How Kate Middleton Gossip Happens

We know how fast Kate Middleton rumors spread-but how are they born? According to a recent report from London's The Telegraph, sometimes from unlikely places.

The paper claims that Paul Flattley, 30, a policeman in service for The Metropolitan Police was paid £7,600 (about $12,000) over the course of three years by the British tabloid, the Sun, in exchange for at least 39 tip-offs on celebrities-including Kate Middleton and Prince William.

One of those tips contained information about when Kate and William would possibly announce their engagement. Back in 2010, when rumors were swirling, Flattley allegedly made several calls to Middleton's private security detail to check on whether the couple was planning on hiring additional security personnel-a possible sign that a royal announcement was imminent. The Sun's former defense correspondent Virginia Wheeler reportedly paid Flattley with cash stuffed in an envelope.

And although Flattley has been jailed since March and his behavior was condemned by the sentencing judge as "utterly reprehensible" that doesn't mean that Kate, William, or the unborn Royal Baby are safe from future leaks. "Kate and Will genuinely can't do anything to make sure this doesn't happen again," says Jo Piazza, executive news director for In Touch and author of Celebrity: Inc: How Famous People Make Money. "The sad truth is that money talks, even to people like police officers, who come into the lives of Kate and William through legitimate means. Situations like this will continue to happen and will likely only get worse as demand for this new baby increases."