The long-simmering scandal surrounding allegations of an affair between Prince William and Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, has reached a boiling point as Hanbury finally broke her five-year silence. In a statement released through her lawyers, Hanbury denied the rumors, stating, "Our client and the Princess of Wales have not had a falling-out. The allegation that our client is having an affair with HRH The Prince of Wales is completely false."
The denial comes amidst a growing frenzy of media coverage and speculation about the alleged infidelity, which has been described as an "open secret" in some circles. Talk show host Stephen Colbert even joked about the scandal being part of conspiracy theories surrounding Kate Middleton's recent disappearance from the public eye.
Despite Hanbury's public statement, sources close to the situation suggest that the problem is far from resolved, as reported by inTouch. "This problem isn't just going to go away just because she finally broke her silence - it's actually escalating," said one source, noting that Hanbury's long-standing position within William and Kate's inner circle means she could potentially reveal many secrets about the royal family.
Before speaking out publicly, Hanbury reportedly came clean with Kate, who was once considered her best friend. "Kate was completely blindsided," said the source, adding that the two women had an "explosive showdown" in which Hanbury denied everything.
The royal family has carried on in public as though nothing has happened, with Hanbury's son even serving as a page at King Charles' coronation last May. However, the source suggests that Kate has distanced herself from Hanbury out of caution, no longer sharing sensitive information with her former confidante.
Recent speculation surrounding Kate's prolonged absence from the public eye has only added fuel to the fire. "The conspiracy theories about why she vanished got so bad that people were actually speculating that Rose got pregnant during the alleged affair, which sent William spiraling," said the source, although there is no evidence to support such claims.
The scandal comes at a particularly sensitive time for the royal family, as King Charles reportedly deals with a devastating terminal cancer diagnosis. "The last thing William needs is for the public to turn on him," said the source, pointing out that it took years for Charles to regain public goodwill after confessing to his own infidelity with Diana.
The palace is now on high alert, with concerns that any further scandalous allegations could destroy William's public image and, by extension, the monarchy itself. "With a few exceptions, the royals have usually been able to control the narrative and keep an air of mystery about their lives," said the source. "But this affair rumor refuses to die, and if any more scandalous allegations come out, William's public image will be destroyed, and the monarchy along with him. He had better pray that Rose and everyone else who knows the truth about him stays loyal."
Questions have also arisen about William's fitness to be king, with sources pointing to his alleged anger issues and reported alcohol consumption as causes for concern. "These alarming issues have everyone wondering if he's fit to be king," said one source.
As the affair rumors refuse to abate, the potential for further revelations threatens to unveil more about the closely guarded lives of Britain's most famous family, casting a long shadow over Prince William's path to the throne.
