If you’ve been curious about the alleged affair between William, Prince of Wales and Rose Hanbury, Marchioness of Cholmondeley, there’s probably a good reason why. Many reports about those rumors have been wiped from the internet. Surely, the royal family should know by now that mysteriously missing information often makes the public more curious. The apparent push to bury rumors about Prince William and Hanbury may be doing just the opposite.

In 2009, Hanbury, her husband, David Rocksavage, the Seventh Marquess of Cholmondeley, and their children moved into an estate in Norfolk situated just a few miles from William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ home. Kate and Hanbury reportedly became friends, but in 2019, rumors circulated that the friendship had grown into a rivalry. However, according to Vulture, many articles discussing the alleged feud were subsequently deleted. Later that year, talk about Hanbury and William’s alleged affair began. Multiple articles discussing the romance have also since been edited to remove mention of the affair or deleted entirely.

After Kate disappeared from public view in early 2024, attention on the princess approached an all-time high, and speculation about Hanbury and William’s affair regained traction. When Stephen Colbert joked about the affair on ” The Late Show,” CBS received a notice from Hanbury’s lawyers. “We have written on our client’s behalf to CBS and various other reputable media organizations to confirm that the allegation is false,” they told Vanity Fair. If you think the marchioness doth protest too much, you’re not alone.

The royal family may be threatening legal action against the media

Max Mumby/indigo/Getty Images

In 2019, The Daily Beast reported that one media outlet in the U.K. received a legal warning from the royal family’s lawyers after reporting on Prince William and Rose Hanbury’s alleged affair. Royal expert, Duncan Larcombe, explained, “The use of a legal letter by William as a future king is very much a move of last resort.” He added, “While traditionally, the British royal family would not take specific legal action — the old saying was ‘never complain and never explain’ — William and Harry are willing to do it in their own way.”

It appears that the parties involved in the affair rumors are particularly desperate to keep them at bay. Yet, the situation is made all the more interesting, since some outlets may not just avoid the rumors, but also talk up Hanbury. When gossip about the alleged affair was first stirred up five years ago, there seemed to be a subsequent push for positive stories about the marchioness. The media was notably mentioning Hanbury in a better light — reporting on her outfits at events and even asserting that she and Kate were still friends. The same is seemingly happening in the wake of the rumors’ resurgence in 2024. The royal family might not simply want to put an end to sordid rumors; they may be hiding the truth and attempting to rehabilitate Hanbury’s image. If that is the case (which no one knows for certain), then a serious royal scandal could be forthcoming.

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