So, is Rose Hanbury really invited to the Duchess of Cambridge’s b-day party?

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As we discussed on Sunday – our first big royal gossip of 2020! – Rose Hanbury and her husband David Rocksavage attended a church service in Norfolk that day. It was notable because the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also in attendance, as was the Queen. This is the first time Rose and Kate have been seen at the same event or location in years. This was also the first sighting of them at the same location since the affair stories reached a boiling point last year, then died out as William threatened to sue everybody.

David Rocksavage – as the Lord Great Chamberlain and Marquess of Cholmondeley – has a position which puts him in close contact to the Queen often enough, for formal occasions and state dinners and such. Rose and David are the rich, well-connected aristocrats with an enormous, palatial country estate. Prince William and Kate live on the Queen’s Sandringham property in Anmer Hall. There’s a difference, especially in those Turnip Toff circles. My point? I tend to think that Rose and David were not uncomfortable in the least at the church, but perhaps William and Kate were. Who knows though.

What’s interesting is that it feels like every British outlet is still walking on eggshells around this whole thing. I wonder if William threw a fit and demanded that everyone simply ignore the affair story. The Daily Mail didn’t know what to do, so they just flat-out claimed that Rose Hanbury is “due to be at Duchess’s 38th birthday party this week.” They didn’t even bother to back up that claim in the article!! Tatler also got the royal decree to only cover Rose’s appearance in the most cryptic way possible:

Sandringham’s St Mary Magdalene church in sleepy Norfolk was a fashionable place for yesterday’s service. The Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge attended the occasion in elegant purple ensembles, complete with stylish hats. The Duke of Cambridge complemented the sophisticated colour scheme in a navy coat and trousers, accessorising with a patterned tie.

The royals were joined by family friends, including Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, and her husband, David, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley. Despite reports of an alleged falling out between Kate and the Marchioness last year, the scene appeared an amicable one, with the attendees smiling and looking relaxed as they made their way into church.

The Marchioness looked graceful in a dark coat and fur hat, while the Marquess brightened up his muted outfit with a red scarf. The couple live nearby in Norfolk at the impressive stately home Houghton Hall, and have been friends with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for some years.

It was a special day for Norfolk locals, as the first service of the year is the only one attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Members of the local community turned out in force to catch a glimpse of the royal couple, with police officers searching the crowd for security purposes before they could offer their well wishes to to William and Kate.

[From Tatler]

I don’t speak Repressed British Aristocrat, so I won’t bother trying to translate. I assume that all of the posh royal reporters know all kinds of dirt about ALL of this, but they can’t publish a thing because…. William is the Future King or whatever.

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126 Responses to “So, is Rose Hanbury really invited to the Duchess of Cambridge’s b-day party?”

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  1. ShazBot says:

    “It was a special day for Norfolk locals, as the first service of the year is the only one attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.”

    At some point, will it become an issue that the future Head of the Church of England seemingly only goes to church sporadically?

    • Becks1 says:

      This stood out to me too. they spend extended periods of time in Norfolk. Why do they only attend this one church service a year? (plus Christmas and then Easter at Windsor.) I feel like if they attended more, we would hear about it, but maybe not?

      I don’t attend church regularly, but I’m not the future head of the church of England as you point out.

      • Samsara says:

        I’m pretty sure they do attend more and we do occasionally hear about it but it’s such a boring and mundane thing, that it seems a little pointless.

      • Nic919 says:

        The Queen attends church regularly. William and Kate do not or it would be recorded by the media. There are no secret church attendances with them. When everything the royals do gets covered, including Kate going grocery shopping, attending church is not too mundane to be noted.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Exactly Nic919. W&K are not regular churchgoers. The only time we see them at church is for PR. Christmas stroll, this pathetic effort at trying to shut down the ongoing Rose rumors, William at church in Scotland with Charles and HM the weekend before the independence vote, etc.

      • sandy says:

        I’m sure if they want to attend a private chapel is available.

        We do usually see them at Sandringham attending church with the queen over the summer.

      • notasugarhere says:

        The Queen summers at Balmoral. If W&K were attending weekly at Sandringham they’d be papped. People don’t photograph the Queen going to church each Sunday because she always does. If W&K attended church at Windsor, Sandringham, London, Balmoral, or with Mummy Carole, there would be photographs every time.

      • Carolind says:

        Now that the Queen is not in public so frequently, photographs of her coming and going to Church do appear much more frequently. Her visits to Crathie Church at Balmoral are recorded in the press every week now. Partly because other members of the RF are also present. Photographs are also in now each week she is at the Sandringham Church and they have even started photographing her at Windsor where she is most weekends the rest of the year. Charles certainly goes to Church whenever he is in Scotland. Would think he probably does when he is at Highgrove. I don’t think William and Kate are regular Churchgoers. Carole Middleton is certainly not running things with William at any rate anymore which is why they don’t seem to be with her so much. Don’t know to what extent they are at the Middleton home. I don’t know to what extent they go on holiday with the Middletons. Anyone know?

