Happy belated one-year anniversary of the Rose Hanbury Rural Rival story

The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Attend Gala Dinner To Support East Anglia's Children's Hospices' Nook Appeal

Because of the coronavirus, gossip has slowed to the pace of molasses, which explains my desire to do a “remember when” gossip story. Our Gossip with Celebitchy podcast this week is about old gossip mysteries too, and it got me thinking about the royal mystery at the heart of so much of what happened in the Windsor family for the past two years or so. Did you know that we didn’t remark on the one year anniversary of Dan Wootton “outing” Rose Hanbury as the Duchess of Cambridge’s “rural rival”? That happened on March 22, 2019 aka Rural Rival Day. Wootton actually didn’t break the story, the Daily Mail did weeks earlier, only they buried the curious “rivalry” story in one small gossip column, and it was largely ignored. Incidentally, the Daily Mail online took down that original column from mid-March 2019. Curious, huh?

After The Sun published their very shady, talking-around-the-issue column, Prince William ran to Richard Kay at the Daily Mail. In a piece published on March 24th, 2019 (just two days after Wootton’s story dropped), an unnamed source who just had to be William insisted that nothing was happening between Kate and Rose and something something, it’s all some kind of evil plot cooked up by the Duchess of Sussex. That story is still up, and it’s still one of the most bizarre “denials” in the history of royal gossip. As the story unfolded over the next few days and weeks after that, we got a clearer picture of what happened: an alleged affair between William and Rose, likely when Kate was pregnant with Louis, and Kate only finding out much later. Kate probably did try to freeze out Rose from their Norfolk society too. We also learned that William and his lawyers were doing the most to shut down media outlets from writing about anything to do with Rose.

There are still so many mysteries around all of this. Who leaked the original “rural rival” story and what was the goal there? To hurt the Cambridges, or to hurt Rose? Did William, in his rush to shut down the affair gossip, end up selling his soul and lifetime access to his family to various media outlets? Did Rose and Kate “make up” to any extent? They were seen at the same church service a few months ago, and Rose attended the Trump state dinner at Buckingham Palace last year. And the biggest question: is William still trimming Rose bushes?

The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Attend Gala Dinner To Support East Anglia's Children's Hospices' Nook Appeal

The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Attend Gala Dinner To Support East Anglia's Children's Hospices' Nook Appeal

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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206 Responses to “Happy belated one-year anniversary of the Rose Hanbury Rural Rival story”

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  1. Aurora says:

    Are aristocratic women required to have bad posture? Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco has the most horrendous posture.

    • Prof Trelawney says:

      I had the same thought! Didn’t want to seem shallow esp in these times, but oof, just terrible posture, or maybe that’s just Will’s type?

    • Drea says:

      I was thinking that too! And, do none of them know how to hold a wine glass? Isn’t table etiquette something they teach in finishing school?

  2. Belli says:

    The Richard Kay article was one of the weirdest royal gossip pieces I’ve ever seen.

    Before that, everyone was completely dismissing the original story and saying it was obviously rubbish and speculation and it was just a slow news day.

    Then came the most bizarre rebuttal imaginable, obviously from William. And the silencing of stories because of his human rights (no mention of them being false). It was weird and unnecessary and only made people pay attention. It would have been gone in a few days otherwise.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      I have always wondered what Richard Kay really thinks of Bill Cambridge. It is my understanding that Richard Kay does not think too highly of Future-Future William V.

  3. Astrid says:

    Cant believe a year has gone by already

  4. Sofia says:

    I would love a sorta “Where are they now?” type thing with this.

    Like how have the Cambridges fared? How is Rose doing? How does the Norfolk set feel? How do the rest of the aristos feel?

    • Beach Dreams says:

      I’m sure the turnip toffs are relieved the story was eventually smothered (only after months of sly articles by the British press). No doubt they gossip and chat about each other’s dirt on a regular basis, but ‘outsiders’ talking about it is a completely different story.

      • (TheOG) jan90067 says:

        Wasn’t something put out that “the Toffs” are standing by the “true aristo”, Rose?

      • BayTampaBay says:

        YES! The toffs did not care for Cathy’s “phase-out” behavior.

        Toffs stood by Rose & David. This was explained in a Town&Country article when Town&County went to Norfolk to try and get the real story. They did not get a story but blabbered on about how all of Norfolk (Toffs & everyone else) just loves Rose & David.

    • bettyrose says:

      What happened to that lovely couple who took the brunt of the Cambridges throwing distraction stories to the RR?

      • kellebelle says:

        William told them to focus on negative press of Meghan’s estrangement with her father apparently. Harry got fed up with it all and they ran away. Happy Days! Poor Kate is aging like melting wax, oh dear.

      • bettyrose says:

        As much as I couldn’t care less about an aristo class that marries for procreation and has endless affairs, would love a good tell all on how the windsor men brought down the monarchy with their pale, freckled penii going wild.

      • elle says:

        @bettyrose – what.an.image. I’m picturing the penii on horseback, waving swords (of steel).

  5. BayTampaBay says:

    I know it will be years but I hope the whole story comes out.

    I still think Rose leaked the story because why else would Dan Wootton (mouthpiece for KP) run such a story? Wootton running the story only makes sense to me if the leaker was actually there,

    • Flamingo says:

      I think it was Carole Middleton as a warning shot to William. Carole is a smart lady and seems to run the show. I think she let a little birdie know a detail or two to remind William that she has all the dirt.

      • Ruby_Woo says:

        Do you think Carole would risk running a rumour about an affair? I feel like they do the most trying to pretend that they are the perfect family with the perfect wife.

      • aria says:

        you are giving Carole too much power. We have to remember that married women in Windsor are disposal. Carole is a pimp who pimps her daughter to a man who disrespected her and humiliate her in public many times. She encourage her daughter to be with a man who cheated on her? Carole is nacarisst she cares more about her future title than her own daughter happines.no loving mother will do that. I bet kate might not know that her mother is a narcissist because I work in therapy and some adult-only found out much later in their life that their parents are narcissists because they grew up believing this is normal. Carole checks all the narcissist traits, those people will be very much involved in their children and grandchildren’s life because in that way they can control their every move. i worry about Cambridge kids, William grows up watching his father trying Diana like shit and he doesn’t care about her feeling, the same way William doesn’t care about the feeling of kate. What this message their kids learn from?

      • February Pisces says:

        I have a theory that it was Carole too. Like you said it was most likely a warning shot. I think kate felt like William was close to pulling the plug on them, so ma took a risk. No one had ever heard of rose before, but putting her name out there, meant that if William ever made her official, people would be able to refer back to this rumour and say ‘poor Kate was cheated on’, similar to how everyone was on Diana’s side all because Charles broke her heart. I don’t think they ever meant for the affair rumours to leak on twitter. But it worked for kate, cos William can’t really risk being seen with rose even privately, and rose has probably run off scared by being publically outed. The fact kate seems to have gotten everything she wanted from this rumour is too coincidental. It was a risk, because is ruins the illusion that their marriage is perfect, but that would be ruined anyway if he left her so it was worth it to kate.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        “rose has probably run off scared by being publicly outed”

        @February Pisces – I doubt if Rose has ever been scared of anything regarding society or what the general public thinks. I think Rose probably just moved on to another Toff who is much better looking and less boring than Normal Bill Cambridge. LOL! LOL!

      • Sofia says:

        @Pisces

        I don’t think Rose has run off scared anywhere. From what I can tell of insta, she’s still hanging with her aristo friends that include Spencer-Churchill heirs and she’s continuing on as business as normal

      • February Pisces says:

        @BTB what I meant was that if rose got a taste of the camilla/Meghan treatment, it would atleast stop her from ever going public with William, solving Kate’s problems by 50%.I think by being unofficially exposed, it would get them to cool things down, to save face with regards to both marriages, not that is would stop them bonking in private.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @February Pisces – Sorry, I misinterpreted your post.

        @Sofia – I believe, but could be wrong, Kate Moss is the Godmother of Rose’s daughter, Lady Iris Marina Cholmondeley. Rose seems to be very welcome in all the different sets.

    • Sofia says:

      I don’t think anyone leaked the story. I think Dan W found out on his own (or maybe someone did leak it) and he told the Cambridges to dance to his tune or he spills the beans.

      The Cambridges listened hence why he gets all these exclusives now.

