Rose Hanbury Has A Closer Connection To Queen Camilla Than We Realized
Rose Hanbury became the Marchioness of Cholmondeley in 2009 when she married David Cholmondeley, Marquess of Cholmondeley. As part of the British nobility it's not a surprise that they rub shoulders with the upper class and even the royal family. Hanbury has long enjoyed a friendship with Catherine, Princess of Wales, and William, Prince of Wales, but that's not her only connection to the royals. She's also connected to Queen Camilla through her friendship Laura Lopes, the daughter of Queen Camilla and her ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.
I got the impression from this 2004 newspaper article that there was a preexisting relationship between Camilla and Rose Hanbury through her (Camilla's) daughter. From the looks of it, it's been a minimum of two decades. pic.twitter.com/7rLSUmvBWB
— G. I. Brock (@GenerallyBrock) May 26, 2024
On X, formerly known as Twitter, someone shared a newspaper clipping showing Lopes and Hanbury together. In the caption, they said: "I got the impression from this 2004 newspaper article that there was a preexisting relationship between Camilla and Rose Hanbury through her (Camilla's) daughter. From the looks of it, it's been a minimum of two decades." The newspaper excerpt mentioned Hanbury and Laura (then Laura Parker Bowles) attending a boutique opening, and Laura's then-boyfriend, now-husband Harry Lopes was in attendance as well.
Hanbury, her parents, and her sister attended Laura and Harry's wedding in 2006. Hanbury has also attended book launches for Camilla's son, Tom Parker Bowles.
Rose Hanbury was seen with Queen Camilla at a horse event
The speculation that Rose Hanbury and William, Prince of Wales, had an affair hasn't kept the marchioness from the royals. Likely due to her history with Queen Camilla's family, Hanbury was photographed sharing a friendly chat with Camilla (and Charlotte Tilbury of the eponymous makeup brand) at the Badminton Horse Trials in May 2024. Camilla and Hanbury were also both present at the Order of the British Empire dedication at St. Paul's Cathedral later that same month. Hanbury and David Cholmondeley have three children: twins Alexander and Oliver, and Iris. Oliver was a page of honor at the dedication event, reprising the same special role he had in King Charles III's coronation.
Because Hanbury has been rubbing elbows with royals at various events and her son has been an integral part of some such events, any rumors of tension between her and Catherine, Princess of Wales seem to be fabricated or overdramatized. After late-night host Stephen Colbert touted the rumors on his show in March 2024, Hanbury's lawyers stepped up. "We have written on our client's behalf to CBS and various other reputable media organisations to confirm that the allegation is false," Hanbury's legal team said per In Touch. They also told Business Insider that "the rumours are completely false."
Rose Hanbury's husband has a royal connection, too
In addition to one of Rose Hanbury's son being a page, Lady Elizabeth Lambart — Hanbury's grandmother — also played an important part in major royal event. She was a bridesmaid for the late Queen Elizabeth II. The Hanbury family's connection to the royals was explained to the Daily Beast in 2023 prior to King Charles III's coronation. Regarding potential drama with Catherine, Princess of Wales keeping Hanbury from the event, an insider told the outlet: "There has never been any enmity between Kate and Rose. The rumors were all a load of rubbish. The family are ancient allies of the Crown and they will be there."
The outlet reported that the Cholmondeley side has royal ties as well. Hanbury's husband, David Cholmondeley, is the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley. While Queen Elizabeth II was on the throne, Cholmondeley was Lord Great Chamberlain (a position that gets passed between the Cholmondeley family and the Carrington family every time a new royal ascends to the throne). He became a Lord-in-Waiting for Charles when the Lord Great Chamberlain titled transferred to the Carringtons, which is why Cholmondeley still attends many royal events. If Cholmondeley is still alive when William becomes king, he'll become the Lord Great Chamberlain again.