The British royal family has been a focal point of media attention in 2024, with one of the most talked-about stories being the absence of Kate Middleton, or Catherine, the Princess of Wales, from public life due to a health crisis. Amid this, the name Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, has resurfaced, reigniting old rumors of an alleged affair between her and Prince William. Despite strong denials from both parties, these speculations have persisted, especially after Stephen Colbert’s joke on “The Late Show” in March 2024, which led to Rose breaking her five-year silence to deny the rumors through her lawyers.
The Rose-William affair rumors, while not as scandalous as some past royal controversies, have nonetheless captivated public interest. However, a deeper dive into the history of these rumors reveals a curious trend: many stories about Rose Hanbury have disappeared from U.K. media outlets. Foundational articles about her connections to the royal family now lead to dead links or have been edited to remove specific details. This investigation found 21 deleted stories and six edited ones from 2019 to 2024, all from major U.K. outlets like Tatler, the Daily Mail, the Evening Standard, and the Guardian.
The prevailing theory among gossip enthusiasts is that the Palace has been exerting pressure on media outlets to suppress these stories to protect Prince William. There have even been unsubstantiated rumors of a “media blackout” or “super injunction” on stories about William and Rose. However, there are no official reports or statements from the Palace or the media outlets explaining these deletions. Legal representatives for both the royal family and Rose Hanbury have denied the affair rumors but have not commented on the removal of these stories.
Despite the rumors, Rose Hanbury’s public profile has been on the rise. Her friendship with Catherine has been the subject of many positive stories, and she has increasingly become a standalone subject in U.K. media. Her presence at events, her fashion choices, and even her responses to fan mail have been deemed newsworthy. Numerous “Who Is Rose Hanbury?” articles have also surfaced, chronicling her life from her days as a model to her current status as a marchioness.
Rose Hanbury first appeared in the media in 2002 as a socialite, along with her sister Marina. She quickly became a fixture on London’s upper-class party scene and signed with the prestigious modeling agency Storm Management. By 2006, she was romantically linked to David Rocksavage, the Seventh Marquess of Cholmondeley, and they married in 2009. The couple has three children and resides at Houghton Hall in Norfolk.
Over the years, Rose has been featured in various media outlets, from society columns to fashion magazines. She has been photographed at numerous high-profile events and has even been included in lists like Tatler’s “best society breasts.” Her life at Houghton Hall was also the subject of a Vanity Fair story in 2013.
The rumors of a feud between Catherine and Rose began to surface in 2019. Stories about their alleged rivalry and tension were widely reported but have since been deleted. These stories often hinted at a possible competition between the two women, with some even suggesting that William might have had a romantic interest in Rose. Despite these rumors, both women have been seen together at events, and their interactions have been described as friendly.
In March 2019, the Sun and the Daily Mail published stories about a supposed falling-out between Catherine and Rose, which were later deleted. These stories claimed that William wanted to play peacemaker between the two women, but Catherine was adamant about phasing out the Cholmondeleys from their social circle. The rumors were so pervasive that both women reportedly considered legal action, although no evidence was ever provided to substantiate the claims.
The U.K. media’s coverage of the alleged feud was picked up by U.S. outlets like Vanity Fair and the Daily Beast, which noted the strange way the story was being handled. Kensington Palace eventually denied the allegations of a falling-out, but the rumors continued to circulate.
In conclusion, the mysterious disappearance of stories about Rose Hanbury and the ongoing rumors of an affair with Prince William have only fueled public curiosity. While the Palace and the media have remained tight-lipped, the speculation shows no signs of abating. Rose’s increasing media presence and the glowing stories about her friendship with Catherine add another layer of intrigue to this ongoing saga.
Source: Vulture, Daily Mail, The Sun, Vanity Fair, Daily Beast, Evening Standard, Guardian
