Who is Sarah Rose Hanbury, rumored lover of Prince William
Who is Sarah Rose Hanbury, the lady embroiled in the unfolding drama between Prince William and wife Kate Middleton, as the alleged third party to the royal couple’s marriage.
The Royal Family is shaken with conspiracies once again following the “disappearance” of Princess Kate Middleton.
In what would be dubbed by the press and social media as “The Kate Gate” drama, another name stands out: Sarah Rose Hanbury.
Colloquially referred to as Lady Rose Hanbury, she has landed on several news cycles as the rumored paramour of William, Prince of Wales and heir apparent to the British throne.
Theories abound from the alleged love triangle, trying to grasp a connection between Rose’s involvement and Kate’s absence in recent major events including St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, 2024.
Although the camp of the royal couple clarified that Kate’s ongoing health issues led to her nonattendance, a chunk of social media space remains intrigued about the identity of Rose.
Who exactly is she?
Who is Sarah Rose Hanbury, the lady embroiled in the unfolding drama between Prince William and wife Kate Middleton, as the alleged third party to the royal couple’s marriage.
BACKGROUND
NAME, AGE, BIRTHDAY
Lady Rose Hanbury bears the full name Sarah Rose Cholmondoley, born on March 15, 1984.
At press time, she has just turned 39 years old three days ago.
HOMETOWN
The large Hanbury family resided at Holfield Grange in Coggeshall, Essex — a sprawling 3,000-acre estate nestled in rural north Essex.
Additionally, the expansive country house boasts 500 acres of ancient woodland, while the remaining land is dedicated to arable and grassland.
FAMILY
Rose’s family shares a longstanding connection with the British royal family.
She is the daughter of Timothy Hanbury, a website designer, and Emma Hanbury (née Longman), a fashion designer. Her younger sister, Marina, is the third wife of Edward Lambton, the 7th Earl of Durham.
On her maternal side, Lady Rose’s grandmother was Lady Elizabeth Lambart (1924–2016), daughter of Field Marshal Rudolph Lambart, the 10th Earl of Cavan.
Lady Elizabeth played a significant role as one of the bridesmaids at the 1947 wedding of then Princess Elizabeth—later Queen Elizabeth II—and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, later Duke of Edinburgh.
Meanwhile, her paternal grandmother Sara, was the daughter of racing driver Sir Henry Birkin, 3rd Baronet.
Rose attended the prestigious Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, also the alma mater of actor Henry Cavill.
The school’s annual tuition fees are around GBP38,000 (~PHP2,691,457.16) for boarders.
After leaving Stowe, she undertook an Open University degree.
CAREER
Before The Independent reported that Rose now works as the proprietress of her husband’s estate, it was revealed through photos and records that she had worked in two other fields of profession as well.
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MODELING
During her time in school, Rose reportedly joined Sarah Doukas’s prestigious modeling agency, Storm, in 2007, when she was 23 years old.
She is friends with Kate Moss, who, like other notable figures such as Carla Bruni and Monica Bellucci, has been represented by Storm.
Sarah Douka is also responsible for discovering these renowned legends in the modeling world, in addition to the newer generation’s Cara Delevingne, Behati Prinsloo, and Anya Taylor-Joy.
POLITICS
Aside from modeling, Rose once dabbled in politics before having to step down due to morning sickness when pregnant with twins in 2009.
She held the position of political staffer, specifically as researcher for Michael Andrew Gove, who was a member of parliament and current secretary of State for Leveling Up, Housing and Communities.
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PHILANTHROPY
In her capacity as a marchioness, Rose is actively involved in charitable endeavors.
Among them is being one of the seven patrons of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices—a healthcare institution dedicated to caring for and supporting children with critical and life-threatening conditions.
It’s worth mentioning that Kate also holds a significant role as the hospice’s royal patron, underlining the shared commitment to philanthropy between Rose and the Royal Family.
Read: Meghan Markle denies she made Kate Middleton cry back in 2018: “The reverse happened.”
PERSONAL LIFE
Rose met her husband David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, in Italy in 2003.
Who is Sarah Rose Hanbury, the lady embroiled in the unfolding drama between Prince William and wife Kate Middleton, as the alleged third party to the royal couple’s marriage.
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Twice her age, David was better known as David Rocksavage, a promising filmmaker in his 40s who was said to be friends with Johnny Depp and Kate Moss.
They officially started dating in 2006, when she was 22 and he was 45.
The couple was engaged three years later, and eventually tied the knot at a private ceremony at Chelsea Town Hall in London in 2009.
Their family lives at Houghton Hall, Norfolk. They have three children:
Alexander Hugh George Cholmondeley, Earl of Rocksavage (born 12 October 2009)
Lord Oliver Timothy George Cholmondeley (born 12 October 2009)
Lady Iris Marina Aline Cholmondeley (born March 2016)
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Her son, Lord Oliver, served as one of four Pages of Honour for King Charles III’s and Queen Camilla’s coronation ceremony on May 6, 2023.
The King’s Pages formed part of the procession through the Nave of Westminster Abbey, and included His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales, Master Nicholas Barclay, and Master Ralph Tollemache.
Rose’s presence during the coronation of the new King, was immediately picked up by British media.
RUMORED AFFAIR WITH PRINCE WILLIAM
According to Marie Claire, Kate was planning to cut Rose and her husband from their inner circle, after rumors of an affair between her and William swirled in 2019.
Although it remains unproven to this day, British journalist and author Omid Scobie supported these claims in his book Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, published in 2023.
One tabloid story also suggested that William had cheated while Kate was pregnant with their third child, Louis.
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Columnist Giles Coren added fuel to the fire with a now-deleted tweet stating, “Everyone knows about the affair, darling,” leading royal observers to speculate about its reference to the rumors.
Gossip site Deuxmoi also shared an anonymous tip hinting at an unnamed British royal couple’s affair as “an open secret.”
To make matters worse, various publications have exposed unfounded theories from internet sleuths that Rose’s daughter, Iris, is actually her love child with William, though the Royal Palace has yet to respond to such stories.
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Unfortunately, these rumblings about William’s alleged mistress in 2019 have been resurrected five years later in 2024, amid wild speculation of Kate’s whereabouts.
After Kate’s last public appearance at the royal family’s annual church service at Sandringham on December 25, 2023, Christmas Day, comes the announcement of her abdominal surgery on January 17, 2024.
Since then, onlookers of the Royal Family’s personal lives keenly await for updates, clarifications, or confirmations on both Kate’s health condition and her allegedly failing marriage to William.
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