If you and your group chat have been privy to the gossip surrounding Kate Middleton over the past few weeks, you’ve probably come across Rose Hanbury, also known as the Marchioness of Cholmondeley. Hanbury seems to be the name on everyone’s lips these days, and not because of the shocking pronunciation of her title (“Chumley,” if you didn’t know). Ever since 2019, British tabloids have been circulating a rumor that Hanbury had an affair with Prince William, and the popular theory that Kate and William are in marital trouble has led a lot of people back to her.
For the record, the evidence — if you can call it that — of any sort of romance between these two is basically nonexistent. But, perhaps spurred by the sudden renewed interest in her sex life, Hanbury herself weighed in for the first time this weekend. Speaking with Business Insider, her lawyers vowed that “the rumors are completely false.”
Of course, this does not get us anywhere closer to wrapping our minds around what on earth is up with Kate, and it certainly does not rule out the possibility of relationship problems with William. It also probably doesn’t mean anyone will stop talking about the poor marchioness, who will never not be that one royal with a crazy name who may have slept with the future king. I guess there are worse reputations to have?