Prince William’s rumored mistress, Rose Hanbury, lives in an incredible mansion just three miles away from the Prince and Princess of Wales’ estate. The Palladian house built in the 1720s used exceptional architects, decorators, and designers of the day, and today, it still looks magnificent.
Rose Hanbury is rumored to be Prince William’s mistress. The speculations that the two are having an affair intensified when Catherine, Princess of Wales took a break from public duties after a scheduled abdominal surgery.
However, Rose, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley is married to David Cholmondeley, the Marquess of Cholmondeley. The couple live in an extraordinary house in Houghton, Norfolk, which is located just three miles from Anmer Hall, home to Prince William and Princess Catherine. Rose and David once gave a private tour of its polished interior and glorious gardens.
The castle-like house, called Houghton Hall, is built with a blend of Georgian architecture and English landscape gardening. The house has a black diamond-patterned flagstone floor, fireplaces, niches, pediments, and busts done by John Michael Rysbrack, a Flemish sculptor.
The hall, which is peach, is done in an Anglo-Palladian style by architect Colen Campbell. It was built by Thomas Ripley. The hall also features rainbow-colored geometric glass sculpture, done by Sean Scully, an Irish-American artist.
The staterooms, which are open to visitors, are filled by William Kent’s, a contractor, ornate opulence. The furniture and picture frames also make the house feel like a home to Rose, David, and their three kids.
David was given a new role as one of the King’s Lords in Waiting after the coronation of King Charles III. Together with Rose and their kids, they enjoy this residence, whose lawns have peacocks and a white deer.
The sparkly clean bathroom is a sight to behold. However, one does not help but notice Rose’s questionable decor choice, considering that the toilet paper has been kept in a bowl on the floor, which is quite odd and funny. Most toilet papers in modern bathrooms are kept in a roll holder mounted on the wall.
Still, indoors, the piping, electricity, and phone system were all revamped. The mansion’s bedrooms are filled with gorgeous antique furniture and paintings. The chandeliers are well-decorated, some using sewn fabric.
The vaulted ceilings and sturdy pillars make the halls stand out. The sitting room is filled with light while the impressive stairwell is made up of a 17th-century bronze replica of a Borghese Gladiator by Le Sueur.
One wing of the hall hosts the family kitchen while another has a cute picture gallery with portraits of old masters and a chinoiserie anteroom. Rose’s husband has been familiar with this house since he was a child as he lived there and would visit during summer. His grandmother, Lady Sybil Cholmondeley educated him about the house.
Rose also said, “I was startled by the house on my first visit – it is so beautiful. I suppose I have learned a lot through living here and through David, who is so knowledgeable.” The first thing Rose Hanbury and her husband did was create a family kitchen with big sofas, restore the nursery, and enhance the children’s bedrooms.
Still, Rose noted, “The house never felt spooky – you could sense that it has been well lived-in and loved.” Additionally, the regular introduction of art installations throughout the estate and inside the house itself continuously attracts visitors, offering fresh viewpoints of Houghton with each visit.
Yet Houghton Hall is not simply a relic of the past; it has an air of ongoing development and habitation. The owners continue to uncover surprises, including an unopened box of Sunlight soaps. However, not all discoveries are pleasant, such as a neglected wardrobe filled with fur coats damaged by moths. The laundry room is also piled high.
Furthermore, David transformed a spacious, fire-damaged room in the north wing—previously used as a gym by his sports-enthusiast grandfather—into sleek, art deco-inspired living quarters.
Initially, David planned to reside there with Rose upon marriage. However, as their family expanded, the space became inadequate for their needs and is now utilized as guest accommodation.
The two-level, two-bedroom apartment, adorned with polished, ginger-toned maple wood, exudes the elegance of a 1920s luxury cruise ship. It is furnished with art deco items from David’s London home and collectibles from the couple’s own deco-inspired Houghton Collection, founded in 2002.
This apartment’s interiors shine as light reflects off surfaces of glass, mirrors, and marble. Cholmondeley’s Scandinavian art collection adorns the walls, and the open-plan kitchen offers views of a secluded garden with a swimming pool. “We are always here in the summer: it is so private,” said Rose.
