Amid swirling rumors and tabloid speculations, Lady Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, has finally broken her silence on the alleged affair with Prince William.
In a statement released by her lawyer to Business Insider on March 19, 2024, Rose categorically denied the allegations, labeling them as "completely false."
The controversy surrounding Rose resurfaced recently when American TV host and writer Stephen Colbert mentioned her name in conjunction with Prince William and Kate Middleton during a segment on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on March 12, 2024.
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HOW THE RUMORS STARTED
Reports from Marie Claire in 2019 suggested that Kate had planned to distance herself and her husband from Rose and her husband's inner circle following whispers of a rumored affair.
These rumors, though unproven, gained traction when British journalist and author Omid Scobie supported the claims in his book Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, published in 2023.
Another source material of the rumors comes from a tabloid story hinting at William's alleged infidelity way back during Kate's pregnancy with their third child, Louis, in 2017.
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Columnist Giles Coren added fuel to the fire with a now-deleted tweet stating, "Everyone knows about the affair, darling," leading royal observers to speculate about its reference to the rumors.
Additionally, gossip site Deuxmoi also shared an anonymous tip hinting at an unnamed British royal couple's affair as "an open secret."
One of the most controversial theories from the web to emerge was the implication that Rose's daughter, Iris, could be Prince William's love child.
However, these unfounded conspiracies have yet to receive any response from the Royal Palace.
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The resurgence of these rumors in 2024, five years after their initial circulation, coincides with the public's curiosity about Kate's health and her rumored marital issues with William.
Kate's last public appearance was at the Royal Family’s annual church service at Sandringham on December 25, 2023, Christmas Day, before her announcement of abdominal surgery on January 17, 2024.
As the public awaits updates on Kate's health and the state of her marriage, Rose Hanbury's denial provides a momentary pause in the ongoing speculation surrounding the British Royal Family's private affairs.
Born Sarah Rose Hanbury, the former model, now 40 years old, assumed the title of Marchioness of Cholmondeley upon her marriage to David Rocksavage, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, in 2009.
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