William and Kate seem like the most perfect couple. The Prince and Princess of Wales met when they studied at the University of St. Andrews, but despite some ups and downs, the two made it through and tied the knot. Today, the two have a wonderful family. Time will tell when it is time for William to ascend to the throne, as his father, King Charles, is not getting younger. 

Prince William and Princess Kate truly value relationships, including their friends. However, a shocking claim about William and a reported mistress rocked the royal family some years ago, which left fans in disbelief.

Not only was it another woman – but one of Princess Kate’s best friends. So what really happened? And who is this reported mistress? Let’s take a closer look. 

Prince William and Princess Kate first became friends while studying at St Andrews University. They both had partners before meeting one another – but it soon became apparent that their relationship was set to be different.

The two moved into the same residence hall, St. Salvator’s Hall, and attended the same lectures and classes. Then, during their second year, they moved in with a couple of friends at a private home – where their love blossomed.

Prince William & Kate – relationship

By all accounts, William and Kate had a similar sense of humor, which was one of the factors that helped them click.

“She’s got a really naughty sense of humour, which really helps me because I’ve got a really dirty sense of humour so it was good fun, we had a really good laugh, and then things happened,” William said in their engagement video.

It didn’t take long before the world, or at least the British tabloid press, realized that Kate Middleton was the future king’s new girlfriend. Naturally, they reported on the couple as much as possible, though it wasn’t just “love is in the air”-type articles the papers published. Instead, they focused on digging into Kate’s personal life, even giving her nasty nicknames.

In 2005, William and Kate both graduated. William held a Master of Arts degree in geography, while Kate held a Master of Arts degree in history.

Even though the couple had a powerful bond, it seemed like other people tried to sabotage their relationship. According to Katie Nicholl, William’s friends called Kate cruel nicknames and took subtle digs at her because of her mother Carole’s profession. She had worked as an air hostess for British Airways before she and her husband, Michael, started their very successful company.

That, Nicholl said on Vanity Fair’s Dynasty podcast, William’s “snooty” friends took advantage of this. They whispered “doors to manual” when Kate arrived at one of London’s nightclubs.

It was reported that certain aristocrats also described the princess’s family as “the en masse Middletons.”

Kate was called cruel nicknames by William’s friends

The prince’s aristocratic friends – referred to as the “Glosse Posse,” a reference to their Gloucestershire roots – treated Kate like she was beneath them. However, Kate never rose to the “derogatory” comments made towards her. Instead, she chose to ignore them.

“It was never water off a duck’s back, but she has extraordinary strength of character and resilience. I’ve never once seen or heard of her losing her temper,” a royal aide told the Sunday Times Magazine.

In 2021, a source told the Daily Mail that Prince William “flew off the handle” when his friends mocked his beloved girlfriend.

“He flies off the handle at any sign of Kate being patronised and stamps that out very quickly. It’s one of his triggers,” the royal source said.

“Over the years, many people have come up with great ideas for her, but if they are put across in a dismissive way, they’ve got pretty short shrift from him.”

At that point, many believed it was the start of what soon was to be an engagement. However, it only took two years before things turned ugly.

In 2007, William and Kate went through a high-profile split. Meanwhile, it apparently became unstable a year before, as William and Kate declined each other’s invitations to spend major holidays together.

For example, William apparently declined the New Year’s Eve invitation to Kate’s parents’ place just days before, leaving Kate in tears.

Married in 2011

In her 2011 book The Making of a Royal Romance, Nicholl claimed that Kate was left fearing for the future of their relationship. William had promised to meet Kate and her family but backed out with a call on Boxing Day. He decided instead to stay with the royals.

As the future king didn’t know what to do, he sat down with the Queen and his father, Charles, and spoke about his feelings. They had a clear answer.

“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. Both advised him not to hurry into anything,” Nicholl claimed in her book.

William and Kate’s romance was, of course, not dead. Their bond was strong – and they reconciled.

On April 29, 2011, the two tied the knot in Westminster Abbey. The couple welcomed their firstborn son – and future king – Prince George in 2013, Princess Charlotte in 2015, and Prince Louis in 2018.

Prince William and Princess Kate have become role models for how royals should handle themselves publicly. But also how they are raising their children. For many years now, it has been clear that they want to give George, Charlotte, and Louis a normal childhood – even though they must follow some particular rules. After all, they are royal, and those guidelines can be pretty harsh for someone looking from the outside.

However, in 2019, a rather devastating rumor appeared in a US tabloid, which rocked the royal family. Had William been unfaithful?

William was rumored to have had an affair with Kate’s friend Rose Hanbury

To begin with, it’s important to underline that nothing has been confirmed. In April 2019, the American publication In Touch reported that William “may” have had an affair with a woman named Rose Hanbury, who happens to be the Marchioness of Cholmondeley and a friend of Kate’s.

Tabloids reported about the “falling out” involving William, Kate, and Rose. In Touch wrote that Kate had confronted William with the reports but that William had “laughed it off,” saying that the rumors weren’t true.