    • dota says:

      Would you really want to put up with that level of security every service if you were a local?

      I lived in Norfolk for 3 years and cannot fathom why they would choose that part of England to stay in. You get one really nice month a year and the rest of the time is wet, cold and rainy. Any other part of the England outside of East Anglia would be much better.

      • Nahema says:

        Did you really live here. Norfolk is grey and cold a lot of the time but so is all of England. Norwich is statistically one of the driest places in the UK and the East of England is one of the warmest and brightest. Also there aren’t really much in the way of locals in Sandringham which don’t work for the estate.

      • dota says:

        @Nahema, I lived in Downham Market. It was always wet and cold except for late July through August for the years I was there. Grey and always trying to rain. Where I now live we get much more overall rain but it comes down heavier and then the sun comes back out. It was not like that there. Maybe I was there during some bad years but as I traveled around other parts of England seemed more pleasant.

      • grumpy says:

        I’ve lived in Norfolk for 30 years give or take, it isn’t grey and cold at all. Although they are barely in Norfolk – all this stuff about the ‘King’s Lynn’ set. King’s Lynn proper is rough.

    • Arya says:

      Most Brits are not very religious so I honestly think it’s better that the Royals barely go to church. It’s more reflective of modern British culture.

      • olive says:

        it’s a tricky line – on one hand, it is more reflective of modern british culture, on the other hand… he IS going to be head of the church of england, and the whole point of royalty is tradition.

        do we know if charles is a regular churchgoer?

    • grumpy says:

      It’s fine, barely anyone in the country attends CoE services, it’s a secular country. Monarchy shouldn’t be connected to religion anyway.

  2. Oh No says:

    …it’s wishful thinking to believe that nothing went on with these two.

    The timing of this and Bill’s reaction to the story was hella strange.

    If they wanted to squash this, they could have done it months ago.

    • Mara says:

      Lainey posited a theory that the Cambridge initially cut off contact because Rocksavage had some dodgy dealings and RH was annoyed about this.
      I suppose we can never really know what happened unless someone goes on the record or there is photographic/documental proof.

      • Silas says:

        But they would easily have known about Rocksavage’s connection to the guy who scammed the L’Oreal heir before they had the charity event at Houghton Hall.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        RH = Royal Household????????????

        EACH held-hosted-sponsored the charity event at Houghton Hall not the Duke and Duchess of Dolittle.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Bay – I think she means Rose Hanbury. that they cut off contact with the Cholmondeley’s (sorry I know I butchered that) and Rose was ticked as a result.

        The reason I don’t believe that is because lots of rich people have dodgy dealings, including the royals.

    • ShazBot says:

      I feel like the british media saying W and Rose were having cozy dinners together is as close as they can get to saying they had an affair.

      • Nic919 says:

        Yes, platonic suppers was definitely code for something.
        Jobbo is also out there saying William and Kate are the next Charles and Diana, so he’s getting his digs in this as well.

      • Dee says:

        This. Didn’t one article say they were “platonic” and that it kept Bill busy while Kate was out of town? I mean, what else can they say without actually saying it?

      • notasugarhere says:

        Don’t forget the long country walks in the fields around Sandringham, Anmer, Houghton Hall.

        Which married RR was photographed having ‘long country walks’ in a field with someone other than her husband? Naked against or near a fence iirc.

      • Maria says:

        It’s extremely messed up that these special suppers apparently happened to Anmer Hall too — not only Kate’s home but the home that saw quite a few rendezous between Charles and Camilla.

      • notasugarhere says:

        When Kate stans raise the idea that William would never, ever be unfaithful to her because of what he saw his parents do? Look at where he is choosing to have his family – in the house where Charles and Camilla had their affair for years. If he had a problem with infidelity, he would have demanded (and received) a different house.

      • olive says:

        @Maria I don’t think William is as bothered by his dad’s affair as much as we’d like to believe. I think the older William gets, the further along into his marriage, the more he understands his father’s actions. And he probably believes, as future king, that he’s entitled to do the same things his father did.

      • Sunday says:

        @ olive I agree, but to push that idea a bit further, W pragmatically (or cynically) watched his father marry someone not out of love but out of duty and perceived PR value, while simultaneously keeping up with the one he truly loved, and decided that what’s good for the goose is good for the gosling.
        However, where Charles had true love, W merely had lust and couldn’t stand the heat of the press. He immediately, and clumsily, retreated, leaving a string of strange PR moves, lawsuit threats and (in this case) decidedly tardy pap walks trailing in his wake.

    • Paula says:

      You are all wrong the other woman was Meghan,Sarah was protecting her,that rumor has been out for a long time now,

    • ArtHistorian says:

      We don’t know what is going on or what went down – but William’s response to a fairly innocuous article IS very weird.

