**Rose Hanbury’s Fashion Choices Spark Renewed Speculation Over Rumored Affair with Prince William**
*Published: Oct. 20, 2025, 6:00 p.m. ET*
Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, has once again drawn attention with her striking habit of dressing similarly to Kate Middleton. This uncanny mirroring of the Princess of Wales has reignited long-standing rumors about Hanbury’s alleged affair with Prince William, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 41-year-old former model resides just a few miles from William and Kate’s Norfolk home, Anmer Hall. She first came under public scrutiny in 2019 amid allegations of a romantic relationship with the prince, now 43.
### A ‘Calculated’ Move?
Though both Hanbury and the royal family have consistently denied any wrongdoing, insiders say the rumors created a lasting rift. Sources describe a “permanent chill” between the two couples who were once close friends.
Now, Hanbury’s increasingly similar fashion choices have brought the scandal back into the spotlight and left palace insiders uneasy.
“Rose has always had impeccable style, but lately her looks feel calculated,” a royal source shared. “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.”
### Fashion Doppelgänger
Hanbury’s recent attendance at a service dedication for the Order of the British Empire at St. Paul’s Cathedral drew particular attention. She arrived wearing a classic black drop-brim hat from Lock & Co. Hatters—the very same piece Middleton had worn twice several years earlier.
“It’s one thing to share a taste in fashion, but this was identical,” the source said. “It felt like déjà vu.”
Observers noted this was not the first time Hanbury had been accused of copying the Princess’s style. At King Charles’s coronation events in May 2023, Hanbury was photographed wearing a vintage black-and-white Ozzie Clarke dress paired with Aquazzura bow-tie pumps—the same designer shoes Middleton had worn just one day prior at a Buckingham Palace luncheon.
One social media user joked at the time, “So William bought his mistress and wife the same shoes.”
### Lingering Tensions
According to insiders, the tension between Hanbury and Middleton stems from the rumored affair’s fallout—a rumor that, although never confirmed, has never truly faded.
“Back in 2019, Kate was crushed by all the rumors,” said another insider. “Publicly, she was advised to stay quiet, but behind closed doors, she was deeply upset and angry. Whatever friendship she had with Rose ended right then and there.”
### An ‘Humiliating’ Experience for Middleton
Hanbury, married to David Cholmondeley, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, has long been a part of Norfolk’s elite social scene, known locally as the “Turnip Toffs.” The alleged closeness between Hanbury and William caused a rift so severe that palace officials quietly discouraged further contact between the families.
“Kate views that friendship completely differently now,” explained a former royal aide. “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.”
### Rumors of an Affair Persist
Despite the renewed speculation, friends of Hanbury insist that her fashion choices are purely coincidental.
“Rose has always had her own distinct sense of style and doesn’t need to imitate anyone,” said a friend of the Marchioness. “The notion that she’s deliberately trying to mess with Kate is completely ridiculous.”
Nevertheless, within royal circles, the comparisons continue—and so do the whispers about what really transpired between William and Hanbury.
“The affair rumor has lingered for years,” a palace source revealed. “And Rose turning up dressed so much like Kate? It only keeps the speculation alive.”
https://radaronline.com/p/prince-william-mistress-rose-hanbury-kate-middleton-copycat/
