For five long years, she stayed silent. In March 2019, Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, was named as Kate Middleton's "rural rival" amid reports the two had a falling-out. Soon after came whispers that it was an "open secret" that the posh Kate look-alike was Prince William's "mistress," with insiders hinting that the former model and her much-older husband of 15 years, David Rocksavage, had long been leading separate lives. A Times of London journalist even tweeted that "everyone knows about the affair." Now, mainstream media outlets are.
covering the scandal. Even talk show host Stephen Colbert joked about the alleged infidelity being part of conspiracy theories surrounding Kate's recent disappearance from the public eye. "The kingdom," Stephen gushed on March 12, "has been all aflutter." Amid the growing frenzy, Rose was finally forced to defend herself. "Our client and the Princess of Wales have not had a fallingout. The allegation that our client is having an affair with HRH The Prince of Wales is completely false," her lawyers have told In Touch. But by now, the scandal has already gotten way out of control. "This problem isn't just going to go away just because she finally broke her silence - it's actually escalating," says a source, noting that Rose's denial doesn't change the fact that she has long been part of William and Kate's intimate inner circle and could reveal many secrets about the royal family.
"Regardless of her relationship with the prince, Rose still knows way too much, and now her name is being dragged through the mud. No one would be surprised if she felt compelled to talk more. It could be the royal bombshell of the century."
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