      The initial story seemed like a nothingburger, a small story about two women having a tiff about who was queen bee in their social circle. That isn’t hard to believe, especially in the “rarified” circles of a local aristocracy where one member is royalty but maybe not the local queen bee. But William’s response with the threatening of lawsuits, non-RR reporters speaking about a press black-out, etc. opened them all up to salacious speculation.

      I can imagine 2 scenarios:
      1) Will did indeed have an affair and if that is so, then he has now heaped a second, and public humiliation on his wife, which makes him a major arse.
      2) There is no affair but William was incensed that the story portrayed his wife in a less than flattering light and completely over-reacted. If so, then he has opened himself up to salacious speculation and heaped a public humiliation upon his wife as well as dragging a friend into this mess. In this scenario he is just incredibly stupid.

      IMO, both scenarios are likely since members of the BRF continually engage in both practices: adultery and PR stupidity in dealing with the press. We’ll probably never know which scenario is the true one.

      • Becks1 says:

        @ArtHistorian – Yes! If nothing happened, and William was just mad at an article that portrayed his wife in a negative light, then he wayyyyy overplayed his hand. I could almost see that being the case, since William does think he is this PR genius and can handle the press, except that there have been other negative articles about Kate that have not elicited the same response. Maybe at this point William just assumed the press would stick to Meghan?

  3. Snap Happy says:

    I saw a video of them walking. It definitely seemed like Rose and husband were with the group and not just at the church also.

    • WendyWoo says:

      Could they have? Sure, Charles kept his shit with Camilla and Kanga somewhat low key for years, but that was a different era. Before the Big Divorce when the press learned just how much they had to gain from covering this and not cow-towing to royal wishes. After that, there’s no squirting the milk back into the utter. I think at this point William can repress it at best. He must be FURIOUS. “YOU RUINED EVERYTHING FOR ME, DAD!!!’

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Do not forget Eva O’Neil. Charles had sporadic affair with her for over 5 years always hooking up at Smith Lawn Polo Field.

        Eva O’Neil is the mother of Chris O’Neil who is married to Princess Madeline of Sweden.

    • (TheOG)@jan90067 says:

      I do love how they phrase things for the aristos:

      “… the Marquess brightened up his muted outfit with a red scarf….”

      Their clothes are “muted”… the rest of us peasants are just “drab” lol

      I think this whole church thing is a definite signal that *whatever* this was, or is STILL, going on, FFQ has decided to live with it and move on. And if this is the case, then I’m sure Wandering Willie had to promise something BIG…in writing… about where he puts his scepter from now on lol

  4. pearlime says:

    I’ve always wondered whether that rumor – whether it’s true or not – was was started to get one over on Rose rather than Kate.

  5. Erinn says:

    Is it at all possible that Rose had an affair with a mutual friend and not William? This whole story was so incredibly weird – it never seemed quite like a ‘normal’ affair to me. I don’t put it past most people to cheat, so it’s not even that I think he wouldn’t do it or anything. The timing, the way things were worded … I’ve just always gotten the vibe that it was either a nothingburger, or there was an affair, but the details were wrong. It was just handled strangely, even for the Royals.

    • Maria says:

      The weirdness of how it was handled is what makes me think it’s William, honestly. And the multitudes of stories covering the Cambridges’ marriage afterwards don’t help.

      • Erinn says:

        It is suspect. It just seems like… I don’t know. It’s almost like a weird way to try to deflect from the story. He’s had other cheating stories follow him over the years – do you know how it was handled then? I only started really paying attention in the last couple of years on Celebitchy with Royal gossip, so I’m definitely not the most up to speed.

        And I do have to remind myself how much this family sucks at handling the media.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        I still think Rose was the one who leaked the story as the “Toffs” especially the “Turnip Toffs” do not really like Cathy Cambridge.

    • Mignionette says:

      I think we’re about to find out soon or something is underfoot. The Fail have ramped up the mentions and trolling around this story of late and then all of a sudden we get a ‘nothing to see here’ casual pap stroll around Kate’s birthday no less.

      I wonder if William felt he had Kate on the back-foot after the shrug and so Kate and Bill Middleton decided to this pap stroll to draw attention away from Pigeon-Shrug-Gate…?

      • Erinn says:

        Ultimately, it brings me a ton of joy that we have something to call Pigeon-Shrug-Gate because that’s truly so funny.

        If all the rumors over the years are true – I kind of hope that Kate DID do this on purpose.

        I don’t want to delight in the demise of anyone’s marriage, or anything like that. But this is just such a strange story (and SO much potential for rose related jokes) that I sort of look forward to hearing more. I’m hoping that the actual answer to what happened it actually completely over the top. Something absolutely unbelievably ridiculous (but that’s partially because I don’t want anyone involved to really get hurt because that’s sad.)

