The lifecycle of an A-list marriage can often flash past our eyes in an instant.
And in a world of world of never-ending high-profile A-list divorces, we’ve often looked to the royal poster couple that is Prince William and Duchess Catherine for reassurance that true love is alive and well.
Indeed, their royal romance is like something out of a fairytale.
After Prince William met a young Kate Middleton at St Andrew’s University back in 2001, the pair became firm friends before they started dating two years later.
In 2010, a besotted William popped the question on a trip to Kenya and they tied the knot in a lavish wedding in April 2011. Fast forward to 2019 and the couple have been happily married for nearly eight years and are the proud parents to three beautiful children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
But in recent weeks, the seemingly picture-perfect pair have been rocked with wild cheating allegations involving Kate’s good friend Rose Hanbury and Prince William.
So, is there any weight to the rumour? We investigate…
Duchess Catherine and Prince William, pictured on their graduation day in Scotland 2005, have been married since 2011. (Image: Handout image via Middleton Family/Clarence House via Getty Images)
Where did the rumour start?
Rumblings of a supposed falling out between Kate and her former best friend Rose Hanbury, 35, who is married to British aristocrat David Rocksavage the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, 53, (yes, that is his real title), were first reported by UK outlet The Sun last month.
According to the publication, the Duchess of Cambridge and Rose’s friendship has recently sourced with Kate seeing her as a “rural rival” and wanting her “phased out” of their close-knit country clan.
In fact, sources claim their rift is so bad that Prince William has tried to step in to “try to broker peace.”
“It is well known that Kate and Rose have had a terrible falling out. They used to be close but that is not the case any more,” an insider alleged to The Sun.
“William wants to play peacemaker so the two couples can remain friends, given they live so close to each other and share many mutual friends. But Kate has been clear that she doesn’t want to see them any more and wants William to phase them out, despite their social status.”
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“It is well known that Kate and Rose have had a terrible falling out,” an insider told The Sun. (All images: Getty)*
Interestingly, the report didn’t state what the exact cause was behind their supposed falling out but the fact Kate apparently wanted former model Rose out of their clique indicates something serious must have happened to prompt such a reaction.
Meanwhile, royal commentator Richard Kay revealed in his column for the Daily Mail that both parties were considering legal action over the outlandish claims, however they were unable to escalate the matter because no reason for the feud had been published.
WATCH: Prince William and Duchess Catherine introduce their son Prince Louis to the world. Post continues after the video…
However, many royal watchers have pointed out the curiosity in wanting to take legal action over mere rumours of a feud, unless of course it’s perhaps a case of having to read between the lines.
Which is where British food writer and socialite Giles Coren steps in.
William and Catherine chat to Rose as she hosts a gala dinner to support East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices at Houghton Hall in 2016. (Image: Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
The tweet that nearly broke the internet… then vanished
As Twitter exploded with a tsunami of theories, Coren responded to one user who asked if it was an affair between Rose and William that had caused the falling out.
“Yes. it is an affair. i haven’t read thee piece but i know about the affair. everyone knows about the affair, darling. even us jews. (although admittedly i’m quite a posh jew – if such a thing exists,” The Times food critic penned.
Clearly he didn’t quite think through broadcasting such a shocking and sassily-worded allegation with the Twitterverse and his post was quickly deleted but the damage had already been done and the screenshots saved for all eternity.
It’s worth noting Coren has somewhat of a reputation for being a professional pot-stirrer so we should definitely not take his tweet as gospel.
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Giles’ tweet, which was swiftly deleted. (Image: @gilescoren twitter)
Who is Rose Hanbury?
Rose’s official title is the Marchioness of Cholmondeley.
The British socialite has been described as a “beguiling socialite” and previously worked as a model before marrying well-connected aristocrat David George Philip Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, who is 18 years her senior, in 2009.
The glamorous couple share three children together, twin boys called Alexander and Oliver, and a daughter called Iris.
The family reside on the sprawling Houghton Hall estate in Norfolk, which is just around the corner from Prince William and Duchess Catherine’s country home, Anmer Hall, and are part of an elite social circle from the area which have been dubbed the “Turnip Toff” crew by the UK press.
The stunning brunette boasts strong ties back to the royal family with her grandmother, Lady Elizabeth Lambart, serving as one of The Queen’s bridesmaids at her 1947 wedding to Prince Philip.
Rose has worked closely with Kate as both women are patrons of East Anglia’s Children Hospices charity.
She also rubbed shoulders with Prince Harry at the State Opening of Parliament banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2017.
While her husband David is good friends with Prince Charles.
Rose was seated next to Prince Harry at the State Opening of Parliament in 2017. (Image: ITV)
What have the palace said?
Both Kensington Palace and the Cholmondeleys have declined to comment.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail‘s Richard Kay has shut down the allegations of a feud, labelling them as totally “false” and cruelly spread simply to “damage Kate.”
A source close to Rose insists she’s not even that close to the Cambridges, telling Kay: “They see each other occasionally and like each other. They are not part of each other’s close circle. It isn’t even remotely a bosom-close friendship.”
Kay also reveals that the impact of the rumours have upset everyone involved.
“It has now become very upsetting and they are all concerned for each other, as they have never before had to start denying something for which there is no evidence or even a smidgen of truth. It is just mad,” an insider told Kay.
“These hurtful rumours of a fall-out are simply false. William and David were in touch with each other over the weekend, not knowing whether to laugh or complain. Both wives are hurt by the suggestion that there is any argument or even a coolness between them. They have plans for future events involving their charity.”
“This is a question of a lie going round the world before the truth has even had time to take its boots off,” the source concluded.
Royal commentator Richard Kay says the reports are false. (Images: Getty)
What about Prince William or Duchess Catherine?
It’s been business as usual for Kate and William with the hard-working royals carrying out a slew of recent engagements, including a joint appearance for St Patrick’s Day and a solo appearance for Duchess Catherine on behalf of the Scout’s organisation in Epping, England last week.
So, what do we know? The salacious theory is still just that has not been proven with any substantial evidence.
As for William and Kate, they have always pledged their loyalty to one another.
“When I first met Kate I knew there was something very special about her. I knew there was possibly something that I wanted to explore there. But we ended up being friends for a while and that was a good foundation,” William has said about why they work.
“I think if you do go out with someone for quite a long time you do get to know each other very, very well, you go through the good times, you go through the bad times. Both personally and within a relationship as well. I think if you can come out of that stronger and learn things about yourself,” Kate has added.
Putting the rumours to rest, neither the Cambridges or the Cholmondeleys have addressed the wild allegations. (Image: Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
