The Biggest Rumors About Prince William And Kate

Kate Middleton and Prince William's storybook romance won the hearts of royal fans from the very start. They first started dating while attending the University of St Andrews in Scotland and continued their relationship after graduation. They would get engaged in October 2010 while on vacation in Kenya, with William giving Kate his mother Princess Diana's iconic engagement ring. Their unforgettable royal wedding took place on April 29, 2011 and was attended by nearly 2,000 guests, including Sir Elton John. Since then, the couple has welcomed three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis — and their popularity has only continued to soar. 

However, the Prince and Princess of Wales have also been plagued by numerous rumors over the years, some of which continue to be regularly debated. From allegations of cheating to descriptions of wild arguments to strange suggestions about how they first met, Kate and William are often the focus of unexpected speculation. While the couple has remained steadfast in the face of a myriad of news reports, it's difficult not to wonder whether there's any truth to the gossip. Here, we round up the strangest rumors about Kate Middleton and Prince William so far.

One of the biggest rumors to plague Prince William and Kate Middleton was the allegation that the Prince of Wales had an affair with one of their friends. In a since-deleted March 2019 post, The Sun alleged that Middleton had fallen out with a neighbor at their Anmer Hall property in Norfolk. That neighbor was former model Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley. That April, In Touch took the story further by alleging that Prince William had been having an affair with Hanbury (via Lainey Gossip). Soon after, the Daily Beast reported that Prince William was seemingly desperately attempting to get In Touch's reports removed from the internet, claiming that the cheating allegations were untrue. However, rumors of infidelity persisted, and in December 2022, William found himself at the center of cheating allegations once again.

In April 2023, it was announced that Hanbury's son would serve as a page in King Charles III's coronation, suggesting that there is, in fact, no bad blood between the families. Hanbury continues to move in royal circles, further suggesting that she remains on good terms with the Prince and Princess of Wales. While we may never know the truth concerning this rumor, some royal experts have insisted that rumors of conflict between Middleton and Hanbury had been invented to damage both of their reputations.

Following allegations of an extramarital affair, even more rumors started to swirl regarding the sexual proclivities of members of the royal family. In July 2022, the internet was alight with discussion when gossip platform Deuxmoi ran a blind item suggesting that a member of the royal family had been cheating on their spouse, per The Cut. Deuxmoi's tip alleged that one of the princes was having an affair, which was apparently widely known about in London's elite social circles. Furthermore, the rumor claimed that this particular prince was having an affair because he liked "pegging," a sexual act his wife apparently wasn't a fan of. The blind item even went so far as to allege that the prince's wife knew all about the affair and was in support of it. 

Obviously, as Deuxmoi runs unverified blind items from anonymous and random sources, it's quite possible that there is zero truth in this particular rumor. However, as speculation had already been circling regarding Prince William's love life, some reports alleged that he may be the aforementioned "prince of pegging." Unfortunately, the Prince of Wales is likely to find himself at the center of even more future rumors, as the internet seems to latch on to any allegations regarding this particular royal and wife Kate Middleton.

Kate Middleton and Prince William have weathered a plethora of rumors throughout their marriage, and that includes speculation regarding what they're really like behind the scenes. Royal expert Tom Quinn, author of "Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family," opened up about the Prince and Princess of Wales' relationship, and the picture he painted was far from the perfect couple we're all so used to seeing at events. 

"Someone at the palace told me about the nicknames they have for each other," Quinn told Fox News Digital in March 2023. "But it's not all sweetness." He claimed, "They have terrible rows where they throw things at each other." According to Quinn, both Kate and William seem civilized on the surface, but the truth is allegedly a little different. "Because the big stress for William and Kate is that they're constantly surrounded by [palace aides]," Quinn said. The royal author also suggested that Kate was the peacemaker of the two, claiming, "William is the one who's a bit hotheaded."

While this particular rumor has neither been confirmed nor denied, it's certainly interesting to hear that Kate and William might act just like a normal couple when they're at home. No relationship is perfect, of course, but let's hope that the Prince and Princess of Wales aren't really throwing things at one another when they're in the palace.

Kate Middleton and Prince William got married in a fairytale wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. Since then, the couple has generally shown a united front, regularly attending official engagements together, while raising their three children. However, in May 2022, rumors that Kate and William were getting a divorce started circling the internet, much to the shock and horror of royal fans everywhere. The trouble started where MSN shared a since-deleted tweet of an article alleging that the Princess of Wales had moved out of the residence she shared with Prince William, and that she'd taken the kids with her.

Newsweek was quick to debunk this particular rumor and tracked down the original source of the allegation: MSN had picked up a translated article from French site Oh My Mag. "This story is indeed false and has been published by accident," a spokesperson for the parent group of Oh My Mag told Newsweek. "We are taking it down momentarily." 