      • Becks1 says:

        I agree with this. The press really zeroed in on Kate’s shrug during that special. Like I know its the press and that’s what they do, but considering they have spent the past year emphasizing how stable and happy the Cambridges are, the sudden intense focus seemed out of step with that narrative. And there have been a couple other things that make me think “something” is going on behind the scenes.

      • Erinn says:

        NOTE: “If all the rumors over the years are true – I kind of hope that Kate DID do this on purpose.” I realize now I deleted part of that sentence haha. It was supposed to be if the rumors are true, I hope she did a big shrug on purpose, but apparently I haven’t caffeinated enough.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        “I’m 99% sure it was with Rose, but I think there is a slight chance that Rose was providing cover for someone else.”

        Maybe they were having a threesome which explains away some of the weirdness. LOL! LOL!

      • Mignionette says:

        @BayTampaBay maybe Kate felt that Rose was too into the menage-a-trois and then realised that Bill and Rose had hooked up when she and Bill were on ‘a break’ pre-marriage and that pissed her off….

        LMAO – I need to get myself off home from work as I’m now verging into Cambridge threesome fanfic territory…. 😂😂😂

    • Becks1 says:

      @Erinn – that is one theory that I think Nota and I discussed in the spring. That it wasn’t Rose, but Rose somehow helped to facilitate the affair (allowed William and the woman to use Houghton Hall, for example.) If Rose and Kate really were that close, I can see that really stinging.

      • Luxurylucy says:

        I’m not buying this theory. I would not invite the woman who facilitated the affair of my husband to my birthday. If Rose was in anyway involved then there’s no way Kate would invite her to attend. While Kate can’t stop Rose attending official events due to Rose husband’s position, however Kate is under no obligation to invite Rose to her personal functions.

      • Erinn says:

        I can’t even imagine how much that would hurt if one of my own friends did that – you’d feel SO isolated. You’d be dealing with two huge betrayals all at once, and I truly truly feel bad for her if that is what went down. I know she’s supposedly stood by and let William do whatever – but I don’t think that makes anyone exempt from it hurting.

      • Becks1 says:

        She would if she was told she had to. (and I still don’t think she’s invited to Kate’s actual birthday dinner/soiree/whatever) but Kate couldn’t stop her from attending church, especially if William told her to. I also think it would explain William’s immediate threats of lawsuits – not to protect Rose, whose name is now out there – but to protect the other woman, whose name is NOT out there.

        Anyway, just a theory. I feel like one day we will know what’s actually going on but it may not be for a long time.

      • Maria says:

        This wouldn’t explain the article saying William and Rose had long “special suppers” at Anmer and then the article being reposted with that part redacted.
        I think it’s simply Occam’s Razor here. There COULD be a giant conspiracy to protect some anonymous woman because Rose was facilitating the affair but there’s no way NO detail of this person wouldn’t have gotten out by now, especially with the spotlight on the Turnip Toffs as a result of this kerfuffle.

        The “human rights” thing, royal media counseling Rose on how to react, silencing the press, Rose walking into the state dinner next to a Daily Mail columnist married to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster…it seems pretty obvious to me.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Maria – but it would make sense if the “special suppers” or whatever the phrase was were a cover for the affair. Like if Rose invited William over for dinner as a cover bc they were friends and Kate wouldn’t suspect and the other woman was there, and then Kate found out about it down the road.

        But, in general, I agree with you that I think it was actually Rose. I don’t think the BP/KP would have given Rose instructions unless it was actually her.

      • Becks1 says:

        Oh, wait. I just re-read @Erinn’s post. I definitely think it was William having the affair, and I’m 99% sure it was with Rose, but I think there is a slight chance that Rose was providing cover for someone else.

      • Erinn says:

        LOL Becks, I’m really not set on either being my ‘one’ theory, so I think both are possible for different reasons. It WOULD be really weird for him to go out of his way to end a story that wasn’t about him. Unless they’re better friends with these people. So in that vein, it would make MOST sense that he had the affair, whether it was with Rose or another friend.

        But I don’t think it’s impossible that Rose had an affair with someone else – a close friend of William’s, a family member, who knows. Or perhaps Rose/Mr. Rose (I forgot his name) has something on William that’s blackmail worthy. Maybe there wasn’t an affair, but they wanted the story squashed, and they knew William would have a better shot at that happening and they had some sort of leverage over him.

        I really don’t know! It’s so weird that I’m not sure ANY possible scenario would surprise me at this point.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Erinn — that’s kind of where I am. Its so weird and this has been handled so poorly that anything could be possible.

      • Dee says:

        I’m an Occam’s Razor type of person, but if Rose is covering for anyone, it could easily be a man or another couple. William has been working overtime to make sure this info doesn’t get out. There’s lots of different ways to cheat on your wife. Maybe it’s just an emotional affair, which in their set could be more devastating than the usual goings on.

