Reports alleging an affair between Prince William and British noblewoman Sarah Rose Hanbury have been discreetly removed by several UK media outlets, according to an investigation by Vulture.
Timeline of erasure
Ellie Hall, a royal correspondent for Vulture, compiled a timeline that shows how stories about William, 42, and Hanbury, 40, have been removed or significantly altered from 2019 to March 2024. These stories, published by outlets such as The Sun, The Daily Mail, The Daily Express, The Mirror, and Tatler, have vanished or been updated without explanation.
The affair allegations
The erased or edited stories included rumors that Hanbury was a potential romantic “contender” for William and speculation about a fallout between Hanbury and Kate Middleton, 42, who reportedly saw Hanbury as a “rival.” Some of these stories can still be accessed through archives like the Internet Archive’s WayBack Machine.
Hanbury, through her lawyers, stated in a March email to Business Insider that the affair rumors were “completely false.” Vulture noted that it remains unclear if the deletions were made at the request of William or Hanbury’s representatives. The Guardian was the only publication to comment on the matter, stating that it removed a reference to a joke by Stephen Colbert about the affair after “internal editorial consideration.”
Royal connections and privacy protections
Hanbury has longstanding ties to the royal family, with her maternal grandmother having served as a bridesmaid for Queen Elizabeth II. Hanbury became a noblewoman in 2019 after marrying David Cholmondeley, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley. She and her family were also neighbors to William and Kate at Anmer Hall in Norfolk.
Following the initial rumors in 2019, the Daily Beast reported that William’s lawyers warned at least one British publication that covering the gossip was “false and highly damaging” and infringed on his privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Public reactions and recent developments
The rumors reignited when Stephen Colbert discussed them in his opening monologue on “The Late Show” in March, speculating that the alleged affair was connected to Kate’s extended absence from public appearances. Kate later revealed her absence was due to her cancer diagnosis and treatment.
As of now, Kensington Palace and representatives for Hanbury have not responded to requests for comment.