Like father, like son? Prince William’s alleged affair is the generational curse of the Windsor men
Kiki Strack once said, “A man can love you from the bottom of his heart, and still find room at the top for somebody he claimed was nobody.”
It’s a quote that sums up infidelity, albeit flippantly. And yet, it’s as relatable as waking up every morning and feeling the sun shine on your face. We all know what happened to that tragic Greek god Icarus who got swept up in the wonder of flight. Flying too close to the sun can make you burnt toast.
Burnt toast or not, history repeats itself. Time and again, we’ve seen cheating scandals erupt, from politicians to celebrities, and my personal favourite – royalty.
Why are we drawn to the mockery of the British royals? For one thing, we love salacious tidbits that prove that when sitting on a throne, the fall from grace can be that much more painful.
Oh, and let’s not forget pop culture and that “fictitious” Netflix show, based on historical facts, called “The Crown” that’s jumped in popularity ever since that infamous recreated scene with Princess Diana and Martin Bashir.
The second she said those words, “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” Diana made no bones about the fact that Prince Charles was having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, aka Queen Camilla.
The fact that she owned her fate for knowingly being the one on the outside, made it more tragic. But her beauty and courage outshone the calamity.
As soon as Charles’s affair became public knowledge, it set the precedent for the Windsors entering a few decades of turmoil. That doesn’t mean they don’t control the narrative, however.
The British royal family has a way of swaying the UK press in their favour. A case in point was when Prince Harry and his actress wife absconded from the protection of The Firm.
But as powerful as they are, “royal sources” and “palace aids” have a way of letting a few things slip. And just like father, just like son, the apple apparently doesn’t fall too far from the tree. According to numerous historical reports, there’s a long history of infidelity in the British royal family.
The Duke of Edinburgh was what many considered a wild card when he wed Queen Elizabeth in 1947. It was well documented that he had a wandering eye.
According to Philip Eade, the author of “Prince Philip: The Turbulent Early Life of the Man Who Married Queen Elizabeth II”, the duke was known as “The Naked Waiter”.
The book depicts the late prince in quite a risqué light, suggesting that he enjoyed “rip-roaring stag parties”.
His list of alleged conquests included stage performer Patricia Kirkwood and Sacha Hamilton, the Duchess of Abercorn.
King Charles, on the other hand, ended up marrying his mistress and made her his queen. The pair allegedly started dating in the 1970s, and according to Distractify, a heartbroken Charles was forced to move on when Parker Bowles married her first husband.
Eight years later, he married Lady Diana Spencer. The sad part is that Diana learned Charles was still in love with Parker Bowles weeks before their wedding.
“I was still too immature to understand all the messages coming my way,” she told “The Mirror” during a 1997 interview. “And then someone in his office told me that my husband has had a bracelet made for her.”
William, the Prince of Wales, appeared to display a bit more finesse than his father and grandfather, a bit more restraint. We first came to know of the alleged affair in 2019.
The woman in question was Rose Hanbury, part of William and Kate’s aristocratic set. According to reports, William's alleged affair with Hanbury started when Kate fell pregnant with the couple's third child, Prince Louis.
Rumours started doing the rounds that Kate soon fell out with Hanbury after finding out about the alleged relationship. An anonymous source told InTouch Weekly that, when confronted by his wife, William laughed off the rumours, saying there was “nothing to it”.
What’s even more fascinating was Hanbury’s appearance at King Charles’s coronation.
Dressed in a striking black-and-white dress, the ex-model made her presence felt as she stepped out in Aquazzura bow heels, the same style of shoe the Princess of Wales was spotted wearing a few days earlier.
Yep, those apples fell very close to the tree.