      • Ruby_Woo says:

        100% this. I don;t think Dan was particularly close to the Camrbidges before this. The Sun is considered pretty scummy, even by British tabloids standards. Daily Mail and the Telegraph is more their level. It’s only after this story that Dan started getting all the exclusives. I might be mistaken but I really dont think kensington palace would willingly work with Dan – he’s a pretty nasty peice of work.

      • Becks1 says:

        I think this is exactly what happened, and honestly I didn’t remember that DW was one of the first to report on the rural rival story. That puts all his other “exclusives” over the last few months into perspective. I used to buy into the theory that rose leaked it as a warning shot to Kate, and honestly maybe she did through DW, but I think DW probably found out on his own (or through one of his KP connections) and now the Cambridges have to keep him happy.

      • Digital Unicorn says:

        I think this is likely true – I’ve read 2 stories about that theory.

        1) One or more of the ‘in the know’ turnip toff set was indiscreet and blabbed to the wrong journo. A few journo’s live in that area and have contacts within that group
        2) her brother was heard drunkenly bragging about in a private members only club

      • BayTampaBay says:

        It is my understanding that the “affair” (or whatever it is) was an open secret with the Turnip Toff set for over a year, it was not Williams first round of gardening in his own backyard and David Rocksavage was not so much concerned about an “affair” as he was with William as he really does not particularly care for William (nor Andrew for that matter).

        Rocksage, born 1960, is a Charles III man.

      • Nic919 says:

        BTB… I would agree with this assessment. The very first article was very vague and most did not read between the lines, but those in the know would understand what it meant. What sparked more speculation was the ham handed Richard Kay article which obviously came from William. Then social media got involved and straight up confirmed the affair and things got harder to shut down, especially outside of the UK.

    • Enny says:

      IIRC, Wootten only became the “official unofficial” mouthpiece for KP AFTER the scoop heard round the turnip toffs’ terribly moderately wealthy and insular world fraught with intrigue, adultery, and who made the best chutney for the May garden parties. Methinks there was a quid pro quo to both silence that particular unsavory story (“gossiping about trimming the toffy rose bushes with one’s wee willy just ISN’T DONE, Dan, my good man”) and also give Wootten more access, especially to those crap stories Willileaks has been putting out. Win-win for those clowns, I suppose…

    • Bettyrose says:

      Aristo has affair is not a story worth waiting decades for…but the whole sorted episode surely has some GoT level fckery to reveal behind the scenes…culminating in H & M being all peace out. Enjoy the middle ages. We’re relocating to the 21st century.

      • songbirds_thrive says:

        Yep @Bettyrose and others. This is exactly why Harry said in the SA documentary: “I will NOT be bullied into playing a game that killed my mother.” IOW, ‘… Unlike you brother William!’

        Harry def sent that message.

  6. TQ says:

    Yay for the reminder! Given all those weird body language things happening with Will and Kate, particularly that shrugged off touch on the shoulder, I imagine he’s carried on with Rose. What’s to stop him at this point? Kate (maybe) made some noise but ultimately decided she’s playing the Queen-to-be long game and isn’t going anywhere. Messy messy.

  7. Florence says:

    I love how Rose is weak chinned and frizzy AND YET Willy prefers her to plastic-perfected Kate. Hilarious.

    • L84Tea says:

      I love this comment. Come sit and have coffee with me.

    • M says:

      Like father, like son!

      • Ruby_Woo says:

        This!!!!

      • (TheOG) jan90067 says:

        OMG that’s what I thought too! Father and son prefer frowsy! Man oh man, that PROFILE on Rose!! She’s really not bad, face on, but sideways!

      • BayTampaBay says:

        I really don’t think Charles & William really care about looks. I think they like confident real women who are low maintenance and/or can take care of themselves.

        Rose can look extremely beautiful if she wants to; check out some of the pictures from her modeling days.

        Rose, like Princess Anne and to some degree Camilla, has a true confident aristocratic attitude towards all this obsession with cover of Vogue camera ready looks; spend the day out on the estate doing estate work, jump in the shower, let your hair naturally air dry, thrown on a $15,000.00 Valentino dress, slap on some lipstick, go to the charity gala and take your proper place in the receiving line to greet guest. This type of behavior is a complete 180 turn from spending hours with a hairdresser and make-up artist.

      • Nev says:

        @(THEOG)JAN90067

        Frowsy???!!!!! I can’t. Haven’t heard that word in sooo long. Bahahahahahahajajajaja

      • Thirtynine says:

        BTB, 100% agree. Rose always comes across to me as confident, independent, interesting and smart. I just couldn’t imagine what she could see in him.

      • Tessa says:

        Camilla is no aristocrat and she did take great care of herself always. I don’t see her as any role model for women. She had to make another woman’s life miserable to get where she is today. Camilla IS to me high maintenance. And she enjoys the bling and privileges apparently. She had a wealthy influential man to support her even when she was mistress. Camilla needed a man to take care of her she barely did any work before she wed her first husband. I like Rose a lot better than Camilla. And Princess Anne puts Camilla to shame. IMO.

    • betsyh says:

      This is one story where I don’t think Kate should be mocked.

      • MsIam says:

        Kate helped toss her sister -in-law under the bus so she could keep up her perfect image of her perfect marriage in which her perfect husband is disrespecting her in return for access to jewelry and clothes. Mocking is the least thing she deserves.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        I don’t think that Kate is a nice person but I do have empathy for her if this story is true. Imagine you husband having an affair with someone from your social circle, everybody knows about it and because she’s in your social circle, you still have to socialize with her to a certain degree. It is utterly humiliating.

        She was terribly rude to Meghan and she’s complicit in the horrible smear campaign – but as her ever shrinking frame suggests, I think she may be deeply unhappy and I just cannot mock that. She has chosen to stay with a husband whom I suspect treats her badly (from some instances in public, I’d not like to imagine how he is in private) – but I imagine that there’s a huge pressure for her to remain at his side, from both the BRF and from her mother. The BRF really cannot afford yet another scandal – and their MO is that you carry on in public like everything is fine despite how miserable you are in private. Diana couldn’t live like that, neither could Meghan and Harry.

        Maybe she’s chosen this because of the social status but she also has three small children and the royal establishment is a fearsome enemy. She has been coddled her entire adult life and I just don’t think that she has the strength of character to put her own happiness and well-being before the institution she’s married into. We’ve seen time and again, that marrying into the BRF is just not good for a person’s mental health because this family is so utterly fucked up and if family dysfunction was an Olympic sport, the BRF would be in the top 3. It is a family that eats its own and where the married-ins are always lesser.

      • I agree with you ArtHistorian. Well done assessment.

      • Lowrider says:

        Kate is right where she wants to be. I don’t have any sympathy for her.

      • Tessa says:

        Kate was dumped over the phone in a humiliating way. William wanted to see other women and ditched her. But she staged a media campaign. Kate waited years to get that ring and I don’t feel sorry for her.

    • Jaded says:

      It’s a class thing – women like Rose Hanbury who are at the top of the food chain don’t want to look “studied” or overdone. That’s considered gauche and I’m sure she thinks Kate is a lower class “parvenu”. Rose’s look at the Trump dinner was a perfect example. She deliberately shows up in a sleek, slinky slip dress, no jewelry, simply done hair, and she killed it. No tiaras or massive diamond necklaces or earrings that pull your ear lobes down to your shoulders, just simple, tasteful and unfussy.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Jaded – You are so correct. Take a look a the party pictures at Tatler online in the “Bystander” tab. None of the women at the “top of the food chain” look done or finished or styled. They all look like they were running 30 minutes late so they threw on whatever was laying across the chair or still in a shopping back and jumped in the car.

    • Truthiness says:

      I follow the IG of Houghton Hall and I love what Rose does with it. The sculpture exhibits, the hens running the grounds, the art conservation, really all of it. If I was a guy I would fancy her over Kate in a heartbeat.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Rose has much artistic talent, seems to have made a large contribution to improving the estate and from my sources is deeply involved with Norfolk at the community level.

    • yinyang says:

      I think Rose looks dazzling in that first pic, but yeah when you see her head on she is very weak chinned (I’m surprised she hasn’t had any procedure to take care of that) she looks like she’s a lot of fun though and very friendly and easy going, I wish Harry introduced Megs to this set, I think she would have had a better impression of Brits than what that nasty RF gave.

