How Princess Kate tried to put ‘intense’ health speculation to bed amid cancer diagnosis
Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis announcement was plagued with misinformation...
Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis sent shockwaves through the public. Unfortunately, despite the concern for the Princess of Wales’ health, the details surrounding her illness were quickly the focus of conspiracy theories.
Many already questioned Kate’s whereabouts ahead of her tell-all announcement in March of 2024.
Although the uncontrollable speculation made an unprecedented amount of noise, Princess Kate had done her utmost to try and put any rumours to bed.
Keep reading to understand why Kate Middleton addressed the public in such an intimate way. And how it sadly resulted in widespread confusion over her wellness…
Kate Middleton’s attempts to eradicate speculation over ‘missing’ narrative
In a chat discussing Kate’s move to share her diagnosis with the public this time last year, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams shed light on why the Princess of Wales chose this approach. Also, how things still ended up out of hand.
Richard told us: “To use a video message rather than issue a statement was intended to reflect current trends and connect with the audience more intimately and strongly. Previously there would have usually been just a statement, if that.
“However, there had been intense speculation about Catherine’s health as she had not been seen in public since Christmas. It was known that she had abdominal surgery in January. But subsequently speculation had run wild. This was heightened by William pulling out from his godfather King Constantine’s Memorial Service.”
He went on to explain: “This truly sad sequence of events highlighted the intense pressures of royal life, the need for a balance between privacy and to keep the public informed through a rapacious press and also the truly perverse pressures of social media where bizarre rumours could get credence. The video in which Catherine told us she had cancer was a dreadful shock and hard to watch dry eyed. It was clear from her appearance that her fight against this pernicious disease had taken its toll.
Princess Kate’s attempts to be ‘vulnerable’ amid shock cancer diagnosis news
“She was also, in a unique way for a senior royal, reaching out to others who were sufferers. The emphasis, too, was on the need for understanding of her predicament as she was undergoing chemotherapy and also how she and William were putting their family first.”
She was also reaching out to others who were sufferers.
Unfortunately, despite Kate’s attempts to be “vulnerable” and transparent, we now know this only fuelled the fire. Some critics even baselessly accused the royals of using an AI video, rather than true footage of the princess.
Richard went on to say: “This shocking news followed that of the king’s diagnosis of cancer in February. He, too, reached out to other sufferers. This also created an image, in the most stressful of circumstances, of a monarchy that illness, which does not discriminate, had made more relevant.
“She was shy when she first began public speaking but has since grown in confidence enormously as she has mastered her briefs, especially that on early childhood. Her popularity and that of William is huge both here and abroad, including in the United States. The decision to follow up her first video message with another in September, which carried the happy news that she was cancer free, undoubtedly worked.”
Princess Kate’s candid cancer revelation video ‘humanised’ royal family
Personal brand guru and multi-award-winning entrepreneur Kelly Lundberg also chimed in on Kate’s attempts to grapple with authenticity amid the intense pressures royals often face when addressing the public.
Kelly stated: “Kate’s decision to share the details of her cancer diagnosis and treatment in a video, rather than simply issuing a written statement, wasn’t just made from a strategic perspective, but also from a deeply human choice. In this digital era, where information spreads rapidly, often with a mix of speculation and misinformation, recording a video allowed Kate to take control of the narrative she was putting into the public domain.
“In the footage, Kate spoke directly to the public. It humanised her personal brand. We saw her not just as a member of the royal household, not just as the duchess, but as a woman, a mother, a wife, a daughter, and a friend. We were able to connect with her words and feel her emotions. And for those who have experienced cancer, or have lost loved ones to the disease, it was a poignant moment – she was one of us.
“Speaking directly to the public, Kate’s message was clear. It was authentic and it was personal. She was reassuring with her words. A statement would have been more formal, perhaps even seen as detached in this modern digital era. But with a video, it made the communication feel real.
It was a way to cut through the noise, to ensure people knew the full story.
“Given the widespread speculation and concerns about her health, as she hadn’t been seen in public for a while, this approach was especially important. It was a way to cut through the noise, to ensure people knew the full story – that there was no room for further speculation.
The Princess of Wales was ‘brave’ and ‘open’
“It gave her the time and space to do that in a powerful way. What made this particularly powerful was how it humanised Kate. The royal family is often seen through a highly polished, almost untouchable lens. Yet here Kate was, with the facade stripped away, allowing herself to be vulnerable. It was brave and it was open. It allowed us to connect with her on a much deeper level.
“I believe sharing the details of such a personal challenge with the public, being candid and open, demonstrated what so many people crave – authenticity, without sacrificing dignity and I think there needs to be more of this.”
Read more: Princess Kate ‘forever changed’ after having ‘wake-up call’ amid cancer ordeal
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