The former spokesperson of the Prince and Princess of Wales has had his say on the conspiracy theories surrounding Kate’s whereabouts before it was revealed she had cancer
A former royal advisor has described the speculation and pressure around the Princess of Wales’s health before it was announced she had been diagnosed with cancer as “the worst I’ve ever seen”.
In an emotional video on Friday evening, the future Queen admitted that her diagnosis came as a ‘huge shock’ and revealed that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatment. Before the announcement, speculation was rife on social media about the whereabouts of Kate, who had not been seen at an official royal engagement since Christmas Day, during the royals’ traditional Christmas ‘walk’.
Kensington Palace revealed she had undergone planned abdominal surgery in January and officials said she would not return to royal duties until after Easter at the earliest and asked for privacy. This, plus Prince William pulling out of a memorial service honouring King Constantine of Greece due to a “personal reason”, sparked dozens of conspiracy theories as people speculated why Kate had not been seen in public for so long.
Paddy Harverson, who was previously the official spokesman of Kate and the Prince of Wales, was asked about the constant speculation of Kate’s whereabouts on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme. Asked if social media or mainstream media was to blame, he said: “Well, it feeds off itself. It’s a sort of permanent doom loop. And it’s the worst I’ve ever seen.”
Mr Harverson added it most likely took time for the royal family to come to terms with Kate’s diagnosis. “I’m absolutely convinced that if we hadn’t had all the madness and social media, if we hadn’t had the sort of the Mother’s Day photo mistake, they would have still done it like this,” he said of Kate’s video statement on Friday. “They would have still waited till this last Friday when the schools are breaking up to make the announcement.”
The former advisor admitted that the public must come to terms with the “new reality” that there are fewer working members of the royal family now. He also denied that the institution was “fragile” now the King and the Princess of Wales are receiving cancer treatment.
“We just have to come to terms with the new reality, there’s fewer of them,” he said. “And so everyone just needs to sort of understand that they will still be busy, they will get over this. I am highly confident that the King, who I know well, is incredibly strong, very resilient, a great spiritual person, so I know he’ll get through it.
“And likewise with the princess, with Kate, I think once they’re through this sticky patch, I think we’ll get back to normal. I think the nation just needs to adjust, and the media, and everyone who follows this, to a smaller family but still very busy doing what they do in their own way.”
Kate’s type of cancer has not been disclosed, but in her statement the princess stressed she is “well and getting stronger every day”. Both she and the Prince of Wales are said to be “enormously touched” and “extremely moved” by the public’s warmth and support following the announcement.