      • olala says:

        I thought she looked spectacular at that state dinner. So fresh, slinky and stylish. So opposite of what is “done” look

      • Amaria says:

        Why would she have to have any work done on her chin? She’s an attractive, confident woman. Maybe she doesn’t buy into picture perfect HW ideals and just likes her body the way it is. As it should be. It’s way healthier to have self-acceptance and self-love than to fix everything in one’s body that doesn’t fit somebody else’s idea of ‘beautiful’.

      • yinyang says:

        Oh I agree with you, natural is best.

  8. Silas says:

    The Sun is a much better outlet for the Cambridges. Rebecca English tries her best but the DM will never entirely give up their snide tone. Dan Wooten on the other hand is all in. And Emily Andrews seems to be out?

    Maybe the Yorks outed the Cambridges.

    One thing the Cambridge stans gloss over is if the Rural Rival story was made up and Rose being part of the group going to church was supposed to show that, then why wouldn’t Kate and William even stand next to her? Rose has been dragged through the mud and is a private person without the Palace pr machine behind her. At the very least, be photographed with your friend rather than just standing in the same general group.

    • ST says:

      The fall of Emily Andrews is interesting to me. She was one of the reporters that did break exclusives and thought highly of herself. Then when Dan Wootton became editor of the Sun suddenly he was writing all these Royal exclusives and with his direct line to the William’s camp Emily Andrews was sidelined and eventually pushed out. .

      • Silas says:

        Emily Andrews wrote an intensely negative article on the India and Bhutan tour. She mocked how much effort the Cambridges put into how they were photographed and really laid bare how focused they are on their image.

        Having the much friendlier Dan Wooten there means neutering The Sun and getting rid of an unfriendly reporter. Two birds with one stone.

      • Ruby_Woo says:

        So I read the Private Eye – they’re a British news magazine and the journalism is excellent. They mainly cover stories about corruption re politics and businesses. News that the other MSN won’t touch. They even go after the newspapers’ owners including Murdoch. They don’t really cover celebrities unless there’s some legal/political link and consider the Royals a soap opera – they call the Queen ‘ Brenda’.

        Anyways, they also report on the British media, especially the tabloids and according to them Dan Wootton is an absolute bully at the Sun.

        According to P.E. when Dan leaked the story about the Sussexes staying in Canada over Xmas, he was actually in New Zealand. But he had found out the Emily’s name was going to be above his in the Byline so he called the Sun Office before the paper was printed, all the way from New Zealand and completely cussed everyone out, including Emily.

        P.E. also said that at Emily’s leaving party (which Dan did not attend) another rival of Dan’s; who was competing with Dan to get the main editor role (neither got it) shouted out how Dan was ‘an obnoxious cunt!’

        So there is no love lost between them. I reckon Emily was the RR when the RF were boring (before Meghan) and once Dan started getting the leaks, he pushed out Emily so he could get all the glory. I wouldn’t be surprised if he bullied her pretty badly.

      • songbirds_thrive says:

        @Silas said:
        “Emily Andrews wrote an intensely negative article on the India and Bhutan tour. She mocked how much effort the Cambridges put into how they were photographed and really laid bare how focused they are on their image…”

        Hmmm, don’t tell me that for once, Emily Andrews told the truth about the Lamebridges! And as it turns out, she was soon hastened from her job by another bitter, crafty b**ch. LOL That’s all kinds of hysterical and karmic justice hitting its mark. 😆

  9. agnes says:

    One year later and I still read “rural juror”.

  10. Anna says:

    I did read somewhere that the Rose and William story was a trap for Meghan to see if she would leak it to the press. Don’t shoot me, that what I read! Will and Kate were concerned that stories about them were getting leaked to the press and they were worried that Meghan was behind it so they orchestrated an affair story to see if it would leak. The affair never happens and was a trap for Meghan to fall into. When Harry found out he hit the roof.
    Just a theory and wondering what you all thoughts about it.

    • Zapp Brannigan says:

      I think that theory is BS frankly, why would a couple arrange a story that involved letting the press know that one was cheating, it running in the press internationally and doing all that while they have three kids who will be in school with schoolmates that hear that stuff being gossiped about at home and repeating it back to your kids? Do sensible grown ups really risk their kids being hurt like that? But yeah it is obviously Meghan’s fault, cannot just be that someone who cheated previously cheated again and was found out, it was obvious a super secret plot to catch out Markle.

      Edit to add: That theory would also involve throwing an innocent party to the press, letting her be known as a home wrecker in the tabloids, risk her marriage and hurt her kids too. Do you think W&K are really that diabolical to do that to an innocent person?

      • Yoyo says:

        Yes I think Cain and unable would do anything but not this story, they have been trying to push this Meghan leak nonsense for a while.

    • Silas says:

      Then the Cambridges are bigger fools than I thought.

      Why would anyone risk this? Think about how foolish this theory is.

      People lose all common sense in their rush to blame Meghan for anything and cover for the Cambridges.

      And easy to disprove. Be photographed with the Chomondoleys and the rumor is done. What we got nearly a year later is a picture of Rose looking uncomfortable with several people between her and the Cambridges.

      William was caught with his hand on a woman’s waist a few years ago. He’s a cheater. Has anyone ever wondered why the Instagram model faded into obscurity instead of trying to market her connection with William?

      • And, Silas, remember that was Kate’s birthday weekend! I always thought that was such a lovely gift from William to Kate —- having to be photographed walking to church with mistress. Every time I look at that photo I imagine that William is feeling invincible at his power over all the players in that sorry drama. That sort of person really gets off on this level of control.

    • MsIam says:

      Nobody believes that. Sorry.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        IMHO, Rose was the leaker.

        However, I can see a British tabloid running the story Anna described as another slap to Meghan. Many of the Daily Fail commentariat do believe the story and do believe Meghan was the leaker.

      • MsIam says:

        @BTB let me rephrase my comment then. Nobody who is rational and sane believes that Meghan is the leaker. Daily Fail bots do not count.

      • Bella DuPont says:

        Yes, Meghan is the leaker…..she leaked it to one of the two papers she’s currently suing. Makes absolute sense.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @MsIam – I agree with you that no one in their right mind would believe the story but I do believe that Anna read that story somewhere.

        The story actually sounds like something that would come from the DataLounge where posters readily admit to purely making things up just for shits & giggles to entertain their fellow posters.

      • If Meghan was the leaker you can bet the tabloids she’s suing would have outed that fact by now. I also think that the Queen had a lot to do with shutting down this story. The Queen is certainly capable of being a stealth ninja when it is in service to the Crown. I also think she is expending an incredible amount of coin since Andrew’s self-torching tv interview, shutting down the press about him.

    • Ruby_Woo says:

      I don’t buy this. Even if they wanted to plant a fake story for Meghan to leak, I don’t think they would use something as serious as adultery. Their whole USP is traditional, stable family and Charles’ legacy of cheating on Diana is still in people’s memories. They wouldn’t have risked this. They would have probably planted something like Pippa and Kate had a falling out or Kate had some sort of health scare. It would also not have been leaked to the Sun (Harry and Meghan hates them). It would have probably come through People’s magazine.

      As for leaks; there have been hardly no leaks/ bad stories about Kate and William apart from the Rose story. Whereas there have been literally 100s on Meghan; she made Kate cry, she said the wedding church was smelly, she wanted a tiara. I just didn’t hear stuff like that about Kate.

      Also, when Meghan and Harry first announced they were leaving, the RRs were petrified she would write a tell all book. Something tells me that if she intended to spill, she would have leaked out more stuff already.

      Last thing, if Harry thought Meghan betrayed him, he would be out. No amount of smiling under an umbrella could hide that. There’s clearly been a falling out between the BROTHERS. We’re going to have to wait a while for the reason why to come out.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        I think there have been leaks about Cain and Unable but the lazy duo sold their souls and kids to the Royal Reportes not to comment on or print such leaks.

    • GuestWho says:

      Doesn’t make an ounce of sense. Sounds like the twitter crap that the Megxit hate group has been pushing for a year now. Even they couldn’t make it stick in wider circles, and they are relentless in their blind hate.

    • L84Tea says:

      That’s the most ridiculous theory I’ve ever heard. Even W&K are not that stupid. And they’re pretty darn stupid.

