William and Kate seem like the most perfect couple. The Prince and Princess of Wales met when they studied at the University of St. Andrews, but despite some ups and downs, the two made it through and tied the knot. Today, the two have a wonderful family. Time will tell when it is time for William to ascend to the throne, as his father, King Charles, is not getting younger. 

Prince William and Princess Kate truly value relationships, including their friends. However, a shocking claim about William and a reported mistress rocked the royal family some years ago, which left fans in disbelief.

Not only was it another woman – but one of Princess Kate’s best friends. So what really happened? And who is this reported mistress? Let’s take a closer look. 

Prince William and Princess Kate first became friends while studying at St Andrews University. They both had partners before meeting one another – but it soon became apparent that their relationship was set to be different.

The two moved into the same residence hall, St. Salvator’s Hall, and attended the same lectures and classes. Then, during their second year, they moved in with a couple of friends at a private home – where their love blossomed.

Prince William & Kate – relationship

By all accounts, William and Kate had a similar sense of humor, which was one of the factors that helped them click.

“She’s got a really naughty sense of humour, which really helps me because I’ve got a really dirty sense of humour so it was good fun, we had a really good laugh, and then things happened,” William said in their engagement video.

It didn’t take long before the world, or at least the British tabloid press, realized that Kate Middleton was the future king’s new girlfriend. Naturally, they reported on the couple as much as possible, though it wasn’t just “love is in the air”-type articles the papers published. Instead, they focused on digging into Kate’s personal life, even giving her nasty nicknames.

In 2005, William and Kate both graduated. William held a Master of Arts degree in geography, while Kate held a Master of Arts degree in history.

Even though the couple had a powerful bond, it seemed like other people tried to sabotage their relationship. According to Katie Nicholl, William’s friends called Kate cruel nicknames and took subtle digs at her because of her mother Carole’s profession. She had worked as an air hostess for British Airways before she and her husband, Michael, started their very successful company.

That, Nicholl said on Vanity Fair’s Dynasty podcast, William’s “snooty” friends took advantage of this. They whispered “doors to manual” when Kate arrived at one of London’s nightclubs.

It was reported that certain aristocrats also described the princess’s family as “the en masse Middletons.”

Kate was called cruel nicknames by William’s friends

The prince’s aristocratic friends – referred to as the “Glosse Posse,” a reference to their Gloucestershire roots – treated Kate like she was beneath them. However, Kate never rose to the “derogatory” comments made towards her. Instead, she chose to ignore them.

“It was never water off a duck’s back, but she has extraordinary strength of character and resilience. I’ve never once seen or heard of her losing her temper,” a royal aide told the Sunday Times Magazine.

In 2021, a source told the Daily Mail that Prince William “flew off the handle” when his friends mocked his beloved girlfriend.

“He flies off the handle at any sign of Kate being patronised and stamps that out very quickly. It’s one of his triggers,” the royal source said.

“Over the years, many people have come up with great ideas for her, but if they are put across in a dismissive way, they’ve got pretty short shrift from him.”

At that point, many believed it was the start of what soon was to be an engagement. However, it only took two years before things turned ugly.

In 2007, William and Kate went through a high-profile split. Meanwhile, it apparently became unstable a year before, as William and Kate declined each other’s invitations to spend major holidays together.

For example, William apparently declined the New Year’s Eve invitation to Kate’s parents’ place just days before, leaving Kate in tears.

Married in 2011

In her 2011 book The Making of a Royal Romance, Nicholl claimed that Kate was left fearing for the future of their relationship. William had promised to meet Kate and her family but backed out with a call on Boxing Day. He decided instead to stay with the royals.

As the future king didn’t know what to do, he sat down with the Queen and his father, Charles, and spoke about his feelings. They had a clear answer.

“William had been having second thoughts and sat down with his father and his grandmother to have a frank discussion about his future with Kate. Both advised him not to hurry into anything,” Nicholl claimed in her book.

William and Kate’s romance was, of course, not dead. Their bond was strong – and they reconciled.

On April 29, 2011, the two tied the knot in Westminster Abbey. The couple welcomed their firstborn son – and future king – Prince George in 2013, Princess Charlotte in 2015, and Prince Louis in 2018.

Prince William and Princess Kate have become role models for how royals should handle themselves publicly. But also how they are raising their children. For many years now, it has been clear that they want to give George, Charlotte, and Louis a normal childhood – even though they must follow some particular rules. After all, they are royal, and those guidelines can be pretty harsh for someone looking from the outside.

However, in 2019, a rather devastating rumor appeared in a US tabloid, which rocked the royal family. Had William been unfaithful?

William was rumored to have had an affair with Kate’s friend Rose Hanbury

To begin with, it’s important to underline that nothing has been confirmed. In April 2019, the American publication In Touch reported that William “may” have had an affair with a woman named Rose Hanbury, who happens to be the Marchioness of Cholmondeley and a friend of Kate’s.