Unfortunately for Kate and William, the damage had already been done, and the internet was aflutter with rumors of an impending split. For now, it seems that this rumor can be put down to human error and was based in no truth whatsoever.

In further proof that infidelity rumors refuse to die, Prince William found himself at the center of fresh allegations in February 2023. According to Marca, various unnamed British tabloids reported claims that Prince William didn't spend Valentine's Day with his wife and instead had dinner with alleged mistress Rose Hanbury. As one might expect from this type of rumor, there didn't appear to be any proof — photographic or otherwise — of this alleged tryst, nor were there sources confirming the supposed date ever happened. 

Another report had previously surfaced circa 2019 when William and Hanbury were allegedly seen kissing and hugging. Marca surmised that the 2023 rumor most likely originated from that. But again, we're awaiting the actual receipts on this one ... and so far, none have materialized. The outlet also suggested that rumors of Valentine's Day discord may have sprung up after Kate Middleton made a personal revelation. Earlier that same month, People reported that the Princess of Wales had met with a florist in Leeds, England during an official royal engagement outing. The florist apparently suggested that William would be buying his wife some red roses for Valentine's Day, to which Kate allegedly revealed, "I don't think he will do."

But maybe Prince William is just more of a chocolates guy?

It's common knowledge that Prince William and Kate Middleton temporarily called it quits before they eventually got married. The couple's brief split took place in April 2007, and saw both Kate and William hit the town as singletons — only to reunite in June of the same year, proving that their romance was always meant to be. 

However, according to royal author Katie Nicholl's book "The Making of a Royal Romance: William, Kate, and Harry — A Look Behind the Palace Walls," it was William who allegedly instigated the breakup. "William had been having second thoughts and sat down with his father and his grandmother to have a frank discussion about his future with Kate," Nicholl wrote (via SheKnows). "Both advised him not to hurry into anything." William's doubts had allegedly been brewing for some time before the April 2007 split, with the royal expert suggesting that he previously didn't end up spending a New Year's Eve celebration with Kate and her family, as had been the original plan. The Princess of Wales was reportedly devastated by the prince's alleged flakiness, and according to Nicholl, she couldn't stop crying. 

Whether or not Kate and William had a fall out on New Year's Eve 2006 or not is unclear, but rumors about why they decided to split have persisted in the decade-plus since it happened.

While Kate Middleton and Prince William's April 2007 split was only short-lived, multiple reports suggest that Prince William actually enjoyed being single again. In his book "William and Kate: A Royal Love Story," royal expert Christopher Andersen discussed the events that led up to the couple's breakup. In an excerpt published by Today, Andersen alleged that William liked going out drinking and was often seen flirting with other women. Discussing one particular alleged outing that took place that March 2007, Andersen wrote, "William knocked back pints of Stella Artois with sambuca chasers while dozens of women in skimpy outfits took pictures of the prince with their cell phones." Understandably, the famous prince reportedly got a lot of attention from women at the nightclub.

While it's unclear if William's partying played a part in his temporary breakup from Kate, it seems clear that the couple were on different pages at the time. "Kate had always been careful not overplay her hand," Andersen wrote. "She never complained about his nightclub antics, and for six years had remained mum on the subject of marriage." Meanwhile, William was committed to Kate, but he apparently might not have been ready to give up his single ways, leading to their breakup. 

Luckily, everything worked out in the end, with the pair tying the knot just four years later, but rumors of William's partying persisted throughout their breakup.

In January 2005, Clarence House apologized on behalf of Prince Harry after a photo of him wearing a Nazi costume was published by The Sun newspaper, per BBC News. "Prince Harry has apologized for any offence or embarrassment he has caused," the statement said. "He realizes it was a poor choice of costume." 

But according to Harry, he shouldn't be entirely blamed for the incredibly offensive choice that has haunted him for decades. In his 2023 memoir "Spare," Harry suggested that he'd consulted his brother and future sister-in-law before selecting the outfit. Per CNN, Harry wrote, "I called Will and Kate and asked them what they thought. 'Nazi uniform,' they said. I rented it, along with a ridiculous moustache, and returned home." The Duke of Sussex also suggested that it was the Prince and Princess of Wales' reaction to his costume that convinced him to wear it to the party. "Willy and Kate were laughing," he continued. "It was even worse than Willy's leopard [cat] costume. Much more ridiculous." 

So, if Harry's account is to be believed, Kate Middleton and Prince William seemingly played a huge part in one of the biggest scandals of his life.

Prince Harry's memoir "Spare" sent shockwaves through the monarchy and inspired about a zillion more articles to be written about the royal family. It would also seem that Harry's sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, was less than pleased with the way she was portrayed in the best-selling book. According to Radar, a so-called palace source alleged that Kate was upset with her husband for not defending her honor after his brother wrote some extremely revealing things about her in "Spare." But as is the way in royal circles, Prince William allegedly believed it was best not to react to Harry's book at all. 