      I believe the leaker was Rose herself or one of the other Turnip Toffs.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      Lol “somewhere” is probably some ridiculous Tumblr blog and you just don’t want to admit it. That’s an idiotic and desperate “theory” made up by the tinhatters who think everything imaginable is Meghan’s fault. Looking at William’s actions alone will tell anyone with sense that he had skeletons to hide.

    • Powermoonchrystal says:

      @Anna, Ha. I will bite. Where did you read this, Tumbrl? This was never even a line of discussion, and with how much the press vilified Meghan, it should tell you that if this story had any legs, the RR would have used it. The sad fact is that even positive stories about William have painted him as a middle aged men with way too much time in his hands and too much “friendliness” with posh moms. So much for your theory.

    • Tessa says:

      Yes I recall on blogs and media comments Meghan was blamed. I think it absolutely disgraceful, scapegoating her. The story of Meghan “making Kate cry” was horrid also. Kate could have worked up tears and then ran to William about Meghan being “mean” if this is true.If not true Kate should have denied it.

      • Prayer Warrior says:

        Kate was hormonal, having just given birth to her 3rd kid. Meghan was going through hell and high water before and during her wedding (the church must smell musty)…Kate may well have had tears….they could have been of joy re her daughter, they could have been frustration because Louis wasn’t sleeping, who knows? But THEIR story is Kate’s tears = Meghan all kinds of horrible, and we must never allow that to fly.

      • Marie says:

        I read somewhere that Kate’s wasn’t even at the dress fitting, it was the nanny and no one cried.

      • Marie, that’s what I read. Charlotte was at fitting with nanny and Meghan said something because Charlotte was behaving badly. (I’ll bet Charlotte’s a handful when she is cranky or not getting her way.) The timeline for the fitting was tight, and Meghan simply asked the nanny (or Kate?) to calm Charlotte down so they could complete the fitting. The RR rewrote the leak to be about Meghan yelling at Kate about the dress and Charlotte’s behavior was totally written out of the story.

    • Eugh says:

      Per toff adjacents I know, this is 100% a real story.

      I don’t doubt they tested her, I mean that “Kate didn’t give her a ride to go shopping” story leaked early on. I think she zipped it tight after this one.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Eugh – More tea please!

      • Sofia says:

        Please tell us more then. Because I want to know how and why the Cambridges threw an innocent women under the bus to be labelled a home wrecker, had her marriage questioned and hinted her husband was not straight and Rose was a beard all so that they could “test” Meghan

      • MsIam says:

        What is real, the William and Rose fling or Meghan leaking about it? I’m sure if it was Meghan leaking, she would have a ton more tea to spill than just this one story.

      • GuestWho says:

        Are you saying the affair story is true, or Meghan being the one to leak the info is true?

        If you’re going to test someone to see if they are leaking to the press, if you had an ounce of sense, you wouldn’t test them with something that was potentially devastating to your image and something that couldn’t be proved to be untrue. And then go to the EU to sue for silence when there is someone who can say they were provided the information and from whom?

      • Eugh says:

        @MsIam – should have clarified I meant it is true Will is/was having an affair with Rose. Rose’s husband is involved with another person and they have a home together in France.

        I was told the Cambs hated her from the get go, they thought Meghan was “horrible”. The Camb friends carried the water on that messaging.

        Meghan is not stupid at all. I do not believe she leaks stories. I do believe the Firm tossed her out the second the Rose bush story came out to cover their tracks.

      • Olenna says:

        As far as these made-up negative stories about the Dos and who propogates them, I think there are the gullible, and then there are the stupid. And, this DoS “leak” and the so-called adjacents sound like the latter. Never once have I read or heard of the DoS being a gossip, a petty bitch or a tattle-tell before she married in to the BRF. Now, she’s not only all of those, but a home-wrecker as well. Please, save that bullsh*t for Tumblr and the royal sites, and those imaginary adjacents. The DoS had a lot better things to do and accomplish than worrying about the Keen’s personal business and running to the tabloids/RRs to gossip (those same tabloids and RRs who were knifing her in the press), and jeopardizing her own marriage.

      • Calibration says:

        @Eugh is there any sense from peeps about why the cambs hated her immediately? Hate is a strong word and meghan is supposedly very pleasant and likeable. And she obviously makes an effort with people.

      • Sofia….it is well accepted knowledge in the aristo/wealthy circles that Rose’s husband is bisexual and has had a male lover of many years. Cholomondy and Rose, even before marriage, were both avid players in the bed swapping that goes on in that set. Cholomondy’s longtime French lover is connected with the arts in Paris. Vanity Fair (under Graydon CARTER) ran a huge article on an art scandal several years ago that involved Cholomondy and his lover. The art scam almost ended in jail time for the lover. Cholomondy lives a good part of each year in Paris where he shares a home with this man. The Cholomondys have an open marriage. Cholomondy was pretty much a confirmed bachelor — although an avid player — but when Rose became pregnant, he married her quickly as he needed an heir and she was raised to land a fish like him. I think they both entered their marriage with the typical aristo agreement that they could play around once the heir was secure. That was the problem in Charles and Diana marriage: Diana refused to conform to her class’ social norm. As a born aristo, Diana was raised in that set, where that sort of agreement is the norm. Unfortunately for both Diana and Charles, Diana had a deep need for Charles to worship and adore her and only her and that was never going to happen. If Diana had played the game as Rose does, I think Diana would still be married to Charles, and Camilla would still be Charles’ side piece.

      • songbirds_thrive says:

        @Olenna said:
        “Never once have I read or heard of the DoS being a gossip, a petty bitch or a tattle-tell before she married in to the BRF…”

        Meghan is none of those things. However, I suspect from what I’ve heard, that it’s true Kate was bitchy toward Meghan in pointedly not offering her a ride when they were going to the same shopping location. Meghan probably mentioned this episode to her friend Jessica randomly early on.

        Later, Jessica may have decided on her own to leak it to LaineyGossip, or somehow Lainey heard about it without it being an intentional leak. Lainey has a connection to the Mulroneys because she used to work in the same office as Ben. This is how Lainey, who is Canadian, formerly rubbed shoulders with Meghan tangentially.

        Still, as I said, Meghan is not a person who engages in tit-for-tat. I think Meghan was somewhat taken by surprise when she came face-to-face with the dirty underside of royalty and aristo reprehensible shenanigans.

        Also, to the person who asked, the Lamebridges don’t have to have a reason to dislike Meghan. They are simply jealous and insecure, and there’s no way they could stand an American actress moving in on their turf. BTW, they consider ‘spare’ easygoing Harry their turf, and their little puppy to ride the coattails of.

        So yes, the Lamebridges were pissed as soon as they heard about Meghan. And I’m sure once the Lamebridges got whiff of who Harry was dating, they leaked it straightaway to terrible Camilla Tominey. Harry was smart to keep his new relationship as quiet as possible from friends AND family for as long as he could.

        It wasn’t only Meghan’s psychotic sister Sam (aka Yvonne) who wanted to ‘break-up’ Meghan and Harry as soon as she heard they were dating.

      • songbirds_thrive says:

        @JALowcountry Lady said:
        “As a born aristo, Diana was raised in that set, where that sort of agreement is the norm…”

        Sure, but this type of behavior was anathema to Diana, not just because she expected and deserved for her husband to respect, love and cherish her. You have to remember that Diana was young and inexperienced to the mores and lax morals of the royalty/ aristo set. Plus, above all, Diana’s sad childhood witnessing of her father’s domestic violence against her mother had Diana dreaming of finding true love and happily ever after in her adult life.

        By now it is legend that Diana had no idea what she was getting into at ages 19 to 20 in marrying over 10 years older Prince Charles. The mistake Charles and Camilla and the rest of the royals made was in thinking Diana was an innocent pushover who would abide by aristo rules. In the beginning, she was too young and innocent to realize she was being taken advantage of. But they couldn’t use her the way they’d anticipated. Diana surely had too many romantic, starry-eyed notions, but most of all, she was bada*s rebellious, and willing to fight back rather than succumb to a miserable ‘gilded cage’ existence.