      • notasugarhere says:

        We did discuss that, that Houghton is cover for many, many William straying events. I don’t think Kate and Rose have ever been friends. Kate doesn’t have female friends, other than the one hanger on who got her into William’s set and knows where the bones are buried.

        Rose is her social rival, what Kate/Carole/Pippa aspired to be. If she is also her romantic rival, that adds more sting. Rose is the type of person William was expected to marry, the kind of person Kate has spent most of her life trying to be/become. The toffs made it clear in the spring and summer; they side with Rose and William, not Kate. Kate and her family remain the outsiders.

      • (TheOG)@jan90067 says:

        Isn’t Rose’s husband bi? Perhaps Rose is covering for HIM and WILL….? lol. All speculation… but who knows? 😄

      • BayTampaBay says:

        “Or perhaps Rose/Mr. Rose (I forgot his name) has something on William that’s blackmail worthy.”

        David ‘Mr. Rose” Rocksavage Cholmondeley was never part of William’s “set”.

        David Rocksavage ran with the luvies, British film stars, European Film Stars and Hollywood crowd. Guy Ritchie, Matthew Vaughn Colin Firth and Jack Houston are more Rocksavage’s set.

    • ShazBot says:

      To me, the biggest evidence that William had an affair was Kate getting her Order right then. Bring her around, solidify her position. Time-wise she was probably due, but she obviously hasn’t done anything to warrant it (other than have babies), so I think it was the Queen extending her a reward for turning a blind eye and being dignified about it.

      And of course, now we get all the stories about how impressed the Queen has been with how Kate has handled herself.
      Yeah, handled herself while her Prince husband does as he wants.

      • Erinn says:

        I forgot about the Order. That does make it seem a lot more shady. Could be coincidental timing, but it certainly doesn’t help the speculation.

        That does seem in the Queen’s playbook though, doesn’t it? She would value someone keeping their mouth shut and submitting to that kind of behavior over a woman standing up for herself.

      • Nic919 says:

        The affair story came out in the spring and Kate disappeared for the month of April for no reason. Then we hear she’s getting the RVO. That screams out being rewarded for not leaving.

      • bamaborn says:

        They even had queenie and Kate color coordinated at the services. The peons lapped that up. Hope the Duke and Duchess of Sussex can stay away from this crap longer.

      • Jen says:

        I agree. It’s very Occam’s Razor. All the signs point to an affair and a reward but a lot of people don’t want to believe it because of idealized views of William, Kate, or both.

    • PrincessK says:

      Well, l think that the RFs policy is to keep close to you those who know your secrets. Rose’s silence on the matter has been bought and l think we will be seeing more of her with the Royals but she doesn’t look too happy about it. There are so many people within royal circles who are tolerated because they know too much. Fergie is one of them, and also the daughter of Princess Alexandra.

  6. LolaB says:

    Weren’t Kate and Rose both at the Trump state dinner?

    • Mignionette says:

      I think they mean seen together in a non-formal setting…

    • Chaine says:

      I was going to ask the same thing—“first time they’ve been seen at the same event or location in years” and I’m thinking this very blog covered them being at the same event and location, the banquet, just six months ago 🙄

    • Jaded says:

      They were, but didn’t sit near each other. Rose showed up without her wedding ring and with Sarah Vine, a Daily Mail columnist, and a face like thunder. Hmmmmm…..

  7. Giranim says:

    Doesn’t Kate have a pre-birthday gathering at the church every year where she invites small group of friends & family? I’m pretty sure this is not the first time the ‘Chumleys’ have attended as I remember seeing some pictures of them in previous years. I doubt they gate crashed! They were obviously there because the Cambridge’s invited them.

    • Tourmaline says:

      No, they definitely didn’t gate crash or just happen to be going to the same church. They were photographed standing amongst a small group that included some of the Cambridges best friends/godparents of their children (specifically standing right with Oliver Baker and Emilie Jardine Patterson). They were there as friends of Kate and Will.

      • Jumpingthesnark says:

        So either this was Rose and Rocksavage trolling Bill and Kate, ie giving the message that they aren’t and won’t be going away, they are as entrenched inn the Brit aristocracy as it gets. Or the PR incompetent viper courtiers thought this would be a good idea and it has blown up spectacularly. Although we aren’t talking about Pedo Andy for a little while. Maybe they’ve been thrown under the bus for Gandmamas favorite son?

      • Elisa says:

        spot on, no one is talking about Andrew anymore, IMO all the recent weird headlines around the Cambs serve as a very welcome distraction for him / TQ.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        I really want the spotlight to return to Andrew – he deserves that the heat stays on him, plus it is a MUCH juicier story gossip-wise: a criminal royal.

