If you only read British papers, you’d think Prince William was the ideal monarch free of scandal. American papers, however, seem to love discussing his alleged affair. So what gives? Here’s what we know.
A Very British Scandal
In 2019, In Touch published a story about William having an affair with his neighbor Rose Hanbury. Middleton was pregnant with Prince Louis at the time. Middleton apparently confronted William about it, but he laughed it off. All the same, a source said, “They come across as a perfect couple who can do no wrong…but the reality is, most couples have their issues and William and Kate are no different.”
The story had its share of issues. It of course relied solely on so-called “sources,” but no outlet could really prove the story. However, it’s had immense staying power. Every few weeks, another tabloid says the affair is haunting Middleton and casts a cloud over the family.
Curiously, the outlets spreading this muck are almost exclusively American ones. In Touch has had a field day with its story, and its sister tabloid Star has gotten in on it as well. Why are the British outlets, notoriously quick to attack Meghan Markle for everything under the sun, keeping coy about Prince William’s dirty laundry?
Legal Action
Per the Daily Beast, the royal family has swatted these rumors down in England with threats of legal action. The Times of London posted a tweet about the alleged affair and swiftly deleted it. It appears the tweet was deleted because of direct pressure from the palace.
The outlet believes the royal family’s chosen law firm, Harbottle and Lewis, sprung on this rumor to prevent its spread. It’s unlike the royal family to react so strongly to rumors like this, but William and Harry are a new generation. Harry’s taken the tabloids to court for hacking his phone. The royal family has a lot riding on William’s reputation, so it’s easy to imagine it defending him more vociferously than, say, Prince Charles or Markle.
Instead of publishing the affair rumors directly, many British tabloids got creative. The Daily Mail ran a story about Middleton having a rivalry with Hanbury, and the Sun did the same. Leave it to the tabloids to find a way out from under a legal threat from the royal family.
What To Make Of This?
It’s easy to see this alleged legal action as confirmation of an affair, but there’s just no way to know for sure. The story was extremely flimsy to begin with. Royal affairs have a habit of coming to light, so maybe we’ll know the whole story someday. It’s probably just bogus though.
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