The Princess of Wales chose to announce the ‘hugely shocking’ news of her cancer diagnosis with a televised statement, and one expert argues it was a pivotal moment in her future
When Kate, the Princess of Wales announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer, she chose to speak directly to the nation in an emotional video message.
Sitting alone on a bench, dressed simply in a casual outfit of jeans and a jumper, with a backdrop of daffodils blooming, she explained what a “huge shock” the news had been, and how she and her husband Prince William had taken their time to explain the tragic situation with their three young children, “in a way that was appropriate for them”.
The Princess also revealed that she is currently in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy and will, on medical advice, be away from her royal duties for the time being as she focuses on her recovery. The moving statement was widely praised, but an expert has explained why there is one reason that this decision to speak for herself could well be “the making of the future Queen”.
Russell Myers – Royal Editor for the Daily Mirror – explained on the Royal Beat for True Royalty TV just why Kate’s message was so powerful: “This was very much Kate’s decision. The Princess of Wales wanted to do the video.”
The royal expert also noted that Kate’s focus remained on her family even as she wanted to deliver the sad news about her diagnosis herself, “Kate and William had decided for her to make this public statement after the children had broken up from school [for Easter].”
This gave their three children a period of relief during which their parents could shield them from the coverage of Kate’s diagnosis giving them “time to digest it as a family…And that’s really important for them.” Myers also pointed out that it was likely that the palace would have given Kate the option to avoid appearing on camera: “I think the Palace possibly would have said, ‘You are fine doing a written statement’. But hopefully, this will be the making of her,” the expert explained.
Kate chose to appear solo in her video message to the nation – although the Princess did pay tribute to her husband, saying: “Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance,” during the challenging period she is facing.
As reported in The Sunday Times, Kate also wrote the entire statement by herself, and wanted to go it alone because she knew herself to be capable of doing so, according to sources. “This was her as a strong woman sharing an innately strong message to the nation. She didn’t need anyone sitting next to her”.
Her husband William reportedly backed her decision every step of the way. “She did it with his full support and advice, he joined all the conversations around it,” the newspaper quoted a source as saying. “On every level, he wishes she didn’t have to do it. But it was her decision, it wasn’t begrudged and he fully supported it.”
Kate’s statement came after weeks of wild online speculation and conspiracy theories about why she had been out of the public eye, which was compounded when a photo released for Mother’s Day was withdrawn by news agencies on the grounds of suspected “manipulation”.
A PR and crisis management expert – speaking to The Mirror before Kate’s diagnosis was announced – said that he thought her reaction to the online furore was, for the most part, spot on. Edward Coram-James, chief executive of Go Up, explained: “From a PR point of view, the Princess of Wales is nailing it,” Edward said.
“Nothing gives credibility to conspiracy theories more than reacting to them and nothing frustrates people more than over-communicating. It’s one of the great lessons that should have been taken from the PR problems faced by the Sussexes in the past few years.
“One of the stunning differences between the Wales’ PR strategy versus the Sussexes is that Kate and William have worked out the importance of proper expectation management. By combining good, clear expectation setting that neither over nor underpromises, and then living out and adhering to the timeline that they have clearly laid out with no further fuss or comment, they get huge media attention, often with very little effort.”
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