    • L4frimaire says:

      @Anna, Like Wagatha Christie? Why though? That seems a bit unlikely, especially with the amount of detail involved. Also, remember those William/Rose platonic suppers stories that came out a few weeks after the initial story died down? Where did that come from? The whole thing is so bizarre. Maybe the Sussexes knew something but would they even know that circle, were they close enough with William? At the same time, they, particularly Meghan was under a lot of fire, especially after the baby shower, and going through their own things. I think that every once in a while, the tabloid press like to remind the Cambridge’s that they owe them and stuff like this pops up. Remember it was after shrug gate and Kate skipping that gala because of childcare issues that the Sussexes were outed being in Canada. Wonder why that Rose story came out at all.

    • CatWomen says:

      Not the first time that’s been tossed out there

      • GuestWho says:

        The megxit-eer a-holes have been trying with this on twitter and tumblr for a year. No traction because it doesn’t make any sense at all.

    • songbirds_thrive says:

      @Anna said:
      “I did read somewhere that the Rose and William story was a trap for Meghan to see if she would leak it to the press… What do you guys think?”

      @Anna, Meghan is not small-minded and self-centered like the Lamebridges though. If this is true, and they tried to set this up, I find it rather silly of them. Meghan would never play that kind of game. She’s too smart, and very focused on positive pursuits. But M&H are also smart enough to know how to fight back when their relationship and their peace of mind, and their son’s well-being are threatened!

      Still, neither Meghan or Harry would resort to snitching to the media. The leaks are what is happening against them! They wouldn’t engage in anything like this to get back at family members.

      I don’t believe this particular situation was arranged to ‘set up Meghan.’ I believe Wills had the affair, and he was playing fast and loose with the tabloids to keep his sh*t covered up. Meghan had already been thrown to the wolves. Cain & Unable wouldn’t need to lay this kind of lame trap.

  11. ST says:

    This really is a defining moment becauae of the fallout. William making a deal with the press not only to sell his children, but to sell out Harry and Meghan as well. The one thing William and Harry were always united on was hatred of the British press. For William to betray that would certainly have broken their relationship beyond repair.

  12. Harper says:

    There was some talk that after Brexit the privacy laws that Wills invoked would not afford him the same protection anymore? Or something like that? I’ve been hoping that some brave (or desperately poor with nothing to lose) journalist would break some kind of story on the affair once Brexit became official.

    I always felt we didn’t get to delve in deep enough on the “Rose makes an appearance at church with Kate” episode earlier this year. As I recall, that juicy event got completely overshadowed when Harry and Meghan announced their exit two days later. Now, putting on my tinfoil tiara, if we accept that Wills was the leaker then he knew Wooten was going to blow the story that week. He and Rose figured they could make an appearance on Sunday, endure 48 hours of speculation, and then sit back and laugh while the world went mad at Harry and Megs.

    It might be right out of Charles’ evil playbook of how to reintroduce the mistress back into public life. “Nothing to see here between me and Rosie-Poo, but look! Evil Harry and Megs just BLINDSIDED the Queen!”

    • Nic919 says:

      William is relying on an EU law when he makes his human rights threats. There is no British equivalent. Once the UK is officially out of the EU then this law has no force.

  13. Ruby_Woo says:

    I’m still convinced that Dan Wootton has blackmailed the Palace! I will die on this hill; even if I’m completely wrong.

    The press is going to hold this over the Cambridge’s head like the sword of Damocles. Once the Sussex media starvation starts, they are going to need a new victim to feed on. I think they are holding this for a rainy day.

    Another odd thing; Rose attended the state dinner the Queen threw for the Trumps (her husband has some noble role). She was at the back of the line as they all entered the banqueting hall. And guess who was with her… Sarah Vine (she of ‘what on earth will Harry do in America when he could be fighting the covid war in the UK while Will wishes to fly a helicopter’. Sarah’s a nasty piece of work but is a presence in the tabloid and her husband has a senior position in the UK government, so she has some reach.

    I wonder if Rose (who is a true aristo and who’s family holidays with the Blairs) got Sarah to be in her corner in case the shit hits the fan. Sarah is so mean, it’s weird that she’s not even hinted at Willy’s willy misadventures.

    Something’s going on in the British media and Rose has got direct links with them. She grew up these circles and has enough money and status to know how this media show runs.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      Rose interned for Sarah’s husband so they’ve known each other for a while. She certainly has at least one easy point of access to the British press.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      I believe Rose leaked the story because Cathy Cambridge tried to F@*k with her and the Turnip Toff set closed ranks behind Rose Hanbury and her husband David Rocksavage (aka The Cholmondeleys).

      Question; Does Cain and Unable (other than her sister) really have any friends?

      • MsIam says:

        Her mother. That’s about it. Sophie looks like she is trying to suck up so she may be allowed into the inner circle.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Who, in their right mind, would want to join the inner circle of hell after what happened to Meghan & Harry? There, but by the grace of god, goes you.

      • RoyalBlue says:

        I agree with you BTB that it was Rose herself who leaked it. And always felt that way. Unable tried to freeze her out and word got back to her in this. This was Rose pulling rank on the lesser born and showing her how the Toffs roll.

      • songbirds_thrive says:

        ITA @BTB and @RoyalBlue!

        And then, once the affair was leaked to get back at Waity Katie, stupid Will/ Cain threatened the press with a lawsuit, and the Times (a non-tabloid) closed ranks and slapped Wills back with the Easter Sunday massacre story that threw Wills under the bus about wanting the Sussexes far away in Africa.

        It all came out on the Queen’s birthday, Easter Sunday 2019. The Queen was NOT amused. Walking to church on that infamous day, the Windsors were the subject of much ‘body language’ gossiping on Twitter. LOL

        Harry completely ignored Wills, but was noticeably friendly toward Kate. I spied Princess Anne staring daggers at Wills. And when the Queen arrived, Wills did not bow his head to her because as we know, that signals he’d already been in the Queen’s presence that morning. Surely, she called him in after reading the Times story, and laid his a** out on the carpet!

        QE-II Granny musta told Wills to ‘fix’ the mess with the press. Fifty million lame backtracking spin stories ensued over the following days in every media outlet that only caused additional confusion. The Sussexes gave Omid Scobie the straight-up deets for Harper’s Bazaar regarding the fact that they weren’t moving to Africa, and they only rely on Prince Charles and the Queen for consultation and advice. IOW, Willileaks is NOT someone who is actually in-the-know or who has any say-so over their business!

        Upshot: QE-II signalled to the Turnip Toffs that Kate-Unable is a protected and tolerated untouchable Future Future Keen Queen, when QE-II soon after awarded Kate on her wedding anniversary with the prestigious and highly distinguished honor, Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. 😛

    • ArtHistorian says:

      Dan Wootton and the Sun has been involved in blackmail journalism before. Just look up his role in the Phillip Scofield case. Bylineinvestigates has a story on this.

      • Ruby_Woo says:

        Exactly! It was the Phillip Schofield story that made me put two and two together. It’s M.O. I’m convinced he’s got him wrapped around his little finger.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        Blackmail “journalism” is standard operating procedure at Murdoch’s tabloids.

      • Digital Unicorn says:

        I read that – what was the full story as have only heard parts of it and am not sure if Scholfield outed himself to stop Woottons blackmail.

      • SomeChick says:

        I’m with you, ArtHistorian and Ruby_Woo.

        I think Wootten got wind of it and is leveraging it for all he is worth to get Camby leaks, pix, and “exclusives.”

        It doesn’t benefit any of the principals to let this be known. It doesn’t make anyone look good. It only benefits Mr Wootten. Who appears to be playing it for all it’s worth.

        I also think those photos are telling. All three of them (and probably Mr Rockstar or whatever his name is… Mr Chumley) know exactly what time it is. Catherine and Rose are playing nice. William looks like he’s about to poop his pants (and/or is afraid Catherine might say something). David DGAF. They all know. They just don’t want it in the press.

        Happy cheaterversary! I hope the medal or brooch or sash or whatever it was is worth it!

        Way to make me feel sympathy towards Catherine. There is NO WAY she or her mum would put this out there. Nor Rose. It’s blackmail journalism. The Enquirer (aka TMZ) is also well known to kill embarrassing stories, for a fee.

