Would it be helpful for me to explain the current Royal scandal w a great deal of personal editorializing?— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
So, last week, the Sun ran a very odd piece about how Kate and Wills had broken up with their couple best friends, the Cholmondeleys. It’s pronounced “Chumley,” bc that’s what aristocrats do.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
The piece included the phrase “rural rival,” which was the only indication that there was a real story here. The Chumleys are Rose, a former model, and Rose’s husband, much older, very rich, very appropriate to be friends w the Cambridges.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Wills and Kate FLIPPED and the Sun got one of those more serious warnings: there’s no story here, back the FUCK OFF.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
The story, as it began to spool out (especially among US gossip places who have no reason to need to remain in the good books of the palace) is that Wills got caught having an actual affair w Rose, and Kate severed the social connection with more verve than is her usual style.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Giles Coren tweeted and deleted (how impish) that the affair has been common news for MONTHS if you are a fancy person like himself.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
See Giles' deleted tweet below.
The source for the story is widely supposed to be Rose running her mouth about it to her friends, which, I get, bc what’s the fun in sleeping w a bald prince if you can’t tell your friends?— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Now, I have never been a huge Kate person, but obviously to have an affair with perhaps her closest friend out in the sticks (the posh sticks) is disgusting and cruel, and not a mistake that Philip would EVER HAVE MADE.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Here’s where my personal editorializing kicks in: this is the actual reason that Wills and Harry have been “frosty” for the last several months. It’s had NOTHING to do with Meghan.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Wills would absolutely have told Harry about the affair, bc of how those two are, and I think that Harry was like “this is exactly what ruined our childhoods, this is pulling some Dad shit, you have three small children, what the fuck?”— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Because Wills very definitely had been telling Harry for ages before he proposed to Meghan “this is moving too fast, are you sure, etc” and so this would REALLY stick in his craw.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Because the tabs have pegged the source of the frostiness on Meghan and her not getting along w Kate or her being rude to Kate’s staff, and Harry has had to sit on his hands while the tabs run countless stories blaming his PREGNANT WIFE for what’s actually his own beef w Wills.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
And Harry could and would very obviously not drop his brother and closest friend in the shit by tweaking the narrative towards the truth. He and Meghan just had to take it.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Wills waited YEARS to marry Kate, waited until his hair was gone and his beauty past, bc he didn’t want to be his father. The closest he’s come to his own scandal was when he was off Dad Dancing at the Club while Kate attended some solemn festivity without him.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
And the expectation of the Cambridge family is that Wills and Kate are staying together (which I think is accurate, despite the affair) and having their growing family and radiating stability in a monarchy which desperately needs a generation of it.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
So this is a major departure, it may unfortunately be love, and he is going to have to cease, desist, never admit it, and spend the next year doing Signs of Strength and upping the public profile of his marriage and the kids.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
It’s just so CHARLES of him! Someone in their very tight circle, one of the few families that Kate can become really friendly with, & with someone indiscreet enough to blow the whistle. Or perhaps he just had tremendously bad spycraft, but the word is absolutely that Rose talked.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
The British tabs are dipping their toes into the story, but slowly and carefully, while the Americans can just run riot with it.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
What to look for: a real push by Clarence House to focus on Meghan and Harry as new parents, am increase in Wills and Kate doing more events (they’ve been yelled at for not doing their share) together, and likely a general increase in photo and story access to bribe the tabs.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Because this CANNOT be a story, not with public admissions. The Chumleys I WILL NOT TYPE IT OUT will have to play nice w Wills and Kate when they attend mandatory functions, Kate is going to have to do cheek kisses with Rose, she’s going to have to just tough it out.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
But I truly truly do believe that the frostiness between the Cambridges’ and Meghan and Harry have been about this situation, and Harry is extremely pissed about it. He’s not the sharpest but I believe he genuinely worships Meghan.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
And he has talked so much about the mental toll of growing up being teased at school about his dad and mom’s affairs, their terrible divorce, etc, even before the tragedy of her death. And he’s famously into being an uncle to Wills and Kate’s kids.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Which may be Pollyannish of me, but I was always skeptical that Meghan was getting the blame for a Rift Between the Brothers. Meghan has performed her duties beautifully during this pregnancy, she’s got no obvious reason to beef with Kate.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
Anyway, that’s my take. More to follow as the story develops. I’m very mad at Wills.— Nicole Cliffe (@Nicole_Cliffe) March 30, 2019
This is a screenshot of the deleted tweet. Giles Coren, whom I had never heard of before today, is some kind of a reporter in England:
Here's that Tweet if you are interested: pic.twitter.com/KfOIFn9rme— Love, Lola (@LoveLolaHeart) March 30, 2019
I typed "Prince William affair with Marchioness of Cholmondeley" into Google and this is some of what popped up, meaning the story is getting more coverage than I was aware of. To be clear, that doesn't mean the affair part is true, and it's very possible that it's not:
The Sun, dated March 23: War of the Roses: How Kate Middleton and 'Turnip Toff' rival she wants Wills to 'phase out' share startling similarities
The Daily Mail, dated March 24: Is Kate's 'rural rivalry' just a vicious rumour to damage her? (Note that this story was written by Richard Kay, the reporter Diana was good friends with in the last years of her life.)
Vanity Fair, dated March 25: Is Kate Middleton Feuding with a Marchioness?
From W Magazine, dated March 28: Kate Middleton's Friend Rose Hanbury Is at the center of the Latest Buckingham Palace Drama
From The Cut, at New York Magazine, dated March 29: What Is Going on With Prince William and That Marchioness, Hmm?
Will this story be all over the U.S. tabloids this week? My guess? Yes. In the meantime, here's an interesting picture of the four players in this drama, left to right, Prince William, Kate, Rose, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley and, partially obscured, her husband the Marquess of Cholmondeley. The picture was taken in June, 2016, long before the affair, if there is one, would presumably have started, so don't read anything into the various facial expressions:
photo credit: Stephen Pond/Getty Images
Monday morning update. I just have to add this picture, of Rose (on the left) and her sister posing, in bikinis, with former Prime Minister Tony Blair:
photo credit: newidea.com
photo credit: Stephen Pond/Getty Images
Monday morning update. I just have to add this picture, of Rose (on the left) and her sister posing, in bikinis, with former Prime Minister Tony Blair:
photo credit: newidea.com
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