FILE – In this Saturday, May 19, 2018 file photo, Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ride in an open-topped carriage after their wedding ceremony at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, near London, England. Princess Diana’s little boy, the devil-may-care red-haired prince with the charming smile is about to become a father. The arrival of the first child for Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will complete the transformation of Harry from troubled teen to family man, from source of concern to source of national pride. (Aaron Chown/pool photo via AP, File)
Hints of royal scandal have slowly been trickling out of the British rumor mill, and this time, it’s not just about Meghan Markle and her anticipated baby with Prince Harry. Fans have been shocked to hear the news of Prince William’s alleged affair with Rose Hanbury. Officially known as Marchioness of Cholmondeley, she and her husband are close friends of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and are known to live in the rural of Norfolk. However, as the royal couple celebrated their eighth anniversary on Monday, can we determine if the scandal is based in any fact, or is just fictitious and sensationalized?
The “Turnip drama,” as the rumor is sometimes referred to by the press, stems from “turnip toffs,” the name of the social circle that William, Kate and Rose all belong to. Since early April, there’s been whispers that the picture perfect couple has been in turmoil as a result of Prince William cheating on his wife with her beloved friend, which has slowly but surely come to the surface of gossip. There’s been no official statement released concerning the matter, yet conspiracies and social media speculation is enough fodder for fans to be up in arms.
It was recently reported by The Sun, a UK news outlet, that Princess Kate and Rose had had a falling out at the end of March, which some speculate to be because of Prince William’s alleged affair. However, Prince William has been shown trying to mend the relationship between the two friends by planning double dates with the two couples, which doesn’t seem in line with the affair assumption. Rose’s similarity in looks to the Duchess Kate seems like another piece of evidence for gossips to hang onto as a sign of Prince William’s attraction and possible infidelity, but it just seems like grasping at straws, for me.
However, there’s even more to add to the public’s belief of Prince William’s infidelity. According to The Mercury News, there have been conspiracies that the media attacks on the American-born Meghan Markle may have been due to Prince William using his influence to steer the bad news away from himself. Whether he was just bribing the media or leaking negative stories about his sister-in-law to distract the public from news of a cheating rumor is not clear to the public, but neither have been substantiated.
The obvious connection to past royal couples may be the reason for the public’s latch onto this piece of gossip. Prince Charles’s infamous cheating on William’s mother, the late Princess Diana, must have come to many people’s mind when they first caught wind of the rumor.
However, overall, there has been no substantiating evidence of Prince William’s affair, and as far as we know, he and Princess Kate are as happy as ever. Social media has blown the whole situation out of proportion, as far as facts are concerned. We can only hope that to be the case and their relationship doesn’t evolve into the scandal and tragedy of that of William’s parents. For now, we should look for happy news of the couple and the exciting birth of the newest royal baby, by way of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
