Princess Catherine parties with William’s alleged mistress - and then drops R17,000 tip at music festival

Kate Middleton PICTURE: Reuters

Kate Middleton PICTURE: Reuters

Published Aug 16, 2023

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Catherine, Princess of Wales is said to have left a £700 (about R17,000) tip at her first music festival party.

The mom-of-three, 41, is said to have danced the night away at the 24-hour Houghton Hall event after dining with her Norfolk neighbours, the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley, David and Rose Hanbury, at their stately home music event over the weekend.

Rose Hanbury has been a fixture of late as far as the British royals are concerned.

Rumours first surfaced of Hanbury’s alleged affair with Prince William in 2019.

The Marchioness of Cholmondeley had reportedly embarked on a relationship with the Prince of Wales while Kate was pregnant with their third child, Prince Louis.

A reveller told the London Evening Standard: “(Catherine) was in high spirits, ordering spicy margaritas, eating affogato (an Italian coffee-based dessert), and speaking affably with the other members of her party.

“Her companions apparently carted in a huge, balthazar-sized bottle of AIX rosé and, together with Kate, left the festival restaurant staff a £700 tip.”

A balthazar is a 12-litre bottle and is said to be worth at least £500.

Catherine was also said to have avoided the festival food trucks, instead apparently opting for the on-site Turntable and Napkin restaurant where guests pay £60 a head for a four-course feast.

Acts that played the festival included DJ Stingray, DMX Crew, Shanti Celeste, and Radioactive Man.

A source told the Daily Mail about Catherine’s decision to party at the festival: “After dinner, one of the guests suggested that Catherine go to the festival.

“Catherine was nervous about the idea, but, after much discussion with her protection officers, she went with lots of security. William wasn’t there.”

The upmarket Houghton Hall festival is billed as Britain's only 24-hour music festival and was created by DJ Craig Richards, who launched the event in 2017.

More than 200 artists performed across 13 stages from Thursday to Sunday, with music playing somewhere on the Houghton Estate site at all times.

More than 12,000 revellers were estimated to have attended.

Catherine is not known to have previously attended a festival, but is famed for her love of dancing.

While still known as Kate Middleton, she was pictured attending a roller-disco with friends including the jockey Sam Waley-Cohen in 2008.

The Mail said a Kensington Palace spokesman declined to comment on her apparent festival visit.

It added Prince William, who has children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, with Catherine, may have been on a grouse-shooting trip with friends.

The Mail said: “Catherine’s lively night out is just the latest example of the warm friendship between the future king and queen and the Cholmondeleys, nicknamed the ‘Turnip Toffs’, who live just a few miles from their Norfolk retreat, Anmer Hall.”