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Ever since the rumors broke in 2019, chances are, when you think about Kate Middleton and Prince William, you think about his alleged mistress: Kate’s former best friend Rose Hanbury.
Now, for those that need a recap, you’ve come to the right place: Back in 2019, In Touch reported that William may have had an affair with Hanbury. While this has been shot down by multiple insiders, the rumors stuck (especially since people noticed Hanbury and Kate hanging out less!) And with Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, he alleged those leaked rumors came from King Charles and Queen Camilla. So, it’s been a messy and dramatic time for everyone.
It seems like every day, we’re learning that Kate and Hanbruy’s once close friendship has turned into a bit of a rivalry, cheating or not. Dubbed her “Rural Rival,” it’s upsetting that two close friends have been pitted against each other. So here’s the thing, whether or not you believe those rumors, you gotta admit, these two were a dynamite duo together. They have so much in common, from life as mothers to their style. Don’t believe us? We have the proof.
Now the cheating rumors resurfaced again, but since then, many have claimed Kate and Hanbury have actually reconnected. Since the royals are so tight-lipped about it, we may never know. But we do hope that the rumors are just that and that these two have remained close throughout it all.
Check out all the similarities the former BFFs had with one another. (There’s more than you think!)
See them all below:
A version of this article was originally published on May 2023.
They’ve Both Modeled
Now Kate Middleton’s modeling career may have been short (with her only occurrence being that iconic Student Fashion Show back in 2002 that caught Prince William’s attention), Rose Hanbury tried her hand at modeling as well. She was originally discovered at age 23 by the Storm Agency, and posed in campaigns for Miu Miu, Poplin London, a shoot for Love Magazine, and more.
They Both Have a Sister
It’s true! Rose Hanbury has a sister named Marina Hanbury, who was born two years before her, and Kate Middleton has a sister named Pippa Middleton, who was born the year after her.
They Met Their Husbands in The Early 2000s
As many royal fans know, Prince William and Kate Middleton met back in 2001 while attending the University of St. Andrews, but how did David Cholmondeley and Rose Hanbury meet? The pair reportedly met back in 2003 at a party hosted at the Villa Cetinale, but didn’t start dating until 2006
They’re Natural Brunettes
Not exactly a groundbreaking similarity, but it’s true, we love their wavy natural brown locks!
They Have Prestigious Educational Backgrounds
Before Rose Hanbury attended The Open University in England for her Bachelor’s degree, she went to an extremely prestigious school called Stowe School. As for Kate Middleton, she went to the University of St Andrews for college, and spent time at the prep school St Andrew’s School and the prestigious Marlborough College for her formative years.
They’re Both Stylish
We all know that Kate Middleton’s clean and vibrant looks have made her a modern-day style icon, but the snippets we’ve seen from Rose Hanbury? She’s quite stylish as well, usually opting for more art-deco-inspired looks and monochromatic fits.
They Both Have Three Kids
Rose and David Cholmondeley share three children together, just like Kate Middleton and Prince William. Rose has twins Earl of Rocksavage Alexander Hugh George and Lord Oliver Timothy George, born on Oct 12, 2009, and Lady Iris Marina Aline, born March 2016.
Like we said, Kate and William also have three children: Prince George of Wales, born July 22, 2013, Princess Charlotte of Wales, born May 2, 2015, and Prince Louis of Wales, born April 23, 2018.
They’ve Worked With A Lot of Charities
Rose Hanbury works with quite a few charities, with the most notable being East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (which is one Kate has also worked extensively with!) Now, Kate has worked with too many charities to count, but the most notable over the years have been Children In Crisis, Sentebale, SportsAid, Starlight Children’s Foundation, and UNICEF, per Look to the Stars.
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