  8. Sarah says:

    At this point, I really hope something actually went down between William and Rose because if not, it means that this married mother of three, who is not a member of the RF, has had her reputation draggred through the mud for no reason.
    I know this is a gossip site but am the only one uncomfortable with the way some royal watchers make baseless claims about private citizens – always women – in their hope to hurt Normal Bill’s reputation ? First, Jecca Craig was accused of cheating on her then partner with him and lying about her child’s paternity, now Rose…

    • Emily says:

      Agree. If nothing actually happened, I feel sorry for Rose.

    • dynastysurf says:

      I feel the same way. At the moment, Rose and her children are the ones I feel for the most in this situation. Even if none of this is true, there is an aspect of it that you sign up for and know is coming as a member of the BRF. Like it or not, you’re always going to be scrutinized. Whether or not it’s true, someone somewhere is going to report it as fact. But right now, as it stands, with no confirmations from either camp one way or the other, Rose is simply an innocent woman whose reputation is being dragged through the mud because she happens to be associated with the Cambridges. Their daughter isn’t old enough to really understand it yet, she’s only three, but the twins are ten. They’re old enough to use the internet, old enough to know something is off even if their parents don’t tell them anything, and *certainly* old enough to be getting made fun of at school for this.

    • Kristina says:

      Totally agree with you, sarah. It’s disturbing how gleefully and bitterly people are invested in hoping for demise of a family and couple. So many baseless theories decided upon.

  9. Becks1 says:

    The way RRs keep circling around this story makes me think that there is definitely something there. With William threatening lawsuits, there would be no reason to even mention Rose Hanbury, even for the sake of clicks, bc William has an army of lawyers at the ready.

    Sometimes I think all the RRs know the affair happened, and they’re ticked that they are being told to stand down on a huge royal scandal, so instead they just keep bringing up Rose Hanbury’s name as much as possible.

    • RoyalBlue says:

      I am 99.99% sure sparks flew between William and Rose. When the news first broke it only mentioned Kate trying to shut Rose out of the social circle. This them prompted the question why, and the subsequent chain of events of numerous whispers of cheating and a missive fired off to the press by William’s lawyers. William’s cheating was an open secret in the society at the time. I think it’s only been shut down because they have agreed not to see each other anymore.

    • Mignionette says:

      Given that RR’s and their sources virtually stalk the RF, I am guessing that they do know something and do have evidence of this affair, but it cannot be printed owing to the nature in which the evidence or photos were obtained. There is a strong case for public interest, especially as William is in the direct order of succession, so the grounds for suppression must have been strong, which suggests a serious over-step by the media. The fact that Bill has then so happily fallen into bed with the same media and granted them unprecedented access to his three children again suggests that he is on the back-foot about something.

      Also William used privacy laws and the human rights act to effectively put a gagging order on the UK press, so that again suggests poorly obtained evidence. The photos were then sent to KP in advance for comment and that is when Kate lost her royal shit and asked for the Rose bush to be clipped back.

      This affair happened, the press are just waiting for someone to say or do something to open the doors and then its game over for Bill Cambridge.

  10. Sofia says:

    What do you all think of the idea that it was Marina who he had an affair with? A commenter posted it but then it got deleted

    Personally I never heard of the Marina angle but curious to know if I missed some gossip

    • MsIam says:

      Other people have mentioned that because there was article about Kate, early last year, when they started putting out the “never puts a foot wrong” bs that mentions Rose and her sister having wild pasts and not minding being written about in the press. It was in comparison to Kate who was being touted as the model of discretion. It seemed odd to bring up Rose’s sister out of the blue like that when she was never mentioned as part of the “royal rift”.

  11. Lummy dee says:

    Unless one of us was in the room when the sex was taking place, no one can say it is accurate. Even if Kate has a pea sized brain, which woman will invite her husband’s mistress to church WITH HER OWN PARENTS!?
    It’s impossible pls

    • Betsy says:

      That is *exactly* the kind of thing the royals and aristos have been doing for a million years. Wasn’t it Georgina whose aristo husband made her accept his mistress straight up living with them?

      • Becks1 says:

        YES! At least based on the Keira Knightley movie lol (I read the book too, which was pretty interesting.) Apparently they were friends, she introduced her to her husband (the Duke of Devonshire) and then they started an affair and when the duchess tried to kick her out, the duke said nope. There are three of us now.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Another example is the Princess Anne-Andrew Parker Bowles-Camilla Shand-Prince Charles square-dance of he 1970-80s.

    • Nic919 says:

      So you are unaware of the many times Diana and Camilla were in the same room? Or Diana being friends with Kanga, his other mistress?

    • Jen says:

      Impossible that they might try to silence rumors by inviting them to an occasion they’ve been invited to in years’ past? Impossible that the RF has a motive for wanting to make sure the “happy couple” narrative is pushed?

