Who is Rose Hanbury, The Marchioness of Cholmondeley?
As the Princess of Wales continues to be missing from public appearances, we answer all your questions about the Marchioness of Cholmondeley here…
Between conspiracy theories circulating over The Princess of Wales’ apparent disappearance and a digitally altered family photograph that just took over the internet, talk about Prince William and Sarah Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, has added more to the discussion. Bazaar Arabia shares everything you need to know about the 29-year-old aristocrat here.
Who is Rose Hanbury and how is she connected to the royal family?
Sarah Rose Hanbury, known as Rose, was born on March 15, 1984 to Timothy Hanbury and Emma Longman. She is one of three children, with an older sister and a younger brother.
Both her parents were designers. Her mother worked in fashion and interior design, and her father was a web designer.
Rose reportedly went to a prestigious boarding school and then graduated from the Open University before working as a model at the age of 23.
Her grandmother was a bridesmaid at Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding
Her maternal grandmother, Lady Elizabeth Lambart, was one of Queen Elizabeth II’s bridesmaids at her 1947 wedding to Prince Philip.
She’s married and has three children.
During that time she also met her husband,David George Philip Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley.
The couple started dating in 2006 and married two days after announcing their engagement. The Marquess is 23 years older than Rose.
In October 2009 they welcomed twin boys, Alexander and Oliver, who were born prematurely ahead of their January 2010 due date. The Marchioness gave birth to a baby girl, Iris, almost 7 years after that.
On Her Friendship With Prince and Princess of Wales
The couple reportedly formed a close bond with the young royals after settling in Houghton Hall, near the Sandringham royal estate.
The Princess and Marchioness are believed to have become friends during Her Royal Highness’ visits to Sandringham, where she would come to see her future husband.
When The Prince and Princess of Wales moved to Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate after their 2011 wedding, the friendship between the Cambridges and Cholmondeleys grew stronger.
She’s regularly seen at royal events…
Proximity to the royal couple led to the Marchioness being invited to various royal events over the years.
For instance, she was seen seated next to Prince Harry at a Buckingham Palace state banquet in 2017.
In April 2023, it was announced that her son, Oliver, would serve as one of the pages at King Charles III’s coronation, alongside Prince George, the heir to the throne.
She is a patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices
The Marchioness is among the seven patrons of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), which provides care and support for young children faced with life-threatening diseases. The Princess of Wales is EACH’s royal patron.
She has a beautifully curated Instagram account…
While she’s not one to post pictures of herself on her Instagram page, she regularly shares snippets from her life at Houghton Hall.
She seems to enjoy taking pictures of interior design, architecture and the beautiful green landscapes of Norfolk.
So… why is Rose Hanbury in the news?
Rumours of an affair between Prince William and Rose first surfaced in 2019 after a UK tabloid reported an alleged fallout between the Marchioness of Cholmondeley and The Princess of Wales.
Kensington Palace has denied those rumours, and both The Prince and Princess, align with the Marchioness, have never directly addressed the claims.
Now, The Princess’ months-long absence from the public eye after her abdominal surgery earlier this year, and a digitally altered photograph of herself with her three children, have had royal watchers talking.
Before a “kill notice” was issued for the picture by five major press agencies over suspicions of manipulation, some noticed that the Princess was not wearing her wedding rings in the photo.
It’s not common for The Princess of Wales to not wear her large, blue sapphire ring that once belonged to the late Princess Diana.
Lead image courtesy of Instagram/@houghton_hall and @princeandprincessofwales