An Insider Revealed Rose Hanbury's Alleged Reaction to Prince William Affair Rumors

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Rose Hanbury is reportedly having a difficult time with the never-ending speculation about her relationship with Prince William.

Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley who was once a close friend of Kate Middleton, has been at the center of unsubstantiated rumors accusing her of having an affair with her friend’s husband for several years. However, Middleton’s recent mysterious health issues has only reignited rumors of an affair between Hanbury and Prince William, creating immense pressure for the Marchioness.

More from SheKnows

A royal correspondent who claims to have insider knowledge told Us Weekly that Hanbury is upset by the rumors. Just this week, Hanbury broke her silence on the allegation for the first time, denying the affair via a statement from her lawyers. Hanbury, a former model who is married to David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, has had ties to the royal family for years.

“I know people who know the Marchioness of Cholmondeley very, very well, and she absolutely was not having an affair with the Prince of Wales,” royal expert and Editor-in-Chief of True Royalty TV Nick Bullen told the outlet. “Even when those rumors broke a few years ago, she was very upset by them then. She’s still very upset by them now.”

Bullen went on to describe the rumors as “rubbish,” noting that infidelity “goes against everything” that William stands for after living through his parents’ divorce and their much-talked-about affairs. “He saw the damage that affairs can cause,” Bullen said. “What I’m told [is], it’s just not in his psyche.”

The recent uptick in rumors is tied to internet speculation about Middleton’s whereabouts and the mystery surrounding her planned abdominal surgery in January. Viral internet theories have been echoed in mainstream media, including by Stephen Colbert who repeated a popular theory by telling viewers of his show that Middleton’s “absence may be related to her husband and the future king of England, William, having an affair.”

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 06: Rose Hanbury, Marchioness of Cholmondeley departs Westminster Abbey after the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 06, 2023 in London, England. The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the other Commonwealth realms takes place at Westminster Abbey today. Charles acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II.

Bullen criticized the royal family for letting the rumor run rampant at Hanbury’s expense, “Something the royal family could possibly learn from [this] is that [with] these vacuums that are created, other people can be collateral damage,” he said. “Perhaps they need to think about that collateral damage.”

The rumors about Hanbury and the future king first surfaced after a now-deleted March 2019 article in The Sun alleged that Middleton had pressured William to distance himself from Hanbury due to a falling out. According to Stylecaster, leading British journalist Giles Coran and several other major tabloids breathed life into the rumors by claiming to know about the affair all while other publications vehemently shut down the rumors.

Despite the never-ending speculation, Hanbury has continued to move in royal circles, attending the same state banquet as Middleton and William in 2019 and even appearing at King Charles’ coronation in 2023.

Before you go, click here to see everything you need to know about Rose Hanbury, the close friend of Prince William & Kate Middleton.

Best of SheKnows

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.