“William and Kate are really upset about the cruel lies surrounding their marriage,” says the palace source.
“All the whispers about their relationship being on the rocks and spending time apart and living separate lives has really taken a toll on them – Kate especially – and they just want the rumours to stop.”
False reports about William having an affair with family friend Rose Hanbury, also known as the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, have been circulating for the past few months. Unsurprisingly, the royal couple have kept a low profile and stayed away from their usual social circle, having decided being seen with them will just fan the rumours.
“They were all friends in the ‘Turnip Toffs’ set of wealthy farmers living near Sandringham – but now, overnight, William has lost some of his best pals. Their children even played together so it’s very sad,” explains the source.
With Harry settling into life in his new Windsor cottage, and amid reports that the brothers have grown apart in recent months, William now has little chance to let off steam away from family life.
“All of a sudden he’s lost a lot of his support network,” notes the royal source, who adds that the royal has been drinking more than usual and appears to be having an early midlife crisis:
“William is feeling a bit sorry for himself at the moment and it’s all getting a bit on top of him. He is under a lot of stress and you can see it is affecting him. He has always liked a drink but we’ve noticed he’s been putting it away a bit.”
The prince recently completed a secret three-week stint, working with British Intelligence Agencies including MI6. While William was there to learn about Britain’s national security work, it was also a good opportunity for the royal to take some time out of the spotlight and get away from everything that was happening
at home.
“There is no doubt there are a lot of things going on in his life at once and he has
the added pressure of being under the spotlight,” explains the insider. “He’s a very strong character but it’s true to say some of his mates are concerned for him.”
As a father of three and second in line to the throne, there are also many other pressures no doubt weighing heavily on the royal.
“William wouldn’t be the first man – or royal – to sometimes look at himself and wonder where it’s all going. He’s feeling isolated and trapped because his future is now mapped out for him.”
William naturally feels he should take away some of the royal workload from his older relatives, but Kate is keen to continue their low-key, rural life.
With Kate talking about them having a fourth child and William not too happy about the idea, the pair have reportedly had a “few arguments”, say another close pal of the royals.
“Kate likes living the rural life out of the public eye, but William is now under pressure to step up to the plate and perform full-on royal duties. He’s put if off for as long as possible, but now he realises he can’t do that any longer. ”
Last week Kate and William took an unusual step for the royal family by getting their lawyers involved.
According to multiple reports, several British newspapers have been issued with warnings by royal lawyers Harbottle & Lewis after they repeated claims William had an affair with 33-year-old Rose. The legal firm says the rumours are “false and highly damaging”.
It’s an unusual move by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as the royals rarely deny or confirm reports, and it seemingly proves they’re willing to step outside of usual royal etiquette to defend their family. However, the royal source tells New Idea that
it’s a sign the Cambridges are willing to go the extra mile to prove they’re a united front.
“The truth is they are very happy and have a strong marriage, and nothing and no one will ever break their bond,” adds the insider.
“Like every married couple, they have to work on their relationship and have had their good times and their bad. But they love their children and each other. While they’ve definitely been torn apart by all the hurtful rumours and have ended friendships with certain people based on their lies, nothing will end their marriage. Nothing.”
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