Embed from Getty Images

Before the state banquet at Buckingham Palace for Donald Trump, there was speculation that Rose Hanbury would attend, especially since her husband is the Lord Great Chamberlain and has some kind of official capacity at these events. So, people were expecting it. She did show up, but there was a lot of confusion about the general vibe, when she arrived, and where she sat. Buzzfeed’s Ellie Hall did a deep dive on the whole thing – Rose was not part of the procession of royals and Americans, she walked in with Sarah Vine before the formal procession, and she was already at her seat when William and Kate arrived. Rose did not wear her wedding ring but did wear some kind of diamond something in her hair. Her dress was a repeat – she wore the same thing to two other state banquets. And she has walked in the procession line in years past – Ellie Hall says in 2017, she walked behind Will and Kate (who were walking separate from each other) in the procession. Oh, and while Rose was seated not-close to William and Kate on Monday night, she was in Kate’s eyeline and William’s eyeline. Interesting.

So, what else is new? After the story of the alleged Rose-William affair picked up steam and then swiftly died as William used his lawyers to threaten all British media, the story is getting picked up again. There’s no new reporting about an AFFAIR, mind you. The British outlets are just recapping the original shady story, which is that Kate sees Rose as a “rural rival” and that Kate tried to “phase her out.” Interestingly enough, Tatler ran a story about Rose’s presence, and keep in mind that Tatler’s latest editor is Kate’s good friend.

Rumours of a rift spread like wildfire across the media earlier this year. The alleged rift, was, of course, between Norfolk neighbours the Marchioness of Cholmondeley and the Duchess of Cambridge. The supposed rift didn’t stop the Marchioness of Cholmondeley receiving an invitation – and attending – Monday night’s state banquet along with her husband, the Marquess.

The Marquess, who as Lord Great Chamberlain is a regular fixture at state and ceremonial events (and would be expected to bring his wife to the occasion), was seated on the table closest to the Duchess of Cambridge, next to the Duchess of Gloucester. Whereas former model Rose, dressed in floor-length silk (to the Duchess of Cambridge’s white Alexander McQueen), was tactfully placed at the other side of the room. Perhaps to limit photographic opportunities to capture the pair that would be additional fuel for the rumours and spark speculation?

Of course, the majority of couples, if not all of them, appeared to be split between the two tables. The Marchioness was the same distance from Prince William as the Marquess was from the Duchess of Cambridge. The Norfolk neighbours, who live just four miles apart in Houghton and Anmer Hall respectively, were initially thought to be close friends – perhaps no longer so?

[From Tatler]

“Perhaps no longer so?” LOL. If William wanted to flatly deny the affair, he could have. If Rose wanted to flatly deny the affair, she could have. What William did instead was run to Richard Kay and throw his sister-in-law under the bus and throw a massive tantrum about how Kate is an angel on earth who will be queen and has never put a foot wrong. William did it to himself, is what I’m saying. I’m also saying that William and Kate were likely VERY displeased that Rose was there, but again, that was the whole point of the “rural rival” story. I still believe it likely originated with Rose telling Kate, “Silly little middle-class girl, you can’t phase me out, I’m part of this society whether you like it or not.” If you read the whole series of gossip events as Rose asserting her social power, it totally makes sense. And I think that Rose’s appearance at the banquet reinforces that too, sending the message that “real aristocrats socialize with their mistresses and mistresses’ husbands and it’s all fine.”

Photos courtesy of Getty, Avalon Red.