Why Prince William Affair Rumors Won’t Die: The Streisand Effect in Full Force

Despite repeated denials and legal interventions, the rumors surrounding Prince William’s alleged affair with Rose Hanbury refuse to die. The baseless speculation has been a persistent issue for the British royal family since 2019, fueled by whispers about William’s relationship with his Norfolk neighbor, Rose Hanbury, who is married to the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley.

Despite the lack of any substantial evidence to back the rumors, the story continues to capture public attention, with the recent efforts to suppress it only making the situation worse.

The royal family has consistently pushed back against the affair rumors, with legal actions and media pressure serving as their primary tools. At least 21 articles referencing or hinting at the alleged affair between Prince William and Hanbury have been deleted by British newspapers, a fact revealed in a detailed report by Vulture’s Ellie Hall.

These deletions and edits have been attributed to both internal editorial decisions and external pressures, with sources pointing to the influence of palace press officers. While William’s office has not confirmed any involvement in the removal of the stories, the royal family’s efforts to prevent the rumors from spreading have been well-documented.

Interestingly, the deletion of articles has sparked more curiosity and intrigue. As media expert Hall points out, this kind of “scrubbing” has turned the story into a textbook case of the Streisand effect, where attempts to hide information only serve to amplify it.

Hall argues that if the palace had ignored the rumors and allowed them to fade away in 2019, the story would have likely died out on its own. Instead, by exerting legal pressure, the royal family has inadvertently kept the story alive, drawing even more attention to it.

The affair rumors first emerged in 2019, after an alleged altercation between Hanbury and Kate Middleton, which supposedly took place when the two women were neighbors. However, there has never been any public acknowledgment or substantiation of the rumors by the royal family or their representatives.

Hanbury has vehemently denied the allegations, with her legal team issuing a statement through Business Insider in 2023 calling the rumors “completely false.” Despite these denials, the rumors have persisted, partly due to the secrecy surrounding the royal family and the media’s tendency to latch onto any hint of scandal.

The royal family’s high-profile nature has only fueled public interest. Prince William, as the heir to the throne, is constantly under the media’s scrutiny. Any story about his personal life, especially one involving an alleged affair, will naturally attract attention, regardless of whether or not there is any truth to it.

The royal family’s past efforts to control the narrative have also contributed to the longevity of the rumors.

A key factor in keeping the story alive is the involvement of Rose Hanbury. As a longtime friend of both William and Kate, her name has become synonymous with the affair allegations.

When Hanbury was publicly named in relation to the rumors, Prince William was forced to respond. His friends have suggested that he would have ignored the stories as “rubbish on the internet” if Hanbury’s name hadn’t been involved.

In an attempt to quash the rumors, William’s team has exerted legal pressure on media outlets, with some editors deciding to retract or amend stories to avoid a costly legal battle. This response has only intensified public curiosity.

The situation took another turn when comedian Stephen Colbert referenced the rumors in a light-hearted monologue on The Late Show. Colbert joked that Kate’s absence from public life might be related to her husband’s alleged affair with Hanbury, adding fuel to the fire.

His remarks prompted Hanbury’s legal team to issue a formal statement, demanding that Colbert’s show retract the comments. The incident underscored the persistence of the rumors and the lengths to which those involved are willing to go to silence any mention of them.

While Colbert’s joke may have been intended as satire, it highlights the fact that the rumors are still a major talking point in the media. The royal family’s attempts to suppress these stories have only ensured that they remain in the public eye.

Ironically, the more the royals try to hide the story, the more people seem to want to know about it.

For Prince William, the affair rumors have been an ongoing challenge. As a prominent public figure, his every move is scrutinized, and any hint of scandal can tarnish his image.

Although his friends have defended him, suggesting that he would have let the story die if it hadn’t involved Hanbury, the rumors continue to have an impact. The royal family’s attempts to control the narrative have led to widespread media speculation about their motivations, creating a sense of intrigue that keeps the story in the headlines.

Moreover, the involvement of Hanbury, a well-established figure in British aristocracy, has further fueled the story. Hanbury’s husband, David Cholmondeley, holds a prestigious position as Lord Great Chamberlain, and the family has a ceremonial role within the monarchy.

This connection to the royal family has made the affair rumors even more sensational, particularly in the context of British aristocratic circles and their close ties to the monarchy.

In the case of the Prince William affair rumors, the Streisand effect has been in full force. By attempting to suppress the story, the royal family has only ensured that it remains a topic of public fascination. The more the palace tries to control the narrative, the more interest it generates.

Whether or not the rumors will ever truly die down remains to be seen, but the royal family’s handling of the situation will likely continue to shape how the public perceives Prince William and his relationships.