William’s Alleged Affair With Kate’s ‘Copycat’ Gets Update Amid Rumors the Princess Finds the Similarities ‘Increasingly Uncomfortable’
Reports about Prince William have been mostly positive lately, as the prince is constantly discussing his family and stepping up for his father as he prepares to take the throne. But it wasn’t that long ago that a lot of the reports about him had to do with his alleged affair with Rose Hanbury, who some called a “copycat” of his own wife, Kate Middleton.
And now, RadarOnline.com is reporting that Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, has continued to raise eyebrows for allegedly looking a little too much like the Princess of Wales. Hanbury and her husband were reportedly previously close to William and Kate, but some have suggested rumors of an affair between Hanbury and William changed that, despite both denying the affair.
Related: Did William really cheat on Kate?
“Rose has always had impeccable style, but lately her looks feel calculated,” a royal source told the outlet. “Every time she steps out, she’s wearing something that mirrors Kate – right down to the designer. It’s uncanny. People in royal circles can’t help but talk about it, and Kate’s finding it increasingly uncomfortable.”
The allegations tie back to Hanbury wearing a black drop-brim hat from Lock & Co. Hatters, a piece Middleton had worn on two separate occasions before, to a service dedication for the Order of the British Empire at St. Paul’s Cathedral. “It’s one thing to share a taste in fashion, but this was identical,” the source said. “It felt like déjà vu.”
It’s not the first time Hanbury has been accused of stealing Kate Middleton’s look, as the same thing happened during King Charles’s coronation events in May 2023. But the narrative about the alleged affair disappears and then comes back every few months, it seems.
“Back in 2019, Kate was crushed by all the rumors,” another insider said. “Publicly, she was advised to stay quiet, but behind closed doors, she was deeply upset and angry. Whatever friendship she’d had with Rose ended right then and there.”
Rumors, however, are reportedly still hurtful to Middleton. “Kate views that friendship completely differently now,” a former royal aide said. “Whenever Rose shows up at a royal event, it brings all those painful memories flooding back. The affair rumors were humiliating for her, and seeing Rose echo her style only makes it worse. It’s as if Rose wants to remind the world she’s still part of the story.”
Friends of Hanbury, however, deny that Hanbury’s style, which like Middleton is pretty classic, has anything to do with the Princess of Wales. “Rose has always had her own distinct sense of style and doesn’t need to imitate anyone,” a friend of the Marchioness said. “The notion that she’s deliberately trying to mess with Kate is completely ridiculous.”
The problem is, that according to the outlet, the comparisons persists and so do the whispers about the alleged affair. “The affair rumor has lingered for years,” a palace source said. “And Rose turning up dressed so much like Kate? It only keeps the speculation alive.”