      I agree we don’t know for sure that there was an affair, but I think it’s naive to assume it didn’t because they were there with Kate’s parents (who by many accounts are heavily invested in keeping their daughter a royal).

  12. leigh says:

    Rose’s own brother was quoted as saying that Rose dined with Will to keep him company when Kate was gone and then that reference was edited out soon afterward so probably spilled a little too much truth there. As to who initially spilled the tea to the Sun or the Fail, if the affair was common knowledge in Norfolk (and I have seem some random comments from Norfolk-types who said as much) it could have been a local commoner whom Kate snubbed in some way who needed some cash and went to the Sun or Fail, or it could have been a bored, aristo-adjacent who knew what was going on and wanted to have a little fun at Kate’s expense. It feels like a real British whodunnit to me … with the little village and the Big Secret and someone out for revenge.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      Fan-Fiction written Episode of Midsomer Murders anyone????

      • Becks1 says:

        I was thinking of that Bay! Someone call Barnaby!

        (side note – are there more seasons after season 21? I think I’m all caught up and I’m stupidly sad over it.)

      • notasugarhere says:

        Have you tried the Lewis series (spinoff from Inspector Morse) or Inspector and the Sea (Swedish)?

      • Jaded says:

        @Becks1 – have you been watching Wallander? I’ve been hooked on it for years, both the Swedish and English versions (with Kenneth Branagh playing Wallander). Oh, and Vera is quite good too with Brenda Blethyn. And Scott and Bailey is great.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Becks1, According to IMDB (or maybe it was Wikipedia-???-I cannot remeber where I read it) two further seasons of Midsomer Murders have been green-lighted.

        Inspector Lewis is great and I have the box set to prove it!!!!!!

        I LOVE Laurence Fox in anything.

      • Peg says:

        Try Occupied, I watched season 1, am too chicken to watch season 2, great acting.

      • Becks1 says:

        No I haven’t tried any of those series! I’ll start with one this week. We have Acorn TV now since I insisted after MSM left Netflix and I had 6 seasons to go lol.

      • fatladysinging says:

        Just a reminder about what the creator of Midsomer Murders once said:

        “Well, we just don’t have ethnic minorities involved. Because it wouldn’t be the English village with them. It just wouldn’t work. Suddenly we might be in Slough. Ironically, Causton (the town in the series) is supposed to be Slough. And if you went to Slough you wouldn’t see a white face there.

        “We’re the last bastion of Englishness and I want to keep it that way.”

        I love British mysteries. But I could never bring myself to watch that show after reading his comments.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Fatlady – ugh, that’s unfortunate. But, I will note that as I watched the whole series over the past 6 months, they definitely brought in more minorities in the later seasons and made it more diverse.

      • fatladysinging says:

        Hey Becks1,

        Yeah, the guy got suspended, and they made changes after he made the comment. But I think — THINK — he still profits from it, which is why I just can’t bring myself to do it. I wish I knew for certain if he continued to make money off of it after he made those comments. Because if not, I’d be on that so fast!

  13. bamaborn says:

    Lol…just a fun thought! Maybe Bill was saying to Kate “do something like that again and it won’t just be 🌹 you have to worry about!

  14. PhD gossip says:

    Royal Foibles website does a credible analysis without fear or favor of the Rose Hanbury drama.

    • notasugarhere says:

      Royal foibles is a racist prat.

      • Sofia says:

        @NOTA !!!!! I read their Rose article published last year and liked it. Then I read their Meghan article and then scrolled to the comments and was shocked at how the author sided with the tinhats, agreed with their ludicrous theories and use their nicknames for Meghan

        Turned me off forever. No the author doesn’t have to like Meghan, but he doesn’t have to agree with a bunch of deranged idiots

      • notasugarhere says:

        He’s horribly racist towards Maria-Teresa of Luxembourgh too, because she’s Cuban.

  15. L4frimaire says:

    I think this whole birthday weekend story was put out there to get those photos and to mention wilted Rose’s name. I don’t know how this benefits the Cambridge’s in any way. Now that old speculation comes back up again and makes them look like chumps. They’re going to get the type of scrutiny they didn’t want since the shrug seen round the world. Side note, prefer the French titles marquis and marquise, but that’s apropos of nothing.

    • L84Tea says:

      I agree. Nothing about this story benefits the Cams in any way.

    • Jen says:

      I think it does to a lot of people. They were getting negative attention for driving separately to the Christmas lunch and the shrug, and now a lot of people are thinking “See! Nothing happened! Rose and Kate are still friends!”

  16. aquarius64 says:

    The RRs knows there was a wandering scepter. They’re mad at the loss of money for not publishing a sex scandal involving a future king. They want to put the Cambridges in their place for muzzling them. Recent polls show the public still have bad vibes for Camilla and Charles and want the Cambridges on the throne now. That’s why the perfect marriage and family images. If Bill is busted game over. And the Cambridges should not rest easy. The BRF thought Andrew’s mess was squashed in 2010…and look were he is now.

