Prince William's Team Reportedly Regrets How They Handled The Rose Hanbury Scandal

If there's one thing that Prince William doesn't tolerate, it's any rumors that show his family in a bad light. While it's not very often that he speaks out about them, the Prince of Wales did make a statement soon after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, suggested in their tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey back in 2021 that there might have been a "royal racist" behind closed palace doors. "We're very much not a racist family," was the prince's reply, according to The Guardian. 

When it comes to his marriage and his personal life, Prince William is just as defensive. Some would even suggest that the prince uses the press to set the record straight. Soon after it was reported that the future king of England may or may not have gotten up close and personal with Kate Middleton's friend Rose Hanbury, the Daily Mail was quick to deny those rumors, too. While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had nothing to do with that scandal, they were indirectly tied into it, anyway. 

Daily Mail columnist Richard Kay wrote that Prince William was willing to do whatever it took to stop the tabloid press from running wild with all the reports suggesting he wasn't a faithful husband to his wife. And yes, the Sussexes might have been used in some media stories to deflect and distract from anyone talking too much about Prince William's cheating rumors (via ABC News). The prince's team reportedly regrets how they handled the scandal and the aftermath that followed. 

During Prince Harry's interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the Duke of Sussex suggested that the royal family supposedly had a silent agreement with the British press, according to the BBC. He elaborated on that notion in 2023 when he suggested that "certain members have decided to get in the bed with the devil," meaning the press, per The Independent. Well, it seems like that might or might not have happened back in 2019 when reports surfaced of a possible extramarital affair between Prince William and Rose Hanbury. 

Without naming names, "Endgame" author Omid Scobie explained to She Knows that someone behind closed palace doors might have supposedly orchestrated all of the negative Prince Harry and Meghan Markle articles to help bury the Prince William and Hanbury scandal. And that was a move that Prince William's handlers now regret. "There's definitely a feeling that those days were like dark times, and lines were crossed on all sides. Now, none of that's ever publicly admitted but it's certainly acknowledged by a few," he said.

And while the Prince William and Hanbury rumors were never confirmed or denied, that hasn't stopped the beautiful brunette from still making appearances with the royal family.

Sure, the extramarital affair rumors might have rocked the boat, but that hasn't stopped Prince William and Rose Hanbury from carrying on with their lives. Even though the alleged cheating rumors may have captured attention for a brief time, Hanbury has still made appearances at the royal family's gatherings, including the state dinner with former President Donald Trump in 2019. She also attended Queen Elizabeth's funeral and was present for King Charles' coronation in 2022. Of course, Hanbury wasn't seated near Prince William, Kate Middleton, or other senior members of the royal family during any of those events.

While Prince William has never made any statements about the rumors, the future king of England is not on speaking terms with Hanbury, per the New York Post. But if there is one person who is supposedly talking to Hanbury, it's the prince's wife, Kate Middleton. The two reportedly went to a music festival back in August 2023, according to the Independent. This clearly shows that there's nothing that a night of dancing can't fix, especially when it comes to royal friendships.