One of the biggest “tells” of the Rose Hanbury story is that Prince William’s defenders are still desperate, five years later, to pretend that the whole thing started on social media, or that the rumors were only spread by “Sussex Squad” people with an agenda. While we might not be able to provide evidence of an affair between the Marchioness of Cholmondeley and Prince William, there is ample evidence that the affair rumors spread like wildfire in aristocratic society in 2018-19, and that William’s people have done the most to cover up any speculation, even sending out legal threats to British outlets. Which makes Stephen Colbert’s jokes last week even funnier. All it took was a three-minute segment on The Late Show for a careful, five-year coverup to get blown to smithereens. While the British media is still treading carefully, the story cannot be contained internationally. I’m curious to see if the British media even picks this up as well – Rose’s lawyer denied the rumors on the record to Business Insider.
Rose Hanbury would very much like to be excluded from any Princess Kate Middleton narrative, it seems. Hanbury (whose full name is Sarah Rose Hanbury), 40, reportedly denied rumors that Middleton’s public absence is due to an affair with Prince William after Stephen Colbert brought the idea to the masses.
“The rumors are completely false,” Hanbury’s lawyers allegedly told Business Insider on Saturday, March 16, days after the Marchioness of Cholmondeley was name-dropped on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. (Us Weekly has reached out to Hanbury for comment.)
So, a flat denial. What’s interesting is that I think this is the first time Rose’s lawyer has ever gone on the record? Before now, it’s always been “sources close to Rose” or “sources close to William.” Plus, it’s easier to deny something which hasn’t been happening for years, by my guess. I doubt William is still playing hide-the-salami in rose bushes. There were rumors, a few years back, that there’s another woman, someone London-based.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Getty.