        #Trash

      • ArtHistorian says:

        Digital Unicorn,

        Scofield outed himself on a Murdoch-owned TV in order to have some control on the narrative. That is Wootton’s standard MO – he has even said himself that people are fools not to brief him on a story he already has because then they don’t get to have some control on shaping the narrative. He’s going to publish either way. I think he said this specifically in relation to his stories on Harry and Meghan. Harry wouldn’t play ball – and he has paid for it in the negative slants of Wootton’s scoops. I def think that Wootton gets his info from KP. The question is how and through whom? And if these leaks are condoned by William, which I think they are because if not then he would have stopped them ages ago, considering how he likes to test people by giving them wrong info to see if he can trust them. The the question is: why would William be ok with briefing a hostile press against his brother?

      • Ruby_Woo says:

        @ArtHistorian: “The the question is: why would William be ok with briefing a hostile press against his brother?”

        I struggle with question too. I know it’s easy to have a slant of Harry = good, William = bad, but they were very close.

        Some possible reasons:
        – William’s become a very mean person
        – William has always bullied Harry and Harry allowed it, but now that Harry is older he’s standing up for himself and William doesn’t like
        – William genuinely doesn’t like Meghan (I’m justifying his feelings, but these posh people are really rigid and struggle to interact with people of other backgrounds and it wouldn’t surprise me if he just doesn’t like her)
        – He’s jealous
        – He’s deep down racist
        – Meghan’s work ethic shows him up
        – He got caught with his pants down and would do anything to cover for it, even if it means throwing his brother under the bus. Things were pretty bad when Charles cheated on Diana, I genuinly don’t think that the Monarchy could survive another cheating scandal. And William is not an Andrew, he’s the supposed golden future king. It would be devastating if this came out.

    • Totally Agree with our take on Wooten and KP ArtHistorian. Also, Rose has her own strong connections and Cholomondy himself is no slouch when it comes to being connected enough to pull strings. Both of the Cholomondys are old aristo blood and it is a very tiny interconnected, almost incestuous pool in Britain. They all are interconnected in some way. And, let’s not forget the Queen. As I said above, when the Crown is in jeopardy, the Queen can be a stealth ninja. I don’t think William has the unchecked power he thinks he has. This story was killed by some very heavy hitters with more influence than William —- even with his ‘EU human rights’ BS.

  14. Elizabeth says:

    I don’t believe for a second that Meghan would rush to the British tabloids to leak a story about Kate & William. Especially given the way they reported the news of her relationship with Harry. I do believe that Dan Wootten and his bestie, who works for KP, made a deal, they would leak horrible stories about the Sussexes and in exchange Wootten would get all kinds of access to KP. Also, Rose Hanbury was at the Trump dinner because her husband is the Lord Great Chamberlain, so they have to be invited to things like state dinners.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      The presence of the Lord Great Chamberlain is mandatory so Rose had to be invited or it would look like a Royal slight to the Marquess of Cholmondeley and the extended Cholmondeley family.

    • L4frimaire says:

      Look at the common way Kate behaved to Meghan at the Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey. She was blatantly rude , totally blanked her and Harry. Her mask slipped for all the world to see. I bet Kate tried that stunt with Rose and David, and they, or someone in their circle, decided to slap the Cambridge’s wrist. Whoever it was had to be pretty high on the aristocratic food chain to get the press to even hint at anything in print.

      • Yes, L4frimiere, but have you noticed how all the recent stories that even briefly mention the Commonwealth service event have changed their narrative to ….’both Cambridge’s said a brief hello to the smiling Harry and Meghan before turning to take their seats.’ We all saw Kate blank both of them, it’s on film, and many media reports took Kate to task. But here we are less than a month later and Kate’s behavior is being rewritten.

    • February Pisces says:

      I personally wouldn’t blame Meghan at all for leaking it, I f*cking would and I wouldn’t give a damn. However the one thing that clears Meghan is that the story broke in the Sun first, so whoever was behind it needed to have allies there. And Meghan and Harry clearly have no allies there as they are suing them. So who has close links to the Sun?

  15. Eleonor says:

    Offtopic: could we have vintage gossip scandals?
    I don’t know some good old fashion mess like Liz Taylor and Richard Bourton, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Charles and Diana divorce…

    • Jaxonmeh says:

      I’m pretty sure they used to do that along with I think it was called Hot Guy Friday. I miss both actually.

    • tempest prognosticator says:

      Yes! I honk for vintage gossip scandals.

      • SomeChick says:

        HONK!!! Let’s dig up some old dirt!

        There are some doozies out there! Kitty Kelly is ya girl.

        * Elizabeth Taylor, all day and all night
        * Liza! She and Baryshnikov were a Thing. They hooked up at Halston’s house back in the 54 days!
        * 54 in general
        * Warhol scene
        * ’80s and ’90s NYC art and club scene – Suzanne Bartsch; club kids
        * Met Gala retrospective: the outfits! The dramas!
        * Cult Roundup: Scientology! The Mormons! NXUM or whatever they call themselves! NXIVM actually plead in a court of law that scientology gets away with much worse on the daily, so why is everyone picking on THEM? Really. They tried it.

        Ohhhhh, gurl. Bring it!

      • Andrea says:

        I loved the hot guy friday…

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @SomeChick – You left out 30 years of entertaining behavior by Mick Jagger.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        What about the rumoured menage-a-trois between Lord Mountbatten, his wife and the Indian PM Nehru.

  16. Priscila says:

    Willie knows he can do as he pleases because Stepford Katie will stick around. No matter what, she will stay. I do not believe for a second those two are self assured enough to have entered some sort of agreement on their marriage being an open one- at least from one side- but this is a classic example of a husband who sees that his needs are taken care of and the wife turns a blind eye.

    This is clear to me, that theirs is not a ” marriage of adults” so to speak, because Kate took her frustration on Rose. and only when it touched on Rose that William did some damage control, which means Kate´s reaction had not been anticipated, the news subtly leaking had not been expected, and Willie realized, like many before him, that his wifey was not pissed because he broken his vows, but because the affair leaked among their friends.

    You know what? even if the story had gotten bigger, Kate would not leave him. Their PR would spin it. They would “take a vacation to avoid the recent scrutiny and enjoy what is important to them: their family”; they would, as they did, imply that it was all Meghan. They would remind us that Kate is ” William´s rock”, and that she decided they needed to spend some alone time to ” recover” from her hapless brother in law, you know the one she “mentored” from calling her at odd hours to cry over ” mean Meghan”, who was obviously behind such terrible accusations!

    Katie will never leave. and is not because she wants to be Queen. I look at her and get that, if it were just for her, William, after the initial honeymoon period, would have been just a first step to raise her profile as potential bride to other aristocratic douches. Katie does not like the work; she does not even see to enjoy the adulation. Katie wanted the life Rose has: a huge estate, no career other than wife and stay at home mother, vacations every couple of months…

    (I don’t blame her for wanting that. There is nothing wrong about staying at home and being fabulous btw)

    But Wilie saw Kate for the doormat he could turn her into and Mommy Carole convinced her to take Willie back, probably promising her she would find a way to have Kate” just do half the work and get double the praise”

    and then Willie had to spoil everything by getting jealous of Meghan and Harry and plotting to exhile them…

    • Silas says:

      Kate wants a sense of importance without having to do anything besides focus on her appearance and now her children. She wants a way to brag to people.

      If she leaves William, the royal circus will move on without her and then who will she be?

      James and Pippa are the same way. They want attention and praise without putting in the work to be good at anything besides sports.

      • Priscila says:

        She invested decades on William, yes: no way she leaves.

        Of course she wants to be seen as someone of importance. But she does not want the work IMO. In England, being married to a noble with a large estate and enough riches is enough for someone to be considered of consequence- that is why I think Kate would have preferred this life in the end.

    • Silas says:

      Now, maybe. But I think the public attention and fawning is part of it. She just wants it completely on her terms, for a christening or something where she’s celebrating herself.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        The whole British Aristocracy (titled and untitled rich landed gentry) is very incestous and Cathy not being a member of the British Aristocracy really did not understand this. YOU NEVER MAKE A FUSS of any kind which Cathy tried to do by a “Phase-out” of Rose.

        Exhibit A: Anne, Charles III, Camilla, Andrew Parker-Bowles

        Exhibt: Rose Hanbury was engaged at one time to the son of The Earl of Durham. The Earl of Durham is married to Rose’s sister Marina Hanbury.

      • Priscila says:

        We will never know. I truly believe now seeing what I see that she would have been completely fine moving on with another Lord. In retrospect, that she partied hard after Willi dumped her in the company of many of their circle and got cozy with one might have been her truly relieved he was gone,that she now would get her hands on a fine Estate without the work…
        But Carole might have seen it as a chance to show Willie what he was missing.

