Rose Hanbury is ‘very upset’ by Prince William affair rumors: expert

She’s royally miffed.

Rose Hanbury, 40, has been in the spotlight for resurfaced rumors that she had an affair with Prince William, 41 — which both parties have denied. 

“I know people who know the Marchioness of Cholmondeley very, very well, and she absolutely was not having an affair with the Prince of Wales,” royal expert and editor-in-chief of True Royalty TV Nick Bullen told Us Weekly on Tuesday, referring to Hanbury’s title.

He added, “Even when those rumors broke a few years ago, she was very upset by them then. She’s still very upset by them now.”

Rose Hanbury (left) was “very upset” by the Prince William affair rumors, a royal expert said. Getty Images

According to Business Insider, Hanbury also said through her lawyers that the reignited rumors “are completely false.”

William, for his part, previously denied the allegations via his attorney in 2019, telling the Daily Beast that the speculation is “false and highly damaging.”

Hanbury, who is a member of William and Kate Middleton’s inner circle, got the limelight last week after Stephen Colbert gave the affair rumors the late-night treatment on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.”

“The kingdom has been all aflutter by the seeming disappearance of Kate Middleton. Well now, internet sleuths are guessing that Kate’s absence may be related to her husband and the future king of England, William, having an affair,” Colbert said on last Tuesday’s episode. 

Amid the drama about Middleton’s whereabouts — since the Princess of Wales, 42, has barely been seen in public since her abdominal surgery in January — the comedian trolled William’s alleged affair with Hanbury.

A royal expert said that the mystery around Kate Middleton created a “vacuum” for stories about Rose Hanbury. AP Rose Hanbury was “very upset” by the affair rumors, a source said. Getty Images

Conspiracy theories about why Middleton hasn’t been seen by the public in weeks have run rampant on social media. (However, on Monday, she was finally spotted in video footage released at a farm near Windsor Castle.)

But, as Colbert said, many of the rumors speculated that Middleton’s absence from public is connected to alleged marital woes.

“So, I think we all know who the alleged other woman is. Say it with me –– the Marchioness of Cholmondeley –– what a beautiful name!” Colbert joked, referring to Hanbury’s formal royal title (pronounced “Chumley”).

Rose Hanbury is a member of William and Kate’s inner circle. Getty Images Prince William previously called the rumors “false” through a lawyer. Oli Scarff/Pool/Shutterstock

Hanbury has a long-lasting connection to the royals. Her grandmother Lady Elizabeth Lambart was one of the bridesmaids at the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s 1947 wedding. 

Since 2009, she’s been married to David Rocksavage, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley.

The couple live at their family’s Norfolk estate, Houghton Hall, not far from Anmer Hall, William and Kate’s estate. 

The Cholmondeleys are frequently photographed at the same events as William and Kate. They attended Elizabeth’s state funeral, and also attended King Charles III’s coronation in May 2023.

Their 15-year-old son, Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, was one of the pages of honor at the coronation, along with William and Middleton’s eldest, Prince George.

In addition to Oliver, they have two other kids: Oliver’s twin, Alexander Hugh, and Iris Marina Aline, who is 8. 

Rose Hanbury became “collateral damage” in the stories about Kate Middleton, an expert said. Dave Benett/Getty Images for Chris Levine “Other people can be collateral damage,” a royal expert said. James Veysey/Shutterstock “He saw the damage affairs can cause,” an expert said, citing why he believes William would never have an affair. via REUTERS

After Colbert joked about the rumors, prompting more media coverage of Hanbury and the alleged affair, Bullen told the outlet that the lack of information about Middleton’s condition and whereabouts created a “vacuum,” which made room for Hanbury to be the topic of conversation.

“Something the royal family could possibly learn from [this] is that [with] these vacuums that are created, other people can be collateral damage,” he told Us. “Perhaps they need to think about that collateral damage.”

Bullen said that William wouldn’t have an affair because of his father, King Charles, who famously cheated on his mother, Princess Diana, with Charles’s now-wife, Queen Camilla. 

“He saw the damage that affairs can cause,” Bullen said. “What I’m told [is], it’s just not in his psyche.”