    • Aria says:

      That’s why william is so keen on throwing Meghan and harry under the bus. But karma is a bitch , look what happen to Andy daughter, she cant have the marraige she wants.

  17. Elisa says:

    ha, wonderful gossip.
    Also, I flat out love Kate’s outfit, especially the hat and the coat.

    • BeanieBean says:

      You know, when I first saw it yesterday, I thought her coat looked like a skinned hyena. Ugliest thing I’d ever seen her wear. Still think that. Funny, how things are perceived.

    • huckle says:

      I love Kate’s outfit too, Elisa. It’s super cute!

  18. Lowrider says:

    This is one of Kate’s worst outfits. She needs a feather in her hat and cane and she would look like a 70’s pimp.

    Rose is dressed elegantly but good lord! she is thin….but I suppose that is Williams type…………

  19. fabulousfunsteru says:

    Hmm I’m thinking that Prince Charles is still reeling from the Andrew scandal and is trying to start the New Year fresh. There are/were suspicious circumstances surrounding the Will & Rose story – his wierd statement, the turnips, Kate getting the order, rumours and speculation that won’t quite go away…

    I think he’s put his foot down after ‘The Shrug’ when the future queen visibly flinches at the touch of her husband things just aren’t looking right in Royal paradise.

    I reckon he’s said – put it all behind us, show strength and unity. They will be papped when they come to church (do they usually?) AND your inviting her to your party. Which will probably have loads of people and she won’t even have to talk to her…

  20. diffraction says:

    David’s Wikipedia page says, “He also acts as Lord Great Chamberlain of the United Kingdom, a role he is entitled to hold for the duration of the present Queen’s reign.”

    Do you think he’ll be knocked off his pedestal once Charles takes over because silly Billy is throwing a fit behind closed doors? I have no idea how any of this works, but I found the wording of that above statement to be interesting.

    • Sofia says:

      Two main families have a stake in the role. They basically alternate every monarch.

      So the Cholmondeley’s (sp?) will be out for Charles’ reign. But back for William

      • Maria says:

        An interesting aside that has nothing much to do with this story but I’m proud of my googling:
        The position of the Lord Great Chamberlain rotates proportionately to how much of the position any descendant holds.
        Two nieces of the final Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven (one was married to the Marquess of Cholmondeley) in the 18th century were granted the office of Lord Chamberlain and so it rotates between, but because the Cholmondeley side has always had a male heir it holds an entire half of the office, and the other family has been split several times because of female inheritance, which leaves certain bits inherited between the branches, in their turn. I believe Lord Carrington is next in this hierarchy, then it would rotate back to the Cholmondeleys, THEN Rufus Keppel (a cousin of Camilla!) would get it.

        So yes, as you say, he’ll be back for William’s reign, LOL.

  21. RelaxiCab says:

    I like Kate but that hat… that’s a miss…

  22. A says:

    Rose looks very old at first glance in that get up, with the hat and the coat. I almost mistook her for Princess Anne. All of that money and those fancy houses and yet none of these women seem to be able to afford sunscreen, let alone a retinol prescription.

  23. Rogue says:

    The Fail and royal reporters are being hella shady. One called Kate and William the new Diana and Charles& with that history not sure how this is a good thing? Dick (aptly named) Arbiter also retweeted an article about Kate v Rose which suggested fallout was because of an affair. He then went on about speculation& nothing to see. Odd behaviour.

    Also the way they bring up Rose randomly in articles about the Cambridges reminds me of mischievous actions of the Brit press around the Ryan Giggs, Hugh Bonneville etc super injunctions.

  24. Miriam says:

    Something definitely happened! With Williams history of cheating, the sun publishing his ski break where he was touchy-feely with a mysterious blond, him going to jecca when kate first met the queen(Zara’s wedding), the excessive threatening letter when he did nothing about feud stories, his SIL ‘s mistreatment, RRs tiptoing around this when they are still lying about the Sussexs despite the lawsuits..etc all indicate that there is something big!!

    Just like how they denied Charles&Camilla’s affair they are covering for the future heir. Kate has the power but she will never expose him because she wants the consort gig!! I dont think she has much choice either as BOSS/mum Carole wants the title too!!

    They’ll just suck it up and take whatever compensation bill gives them(probably financing the failing Middleton business).

  25. Carolind says:

    I am inclined to think something did go on between Rose and William but Kate very probably disappeared for the whole of that April because it was the school hols. I am pretty sure she got the big award at the end of 2018 but did not get the opportunity to wear it for ages.

  26. MangoAngelesque says:

    I see those photos of Kate and all I can think are the inimitable words of River Song:

    “What in the name of sanity have you got on your head?!”