her] the heads up”.

Sasha Walpole and Prince Harry in June 2001
Sasha Walpole and Prince Harry in June 2001 (Getty)

The now-digger driver and mother-of-two - who was hired as an assistant groom at Highgrove in 1999 – was shocked to learn their encounter had made it into the memoir, which has since become a record-smashing bestseller.

Ms Walpole tells Piers Morgan that she realised the speculation about this mystery woman was “never going to stop”. She feared constant “flare-ups” about the event, feeling that the only way she could stop public rumour was to come forward.

“People are asking, family and friends. We know who it is, and then suddenly it’s just a reality of ‘this isn’t going to go away’”, she said. “Forever this is going to flare up. Until they know who it is, they’re going to be questioning people.”

“And yes, I could not have said anything but then it’s never going to stop”, she added.

Whilst Ms Walpole wasn’t named in the memoir, she feared that her circle of friends could have figured it out. “He didn’t name me but people who were there that night, or simply part of that social circle, would be able to work out it was me”, she echoed in The Mail on Sunday.

“Our group was a very mixed bunch of polo players, grooms, hunt staff and racing people, a cosmopolitan crowd”, she adds. Whether you were a “groom” or a “Royal”, there was no judgment.

40-year-old Sasha Walpole disclosed her identity this week
40-year-old Sasha Walpole disclosed her identity this week (News UK)

In his explosive autobiography, the prince describes his encounter with the unnamed Ms Walpole as a “humiliating episode with an older woman” who “treated me like a young stallion.” The pair slept together in the summer of 2001, placing Harry at 16 years old and Ms Walpole at 18.

“I mounted her quickly, after which she spanked my ass and sent me away”, he wrote. “One of my many mistakes was letting it happen in a field, just behind a very busy pub.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in