        The whole point of Kate was that she waited until he made of his mind. She would gain either way.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        The whole point of Cathy was that she was the last one standing.

        Yes, Carole drove the whole “show Willie what he was missing” narrative with the aid of the Daily Fail.

    • February Pisces says:

      Kate grew up as a plain girl who always felt overshadowed by which ever girl she was standing next to. She’s desperately insecure and always has been. I remember recently reading stories about how ‘all the boys fancied kate at school, because she was perfect’ literally those words. Kate leaked that because that is her fantasy, how all the boys fawned over her, but that was never her reality. She’s putting that out there because she wishes that would have been her reality and she’s trying to rewrite her own history. This is where William comes in. Pre Kate, people always used to fawn over who would be the lucky girl to bag the most eligible bachelor in the world. He was a heartthrob then and every wanted him. Kate getting him, defeating all those other prettier more suited girls, was her ultimate victory. That wedding was her greatest achievement ever and it was her way of finally shining in front of the whole world, the girl who no one ever really noticed was chosen, by the man all regular girls dreamed of marrying. I think deep down all she wanted was to feel that she was ‘special’, but with William always treating her like crap, and always being out-shined by others (Meghan, Pippa etc) that self worth has never been fulfilled. Being royal is the only thing she has going for her. If she didn’t have that she would be reduced to nothing.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        I think I read somewhere that Pippa was the one all the boys wanted as Pippa has the ‘flirty” and ‘fun” personality. Then again, what I read could have been 100% made up Royal fiction.

      • Dutch says:

        That’s some Tumblr level stuff there.

      • February Pisces says:

        @btb I wouldn’t be surprised if that was true, especially in comparison to kate, even though I think Pippa ain’t sh*t. I think kate and Pippa are super competitive with each other, so I think she was probable quite smug that she married the future king, whilst Pippa got rejected by every eligible aristo. But she wouldn’t be so smug if she got dumped, hence her need to cling on for dear life.

      • yinyang says:

        Fawning all over her, lol? Guys fawn over the girl with the dazzling eyes and marylin monroe lips, with perfect body, not plain Jane with a blotchy complexion, and personality like porridge. Lol.

      • TINA says:

        And pippa’s bum overshadowed lazy, waity katie’s entire wedding! LOL!

      • Didn’t one of William’s best friends say — during the courting years —- that William really didn’t notice Kate in a sexual way until she wore that sheer nightgown/slip during the fashion show catwalk at St. Andrew’s. Until then, she was just another ‘jolly hockey sticks’ dorm mate. Even some of Kate’s friends said they were surprised she chose such a revealing outfit as she always dressed fairly modest. I have always thought that catwalk in that outfit was a successful calculation on Kate’s part to get William to notice her as a sexual partner.

  17. Yoyo says:

    Load of rubbish, Meghan and Kate hardly spent any time together.
    Check Meghan’s history in all the crap published about her, in none of the stories yes stories, none of them ever said she was a gossiper or a mean girl. (Wisteria sisters)
    She was busy working and raising funds for her Charities, not taking eight years even with help to come up with five questions, that a junior high student would ask.
    What’s there to leak about their boring life?
    Why would Harry hit the roof, he was working as hard as his wife, he was not the jealous one, who went nuts, because no one cared about him and his pigeon.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      Honestly I think Anna is a troll trying to put out the ridiculous theories the tinhatters have been pushing out to blame the story on Meghan. There’s only a very specific type of person who would seriously consider that idiotic line of thinking.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        I think Anna was just repeating something she had read somewhere. I do the same thing sometimes.

      • Lisa says:

        I think Anna is repeating something she read. I’ve read it too- with a massive eyeroll afterwards.

  18. Busyann says:

    I dont have much to say about the Cambridges. Cant stand them anymore. Not after they showed their, you know what, with their treatmeant of Harry and Meghan. I dont feel sorry for any of that Rose Trimming stuff happening to Kate. She knew what she signed up for. I doubt that the affair is still happening though. Or it might start up again. Will likes his pet projects. AIR AMBULANCE, ROSE TRIMMING. OPERATION EXILE MY BROTHER AND BI-RACIAL SIL. He was busy last year. It will probably start up again soon though since Harry and Meghan are gone.

    One nice thing I will say, Kate always looked pretty in the photos used for this post. She looks so vibrant with darker hair.

  19. betsyh says:

    Look closely at that top picture. Rose may be smiling but her eyes are not.

    • Yes, BetsyH And I like William’s expression on the photo where he is standing between them. He looks like the the cat that just ate the cream: smug, entitled, and self-satisfied.

  20. Beach Dreams says:

    This story and the way William handled it was quite the interesting drama. He might’ve succeeded in muzzling the British media but the damage is done. I do wonder if he and Rose are still seeing each other; she certainly didn’t look too pleased to be at church with them in January. As another poster said, there were no interactions b/t her and the Cambridge camp despite the narrative that all was suddenly well. Why they took so long to stage a photo op (even a low effort “we’re near each other but won’t chat” one like the church gathering) is beyond me.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      Theory: David Rocksavage had to be there for the photo-op to work so maybe this was the first opportunity for all parties to be in the same spot for a fake picture to be taken.

    • Sofia says:

      My gut tells me that whatever happened between Rose and William is over. The church walk said to me “We’ve all moved on and it’s over” rather than “Nothing ever happened!”

      I think they were probably a one night stand (or a lot more) at worst or a friends with benefits situation at the most. I don’t think they love each other nor will Rose ever leave her comfortable life for life in a fishbowl to get the “Camilla treatment” for almost the rest of her life

      • BayTampaBay says:

        I am sure Rose is finished with Future-Future King but William just adjusted his backyard gardening. Cain is now probably cultivating Primrose or Violet or maybe both if he decided to implement and practice crop rotation.

      • Lady D says:

        Slain, Bay.

      • Nic919 says:

        Has anyone checked if both William and Kate and the kids are at Amner? The “working at home” photo was obviously taken at KP on the day of the first responders visit weeks ago and the kids clapping video didn’t show either of them, with Kate being the one mentioned having filmed the kids. William is always just assumed to be there by the white picket fence believers but is he really? I bet you Dan W knows the answer to this question.

      • Ok BayTampaBay. —- You are on fire! And I agree with your take Sofia. Whatever happened between William and Rose is long over. Cholomondy spends most of his time in France so maybe to get them all in same frame took awhile. I also imagine Cholomondy is secure enough in who he is in that world to f**k with William just a bit. I still think it was truly ugly of William to stage this on Kate’s birthday weekend. Some of the stories even intimated that the Cholomondys attended her birthday supper. I also agree with the poster up thread that it is interesting that this staged stroll happened just two days before Sussexit broke. If Wooten was threatening the Sussexes with a 10 day deadline before breaking the story and those 10 days were almost up then William knew all that as well. William got his ‘nothing to see here’ pap stroll, got to punish Kate by ruining her birthday for her role in helping to out the affair by her behavior towards Rose, and he knew it would all get buried under the drama of the Sussexes situation. (Who were then blamed for their drama ruining Kate’s birthday.) I can see why William has begun to believe he is a ‘master of the universe’ level player. Unfortunately, for William, I think down the road this is all going to come out as those RR wolves are going to need to keep feeding on royal blood.

  21. M Narang says:

    I didn’t think much about this until Richard Kay’s article, where out of nowhere he brings Meghan & Harry and it was then that I realized that Meghan & Harry we’re being thrown to the wolf pack of tabloid “royal reporters” continually to cover the misdeeds of other Royals.

    Btw, I did read someone who floated a story that it was Rose who leaked the story. I guess Kate has tried to freeze Rose out of the “Turnip Toffs” (OMG) and Rose leaked the affair. I still think this is very plausible.

    • Busyann says:

      I always believed it was Rose that leaked to teach Kate a lesson. Either that Kate leaked to stop Will.

  22. Emily says:

    I will never get bored of this story!

    • Molly says:

      I’m curious if Rose ever regrets showing up to that party with frizzy hair and a CVS hair clip. Those photos went everywhere, and I’d have been so embarrassed to look that undone. (Although, when you’re rich enough, I guess you don’t care?)

