Well, meet Oliver Colmondeley, twin brother of Alexander Colmondeley, half-brother of Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte. Thank goodness, William’s adventures. If you believe the story that Kensington Palace tried very hard to hush up and eradicate from the media space in 2021… So:
Rose Hanbury keeps information about her children and personal life largely private
However, she occasionally posts photos with her children on the Instagram account for Houghton Hall and Gardens, the historic country house she, her husband, and her children call home.
Rose mentioned her children during an interview with The English Home magazine in April 2023, saying, “The kids love Houghton and I think they appreciate it, including being able to run around so much.”
She added that they moved into the house, which was originally built in the 1720s for Britain’s first prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole, “just after the twins were born” in 2009. Although her husband had inherited the house decades earlier, the birth of their children forced them to move from London to Norfolk, she explained to the publication.
She said her boys loved to skateboard and rollerblade in the main entrance hall of the house. “There are columns you can ride between and they go really fast,” she joked.
Before Rose Hanbury made headlines for her alleged affair with Prince William (rumours she has since denied), she worked as a model and researcher for British politician Michael Gove. In 2019, rumors began to circulate that William had cheated on his wife, Princess Kate, with Rose. Royal expert Omid Scobie claimed in his 2023 book Endgame that Kensington Palace had “pulled overboard” to quell speculation of infidelity.
For her part, Rose denied the romance claims in March 2024. “The rumors are completely untrue,” her lawyers reportedly told Business Insider at the time.
Getting to Know Rose Hanbury’s Family:
Timothy Hanbury
Rose’s father, who is reported to be a web designer, tied the knot with Emma in the 1980s. In May 2023, he made headlines after he was prevented from boarding a Ryanair flight from Stansted Airport in Essex due to an old passport. Multiple media outlets reported that Timothy was not allowed on the flight because his passport was over 10 years old, which was in violation of new European travel rules introduced after Brexit in 2020.
Emma Hanbury
Rose’s mother worked as a fashion designer but later switched to interior design. “Emma Hanbury has been designing interiors in London and the countryside for many years, often simply reusing and rearranging existing pieces,” her website says. “She also hosts themed private and corporate dinners and events.” Emma is closely related to Queen Elizabeth II, as her mother, Lady Elizabeth Longman, was a close friend of the late monarch. Lady Elizabeth was even one of Elizabeth’s bridesmaids at her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947.
Marina Hanbury
Like her sister, Marina also married into the aristocracy. In 2011, she tied the knot with Edward Lampton, 7th Earl of Durham, who is 21 years her senior. They have since had three children. Rose reportedly first met her future husband at the home of Lord Lampton, who later became Marina’s father-in-law.
David Cholmondeley
Rose and her husband welcomed their twin sons, Alexander Hugh George Cholmondeley, Earl of Rocksavage, and Lord Oliver Timothy George Cholmondeley, into the world the same year they married. They added a daughter, Lady Iris Marina Aline Cholmondeley, to their family in 2016.
David previously served as Lord Great Chamberlain from 1990 to 2022, before being replaced by Lord Rupert Carrington, 7th Baron Carrington. However, he was appointed Lord Warden of King Charles III upon his coronation in May 2023. Outside of his royal life, David works as a film director and has directed films such as Shadows in the Sun and Other Voices, Other Rooms.
Rose and David’s son Oliver played a prominent role in Charles’ coronation, serving as one of the monarch’s pages along with William and Kate’s eldest son, Prince George.
So where did the rumours come from and how did the Palace deal with them? Here’s how, in 2021, it countered all the rumours with the following:
…. 2021 – 2022
Omid Scobie’s book claims the palace “made every effort” to suppress rumours of Prince William’s affair.
According to Omid Scobie’s new book, the palace tried to put an end to rumours that Prince William was having an affair.
A royal expert has written that Kensington Palace “went to great lengths” to suppress a 2019 story that alleged William, 41, was cheating on his wife Princess Kate Middleton with ex-girlfriend Rose Hanbury. The author claims that press secretary Christian Jones offered British tabloid The Sun other royal-related stories “in exchange for dropping the rumours”.
Hanbury, who is married to David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, has been a longtime friend of William and Kate. Neither William, Kate, nor Hanbury have ever commented on the rumors. At the time, a Middleton family friend told Us that Kate “obviously finds the rumors offensive and hates the idea that her children could one day read about them online.”
The public discourse has apparently strained the trio’s relationship, as they have distanced themselves from each other over the years. However, Hanbury was spotted at Prince Philip’s memorial service in 2021. Hanbury’s 13-year-old son, Lord Oliver, also served as a page at the coronation of William’s father, King Charles III, in May. (Oliver joined William and Kate’s eldest child, Prince George, 10, as one of four pages.)
Two days after the book’s release, Scobie revealed that he was “very careful” about how he addressed the topic in the book.
“I thought it was really important [to mention], even if it’s just a rumor,” he said on Entertainment Tonight on Thursday, November 30. “And I really don’t see any evidence that it’s more than just a bunch of hot air, you know.”
Scobie noted that William and Kate’s marriage remains “strong” as the couple continues to “work as a team.” According to the book, William is “incredibly proud” of his wife’s achievements as a senior working royal.
As Scobie’s book continues to make headlines, William, Kate, and other members of the royal family have remained silent. A source exclusively told Us Weekly last month that William is keeping quiet because “the more attention it gets,” the more “madness it creates.”
“He thinks [the book] is a vicious portrayal of the monarchy,” the insider added, noting that William doesn’t want to “help promote a string of false and cruel stories” about his family.
With Kate and William focusing most of their energy on their royal duties, the couple has had to prioritize their relationship. A second source told Us exclusively in October that the Prince and Princess of Wales have “ups and downs in their marriage, just like everyone else.” However, their priority is to be “one unit” as they navigate the new responsibilities they’ve taken on following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
A third source told Us that William’s grandmother’s death had deeply affected both him and Kate. “They were the first to admit it had been a tough year, but everyone agreed that William and Kate had done a remarkable job of staying strong in the face of adversity,” the source explained.
But in fact, it was from that moment on that we saw distance, and growing distance and stagedness, between William and Kate. I’ve written several articles on this topic here. There are just too many inconsistencies between what the Palace is saying and what we’re seeing.
And these photos, grandfather with grandchildren? In my opinion, very cute, very! The chemistry is genuine… fire.