Whether or not the Princess of Wales was really upset with her husband for not speaking out on her behalf remains unclear. Still, it's easy to see why Kate might have taken umbrage with "Spare." In the memoir, Prince Harry revealed that Kate Middleton and Prince William were huge fans of Meghan Markle's TV show "Suits" and couldn't believe that the younger prince was dating her (via Page Six). However, when they finally met Meghan, Kate and William were allegedly less enthusiastic.

Regardless of whether these allegations are true, the Princess of Wales likely felt that her pristine image had been tarnished by Harry's suggestions.

One of the most surprising revelations made by Prince Harry in "Spare" involved comments made by his wife, Meghan Markle. Following to their wedding in May 2018, Meghan and Harry apparently tried to make amends with Kate Middleton and Prince William by inviting them over to their home at Kensington Palace. However, the reconciliation apparently didn't go as planned. 

As Harry wrote (via Today), Meghan previously suggested that Kate, who would've just welcomed her third child around this time, was experiencing "baby brain." Recounting the follow-up conversation that June, Harry wrote in "Spare" that Kate told Meghan, "You talked about my hormones. We're not close enough for you to talk about my hormones!" Perhaps understandably, the Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly taken aback by Meghan's comments, and an argument of sorts allegedly ensued. According to sources cited by the Daily Mail, Meghan reportedly ended up getting upset when she was told off by the couple and didn't understand how she'd done anything wrong. In this instance, it seems that William stood up for his wife and tried to assert some boundaries within the family. However, Harry added, "Meg said she'd never intentionally do anything to hurt Kate, and if she ever did, she asked Kate to please just let her know so it wouldn't happen again."

But if Prince Harry's "Spare" account is anything to go by, the foursome haven't been on good terms for quite some time, and the ongoing rumors of tumult amongst them appear to be true.

In 2012, French magazine Closer published topless photos of Kate Middleton, taken while she was on vacation with Prince William in Provence, France. The Princess of Wales would later sue and win against the publications that had published inappropriate photos of her, per Insider. However, when the photos were first released, Donald Trump decided to wade into the debacle by tweeting, "Kate Middleton is great — but she shouldn't be sunbathing in the nude — only herself to blame." 

Unsurprisingly, it would seem that Trump's comments about the situation angered Prince William immensely. Per Newsweek, royal expert Christopher Andersen discussed the royal family's alleged reaction in his book "The King: The Life of Charles III," writing, "Trump's criticism of Kate resulted in what one Clarence House butler referred to as 'torrents of profanity' from both Prince Charles and his sons." 

It makes sense that William would be outraged by a celebrity such as Trump making such public comments about his wife, whose pictures were published without her consent. Still, it's not often we hear about Prince William uttering expletives.

Over the years, rumors have swirled regarding how exactly Kate Middleton met Prince William. While the pair started dating when they both attended the University of St Andrews in Scotland, it would seem that Kate and William first crossed paths much earlier. Discussing the Prince and Princess of Wales' relationship history, royal expert Katie Nicholl wrote in her book "Kate: The Future Queen" (via StyleCaster), "Although Kate wasn't especially interested in boys, the arrival of one particular young man had caught her attention. Nearby Ludgrove Prep school would often play matches against St. Andrew's Prep, and there was much excitement when Prince William, a left back on Ludgrove's Colts team, came to St. Andrew's to play a hockey match when he was nine years old." 

As children, Kate and William seemingly moved in some of the same circles. It's not known if the future princess had a crush on the prince all those years ago when she saw him play hockey or not. However, it's certainly strange to find out that the pair may have been aware of each other when they were just kids. As a result, it makes sense that rumors started to spread suggesting that Kate was a fan of William when she was young.

Having apparently entered one another's orbit as young children, Kate Middleton and Prince William both attended the University of St Andrews in Scotland, as previously mentioned, arriving in September 2001. But ever since their relationship was first made public, rumors have continued to circulate regarding Kate's decision to attend the same university as the prince. While it may just have been a coincidence, some have speculated that Kate may have planned her college career around William.

In 2005, journalist Matthew Bell wrote about the issue for The Spectator, suggesting, "Although at the time of making her application to universities it was unknown where the Prince was intending to go, it has been suggested that her mother persuaded Kate to reject her first choice on hearing the news and take up her offer at St Andrews instead." While this rumor has never been confirmed, it seems many royal onlookers have wondered if Kate instigated a meet-cute with Prince William. If her mother did, indeed, encourage Kate to attend the Scottish university in an attempt to meet the royal heir, she likely helped change history. 

Either way, the Prince and Princess of Wales found love while studying at the education institution, and they remain together decades later.