The Princess of Wales' decision to share her cancer diagnosis with the world was driven by a desire to protect her relationship with the public and address the growing speculation about her health, a close friend has revealed. The announcement, which came as a shock to many, was a carefully considered move by Kate Middleton to speak directly to the public and reassure them during this difficult time.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, the close friend explained, "It allowed her to speak directly to the public who, overwhelmingly, have always been with her and her family and who don't buy into the noise and gossip. It was all her, she wrote every word of it, it came together very quickly." The decision to go public was made after the Princess of Wales realized that she might not be able to return to her royal duties as soon as initially planned, with Kensington Palace originally stating that she would resume public engagements after Easter.
Kate insisted on recording a video announcement instead of releasing a written statement, wanting to connect with the public on a more personal level. "A written statement, she felt, would be too jarring. It was about people seeing her, and her reassuring people that she was positive about it. Knowing it was news that was going to shock people, she wanted to do it as compassionately as possible," the friend added.
The Princess of Wales' cancer diagnosis comes at a time when the royal family is facing a reduced number of working royals, with King Charles III also undergoing cancer treatment. However, Paddy Harverson, a former royal adviser who worked as the communications secretary to Prince William from 2004-2013, believes that the Prince and Princess of Wales are coping better than people realize.
"I think actually better than people realise. They are very strong, both as a couple and individually," Harverson told BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme. He added, "She always had this great strength and she didn't want to make a fuss about it when she felt that she needed help. So I'm confident that them as a couple and individually they will get through this."
Victoria Newton, the editor of the Sun, revealed that Kate had made the decision to announce her diagnosis two weeks ago, before the frantic speculation about her health proliferated online. Harverson dismissed the notion that the speculation on social media or the backlash over the edited Mother's Day photo had any impact on the timing of the announcement.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be "enormously touched" and "extremely moved" by the public's warmth and support following the announcement. A spokesman for the couple stated, "They are extremely moved by the public's warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time."
As the royal family navigates this challenging period, with the Princess of Wales undergoing preventative chemotherapy and the King postponing public-facing duties, the institution's resilience is being tested. However, Harverson denied that the monarchy was "fragile" due to the smaller number of working royals, expressing confidence in the strength of the Prince and Princess of Wales, both as individuals and as a couple.