Rose enjoys living with her family in Houghton Hall. The family doesn’t use the staterooms in any personal capacity as they are too formal. However, they have made a lovely home in their private quarters, which holds a mix of the new and old, including possessions from their travels.
Rose said she and David have worked together to create a mix of traditional English Country house style that has color and is warm and welcoming.
Aristocrats know her as Lady Rose Hanbury. She is the Marchioness of Cholmondeley. She has long been linked to the British Royal Family. This is through her well-heeled family and their prestigious place in British high society. She is married to David Cholmondeley, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley. The couple raise three children together at their residence.
Prince William’s and Rose Hanbury’s families have been friends for a long time. But their friendship is under scrutiny by the public after a recent picture was released. In the photo, Prince William was riding in a car with a woman, allegedly his wife, Kate Middleton, by his side.
However, royal fans think otherwise. After being deceived by the picture of Kate Middleton and her children released on Mother’s Day, fans no longer trust so easily. Some people believe that the woman in the car next to Prince William is none other than Rose Hanbury.
First, her head is suspiciously turned away from the cameras, a thing that Princess Catherine never did. The Princess of Wales has always been brave enough to face the cameras. She did so even after waiting ten years for William to propose. Apart from hiding away, the woman is also staring at the brick wall, which fans have disputed.
“That is not Kate Middleton in the car; Kate has never shied away from cameras. Even when she waited ten years for Willy to propose, that is Rose Hanbury, William’s mistress,” commented a user.
“Sorry to go all tinfoil hat, but I don’t think that’s Kate Middleton. I think that’s Rose Hanbury in the car with William because why can’t we see her face? You’re really telling me the paparazzi didn’t run around the car to get a shot of her face?” another chimed in.
While some believe it is Rose Hanbury’s face, others speculate it is a photoshop of Kate Middleton, a profile from another picture. Fans use evidence to say the picture is fake. They reference Kate Middleton’s picture from the 2016 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. She wore a black pillbox hat.
However, Goff Photos — the agency that captured William and Kate in the Range Rover — addressed the rumors. They assured the public that the pics “have been cropped and lightened” but “nothing has been doctored.” The speculations spread so far that even Stephen Colbert addressed the situation. In his latest comedy sketch on national American TV, he talked about the alleged affair.
“Now there have been rumors of an affair between William and the Marching Band of Chicanery since 2019,” the host started off. “According to tabloids back then, when Kate supposedly confronted him about it, he laughed it off saying there was nothing to it. Always a good response when your wife accuses you of cheating,” he said sarcastically.
For people who do not follow the Royal Family closely, Rose Hanbury might seem a new persona on the royal stage. However, the woman has been around William and Kate for a long time.
In June 2016, their families attended a gala dinner to support East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices at Houghton Hall. Then, they were already close, considering how friendly they looked in the photos. Dressed in beautiful gowns, Kate and Rose greeted each other fondly, while their husbands shook hands.
Despite the niceties, fans found one of the pictures taken at the event quite controversial. “These pictures say a thousand words. Prince William, Rose Hanbury, and Kate all in one picture. I can already read the room here. A lot has been going on,” commented a user. “This picture is always my favorite peek into the drama,” another agreed.
It was not the last time their families were seen together. In 2020, she and her husband were invited to celebrate Kate’s 38th birthday. The party was only for some of their closest friends at their country home at Anmer Hall in Norfolk. David and Rose, the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley also attended the party.
They are close friends. Rose Hanbury and her family live in the residence only three miles from Anmer Hall. Anmer Hall is home to the Prince and Princess of Wales. Lady Rose Cholmondeley resides with her husband and kids at Houghton Hall in Norfolk.
The couple welcomed twin sons in October 2009. Their names are Alexander Hugh George Cholmondeley and Lord Oliver Timothy George Cholmondeley. Later, in 2016, their daughter, Lady Iris Marina Aline Cholmondeley, was born.
Today, swirling rumors allege that Prince William had an affair. The spotlight has turned to Rose Hanbury. She finds herself at the center of speculation. Despite the rumors, Rose Hanbury is a wife and mother. She is also an aristocrat in Royal social circles.
As speculation continues, Rose’s presence in royal circles and gatherings would invite further scrutiny. It doesn’t help that not so long ago Prince William was seen without his wedding ring in public, causing a wave of reaction.