Rumors (emphasis on rumors!) that Prince William is having an affair with Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, have once again been dusted off amid Kate Middleton conspiracy theories. And, yep, the palace is annoyed.
While William and Rose’s whole alleged thing has been the subject of tweets over the past few days, it hit the mainstream thanks to Stephen Colbert bringing it up during his Late Show With Stephen Colbert monologue on Tuesday night.
So, how does Kensington Palace feel? A former royal courtier tells the Daily Beast that the comedian’s comments on the subject were “deeply annoying and unhelpful for the palace, but it’s not surprising that the affair rumors are being reheated. What else are people supposed to think when she sends out a photo not wearing her wedding ring?”
In case you missed the late night host’s remarks, he joked that “the Kingdom has been all a flutter about the seeming disappearance of Kate Middleton. Well now, internet sleuths are guessing that Kate’s absence may be related to her husband, and the future King of England, William, having an affair.”
To make matters worse, Kate’s infamous Mother’s Day photo didn’t include her wedding ring—a choice that left her friends shocked.
As one insider close to the couple put it to the Daily Beast, “We were all completely baffled when the picture came out with the wedding ring missing, especially as it was photoshopped. It just seemed guaranteed to get people asking questions about the state of the marriage.”
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.