EXCLUSIVE: How Prince William's Alleged 'Mistress' is a 'Total Kate Middleton Copycat'

Though both parties denied any wrongdoing, the rumors led to what sources described as a "permanent chill" between the once-close couples. Now, Hanbury's strikingly similar fashion choices have revived the old scandal – and left palace insiders on edge.

"Rose has always had impeccable style, but lately her looks feel calculated," claimed a royal source. "Every time she steps out, she's wearing something that mirrors Kate – right down to the designer. It's uncanny. People in royal circles can't help but talk about it, and Kate's finding it increasingly uncomfortable."

Hanbury's recent appearance at a service dedication for the Order of the British Empire at St. Paul's Cathedral drew particular attention. She arrived wearing a classic black drop-brim hat from Lock & Co. Hatters – the very same piece Middleton had worn on two separate occasions years earlier.

"It's one thing to share a taste in fashion, but this was identical," the source said. "It felt like déjà vu."

Observers were quick to notice this wasn't the first time Hanbury had been accused of copying the Princess of Wales' look. At King Charles's coronation events in May 2023, Hanbury was photographed in a vintage black-and-white Ozzie Clarke dress paired with Aquazzura bow-tie pumps – the same designer shoes Middleton had worn just one day earlier at a Buckingham Palace luncheon.

"So William bought his mistress and wife the same shoes," one social media user quipped at the time.

According to royal insiders, the tension between the two women stems from the lingering fallout of the alleged affair – a rumor that, while never confirmed, has refused to die down.

"Back in 2019, Kate was crushed by all the rumors," claimed another insider. "Publicly, she was advised to stay quiet, but behind closed doors, she was deeply upset and angry. Whatever friendship she'd had with Rose ended right then and there."

Hanbury, married to David Cholmondeley, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, has long been part of the couple's Norfolk social circle – known locally as the "Turnip Toffs."

Her and William's alleged closeness caused a rift so deep that palace officials quietly discouraged any further contact between the families.

"Kate views that friendship completely differently now," claimed a former royal aide. "Whenever Rose shows up at a royal event, it brings all those painful memories flooding back. The affair rumors were humiliating for her, and seeing Rose echo her style only makes it worse.

"It's as if Rose wants to remind the world she's still part of the story."

Despite the renewed chatter, friends of Hanbury insist her fashion choices are coincidental.

"Rose has always had her own distinct sense of style and doesn't need to imitate anyone," said a friend of the Marchioness. "The notion that she's deliberately trying to mess with Kate is completely ridiculous."

Still, within royal circles, the comparisons persist – and so do the whispers about what really happened between William and Hanbury.

"The affair rumor has lingered for years," said a palace source. "And Rose turning up dressed so much like Kate? It only keeps the speculation alive."