  23. Talie says:

    I just wish someone would write a really juicy tell-all about what has really gone down these past 2 years. I also want to know what this mystery thing that was said to Meghan or Harry during their wedding that damaged relations so badly.

  24. Rapunzel says:

    My tin foil tiara theory: Wooten has actual proof of an affair. Willy is playing along. Hence no stopping/actively aiding? the smears of H & M.
    Charles and Gan Gan know and are trying to keep a lid on things, which is why they didn’t support the Sussexes. The Sussexes placed out.

    Extra tin foil: Charles knows that within a year, Willy boy will have been exposed, because the press is vile, and thinks once that happens, Meg and Harry will return. Hence, one year review.

    • Aria says:

      I think your theory is very much correct. Also all of sudden the cambridges kids are more in public than before. They are actively pap strolling their kids which is unimaginable before Sussex. I think the press will leak that affair soon beacuse they dont have anything to loose maybe some money. Maybe in coming summer beacuse how much the rr will write fanfiction , according Sussex I think they will lay low for sometime and rr will be bored covering cambridges and they will surely write juicy about cambridges. Wait and watch.

  25. ABritGuest says:

    The ‘Meghan leaked the Turnip Toff’ story is a hater troll theory that was also on blind gossip. They claim it was a way to test if she could be trusted & she failed & that’s why the brothers fell out. Utter BS but even in an affair story not involving her, she can’t catch a break lol.

    Dan Wootton is also named in ongoing phone hacking court claims. Sometimes I wonder if it still goes on& he found out that way.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      Blind Gossip is so stupid. This affair was an open kept secret for months. Why did Dan Wootton decide to finally publish the story a year ago? Only one answer makes sense; Rose gave him permission to do so.

      • L4frimaire says:

        @BTB, Remember food writer Giles Coren tweeted that everyone knew about the affair ( he deleted the tweet, but it’s still out there). The info was out there, so maybe the Rural Rival headline was a way to mute the actual facts, which is William trimming Marquesses Rose garden. He’s not someone associated with Royal gossip and he’s taken swipes at Meghan as well.

    • MsIam says:

      Plus, if that was true, I am sure they would have blasted it all over that the “fake” story was leaked by Meghan in order to smear her reputation further. I can just see Camila, Emily, Rebecca, etc shouting “Aha!! See what the evil Meghan has been up to! Trying to damage the marriage of the eternal pigeon lovers, William and the fair Catherine!”. Bleech!

  26. Nina says:

    We will never forget you Rose princess of wales

  27. S808 says:

    I think Rose leaked the story as a warning shot to keep Kate (& Will) in their place. I don’t know if we’ll ever know what really happened, not anytime soon anyway, cause why would the press throw away their bargaining chip? They have the future king on a leash and I don’t think they’re in a rush to let him go. I will say, if the affair hadn’t been discovered I don’t think the KP smear campaign would’ve been so rampant but coupled with the need to keep the affair under warps made them even more desperate and even more under the press’ thumb.

  28. Awkward symphony says:

    What solidified for me that this story was true was how the UK tabloids who are all about printing shitty lies even when they can be sued(example: Meghan’s lawsuit) just to sell their rag/get clicks did everything in their power NOT TO report this
    or even speculate with fake “palace sources”
    That alone was my proof that this might actually be true. I look forward to us getting more by next year (when brexit happens=no EU human rights gag on the press). All hell will break losse and there will be no scapegoats to help bury this with the Sussexs now having a representative company that is there to advise & act to protects their image

    • Nic919 says:

      There were random lawyers also talking about the media blackout on the story. They wouldn’t have done that over a measly human rights violation. The UK press was protecting the future future king. Charles was also protected too until Diana told the press. But for her no one would have known. Look at the vagaries surrounding Phillip and the women he has been and currently is with. M

  29. Jaded says:

    The Turnip Toffs/Norfolk Nobs, call them what you will, are a tight-knit and often incestuous lot. Their marriages are often open marriages, and certainly David Rocksavage has an “interesting” past with a very likely sexual relationship with a pretty dicey guy. Rose’s family was very artsy-fartsy/aristo class and to them, falling into bed with someone else is no biggie, their marriage will endure because of the nature of the game – it’s built on a sturdy financial situation. Kate’s middle-class background is anathema to these people and as desperately as she tried to fit in, they never “really” accepted her.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      Thanks Jaded for your wonderful description.

      Someone who knows the Cholmondeleys well once commented to a gossip reporter that “Rose & David are not the kind of people who care if the public knows what is or is not going-on in their bed chamber”.

  30. ABritGuest says:

    not sure the affair rumours will really be published in the U.K. fully . The press sat on evidence of Diana’s affairs and Charles’ affairs including the tampongate tape for years. It was when they spilled their own tea that these things started to come out.

    Can’t see any of the parties involved doing that and think it will be in right wing press interests to keep story under their hats not only to ensure access they want but also as they are generally pro monarchy. With an unpopular heir already not sure the monarchy can afford idea of instability in the future future heirs’ marriage.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      @ABritGuest -You are probably correct. Also, the left-wing Guardian/Observer will not publish this story as it is not their type of subject matter even though the Guardian/Observer is republican (small “r”) leaning.

      I guess we will all just have to sit tight waiting for Tina Brown’s “The Windsor Papers” to be published in 2021.

  31. Area A says:

    I don’t actually believe this story. Didn’t Coren admit he lied?

    • Beach Dreams says:

      NONE of the blue check folks on Twitter who commented on this story said they lied, despite Cambridge fans and tinhatters claiming otherwise. Not Giles Coren, not Nicole Cliffe. Coren actually liked a tweet wondering if he was “asked” to take down his tweet by a certain someone’s lawyers. Also, Michael Moran (who writes for the Guardian), briefly cited “Wills and his friend that we don’t mention” (along with other BRF messes) in criticizing one of Camilla Long’s anti-Sussex rants on Twitter in January. William’s affair is a poorly kept secret that everyone in British media is dancing around at this point.

      • MA says:

        Smoking gun for me was a BBC reporter and an IPSO official admitting that there was a media blackout. If this were just harmless gossip, why the heavy handed crackdown?

      • Nic919 says:

        Exactly. There is no media blackout unless it’s real and slander laws can’t stop it.

  32. Louise says:

    Rose looks like the girl from Welcome to the Dollhouse.

  33. MeghanNotMarkle says:

    I’ll have my popcorn ready when all the tea gets spilled on this.

  34. ABritGuest says:

    yeah didn’t think much of story but then the rota was uncharacteristically silent& saw lawyers and journalists who are not on royal scene at all make barbed comments about info being repressed and so the cover up is more interesting to me. You can tell some were chomping at the bit to discuss openly, especially as rumour was all over social media& journos probably felt their ‘free speech’ was being unfairly restricted.

    They were acting similar to when people like Elton John or Hugh Bonneville took out super injunctions to prohibit info about their relationships being published in Britain even though it was all over the internet.

    Every now and again publications will be mischievous and do an article about the Cambridges and drop info about Rose& the feud in when it’s not really relevant. That’s similar to how they did with the super injunction cases too. They love childish hints.

  35. Rachael says:

    The easiest way to put an end to the rumour is for Kate and Rose to be seen together, looking happy, relaxed etc. The photos of them at church don’t suffice, as it was a gathering of a lot of people in a public place and Rose being at the State dinner don’t count either because she had to be there as wife of the Lord Chamberlain – there is no evidence that she and Kate spoke to each other.

    That this hasn’t happened, I think, confirms everything.

  36. Andrea says:

    Willy must be sad he isn’t wandering into rose bushes. Or maybe he is sneaking off on a “walk”.

  37. Well-Wisher says:

    As rumors go, William wanted two children and had to be persuaded to have the delightful Louis. It is alleged that it was during the last pregnancy that the alleged affair occured. It would have been seen as a smart move for two people with a lot to lose to engage in a liaison so that the details remained unconfirmed.

    I apologize for the diversion, but did anyone see the In Touch Mag?
    “The Queen steps down after 68 years
    William and Kate to be crowned
    King and Queen.”

    Premature power grab anyone?

  38. Jack says:

    The marquess’s homosexuality is the worst-kept secret in England, and Rose was happy to be his beard, although it appears she is now increasingly frustrated. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d had an affair to find affection elsewhere, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she were the leaker. She is not a bright woman.