Tabloids reported about the “falling out” involving William, Kate, and Rose. In Touch wrote that Kate had confronted William with the reports but that William had “laughed it off,” saying that the rumors weren’t true.

At the time, the Daily Mail royal expert Richard Kay decided to speak out on the rumors, saying it was all fake news.

“Both sides have considered legal action, but because none of the reports have been able to offer any evidence about what the so-called dispute is about, they have chosen to ignore it… These hurtful rumors of a fallout are simply false,” Kay wrote.

The gossip spread like wildfire, and the same year, in 2019, the Daily Mail reported that Kate would “phase out” Rose Hanbury from their friend’s group. It didn’t exactly help that Rose lived nearby to William and Kate, had the same social circle, and even had houses in Norfolk close to each other.

William and Kate’s summer house in Anmer Hall isn’t far from where Rose and her husband live, Houghton Hall, which reportedly has 106 rooms.

So, who is Rose Hanbury?

According to Tatler, Rose’s connections to the royal family go way back. Hanbury’s maternal grandmother, Lady Elizabeth Lambert, was one of Queen Elizabeth’s eight bridesmaids at her 1947 wedding to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

This is Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley

While it took a few years before Rose Hanbury became a close friend of a royal, she and Kate go way back. Tatler reported that William, Kate, Rose, and Rose’s husband David, the Marquess of Cholmondeley, double-dated. Moreover, she and Kate are patrons of the East Anglia Children’s Hospice.

Rose Hanbury attended the prestigious Stowe boarding school before pursuing an Open University Degree. For a short time, she worked as a model. At 23, she was signed to modeling agency Storm, the same agency that discovered Kate Moss.

However, she soon changed her profession, working as a political researcher for the Conservative MP Michael Gove.

As mentioned, Rose and Kate double-dated with their former boyfriends – who have now become their husbands. Rose and David met during a holiday in 2003, and six years later, the couple tied the knot at Chelsea Town Hall.

The couple have welcomed three children. Twin brothers Alexander, the Earl of Rocksavage, and Lord Oliver Cholmondeley were born in 2009, and their daughter, Lady Iris, in 2016.

It’s been reported that the two young boys are playmates of Prince George – and Lord Oliver was actually one of King Charles’ Pages of Honor at the coronation in May.

Over the years, Rose Hanbury has been seen close to the royals several times. In 2017, at a state banquet at Buckingham Palace, Rose sat next to Prince Harry. Not long ago, her husband was appointed Lord-in-Waiting to King Charles, which is simply another name for someone from a noble family who serves as a personal attendant in the household of the monarch.

“Hurtful” affair rumors “are simply false,” insider said

The 2019 rumors about an affair between William and Rose truly shocked royal fans. At the time, according to a Daily Mail source, William, David, Kate, and Rose were left baffled by the claims.

“These hurtful rumours of a fallout are simply false. William and David were in touch with each other over the weekend, not knowing whether to laugh or complain,” the insider said.

“Both wives are hurt by the suggestion that there is any argument or even a coolness between them. They have plans for future events involving their charity.”

As reported by The Mirror, another friend said at the time: “It has now become very upsetting, and they are all concerned for each other, as they have never before had to start denying something for which there is no evidence or even a smidgen of truth. It is just mad.”

There has been no confirmation of the rumors even being one percent true. Most likely, as there’s no evidence, it never happened. Another reason why it seems like there is no bad blood between Kate and Rose Hanbury was disclosed some months ago when it became known that the longtime friends had been to a music festival together.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Kate brought her friends with her to the Houghton Music Festival, located in the Norfolk countryside. The festival, a 24-hour nonstop event with a royal guest among the 12,000 people in attendance, is held at the 1000-acre Houghton Hall estate, owned by David and Rose.

Kate & Rose Hanbury attend music festival

Kate reportedly had dinner at David and Rose’s home when she first considered attending the festival.

“Catherine was nervous about the idea, but after much discussion with her protection officers, she went with lots of security. William wasn’t there,” a source told the Daily Mail.

The princess and her pals attended the major music event, enjoying a well-deserved rest from the stressful big city life. That being said, they did not visit the food trucks for a quick bite.

The London Evening Standard reported that Kate and her friends instead ate at the festival restaurant, Turntable & Napkin. Kate was, according to the news outlet’s source, “in high spirits, ordering spicy margaritas, eating affogato and speaking affably with the other members of her party.”

“Her companions apparently carted in a huge, balthazar-sized bottle of AIX rosé and, together with Kate, left the festival restaurant staff a £700 tip.”

If you enjoyed this article, perhaps you’d be interested in reading about Kate’s ex-boyfriend who reportedly broke her heart.

The somewhat cruel rumors about William and Rose Hanbury’s alleged affair seem to have been taken out of nowhere and have never been confirmed. And hopefully, the two couples – and their children – will have many happy moments together in the future.