Kate Middleton’s blurry Insta-ready video marks a shift in how royals tell their stories | News, Sports, Jobs

This photo provided by Kensington Palace on Monday, September 9, 2024 shows Kate, Princess of Wales and Prince William with their children, Prince George, right, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, left. (Will Warr/Kensington Palace via AP)

LONDON (AP) — Public displays of affection in a royal video? How times have changed!

When the Princess of Wales announced she had completed chemotherapy treatment in a blurry, Insta-ready video, she ventured into previously uncharted territory for the British royal family, traditionally known for its stiff upper lip, “Never complain, never explain” the ethics of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Here is the most popular member of the royal family, a public figure generally known simply as Kate, using the tools of social media to share the fact that despite all her wealth and privilege, her life had been turned upside down by cancer, just like millions of others.

But it’s not just what she said that matters, it’s how she said it. Unlike previous updates about Kate’s health, which have read like factual reports, this one had a completely different tone. The slickly produced mini-film, released Monday, shows the princess hugging Prince William and their three young children and sharing intimate moments at home with her parents.

There is even a chaste kiss on her cheek.

“It’s a real departure,” said George Gross, a royal historian at King’s College London.But I think people will look at this and not necessarily realize it. I think they’ll think, This is totally normal. This is what a family does.

A tradition of secrecy

Kate’s video marks the latest experiment by the royal family with greater openness since King Charles III ascended to the throne in 2022. That has been tested repeatedly this year, as Charles and Kate both underwent treatment for serious health issues and then later announced they were undergoing cancer treatment.

For centuries, the British royal family kept diseases secret, for fear that it would weaken its authority. This reluctance and secrecy continued even after the royal family became a figurehead of the Constitution.

The British public was not informed that King George VI, Charles’ grandfather, had lung cancer until after his death at the age of 56 in February 1952. The public announcement of the death stated only that the king had “passed away peacefully in his sleep.”

King George V died in 1936, after suffering from heart and lung disease. Far from being open about the king’s health, palace officials manipulated the timing of his death to gain more favourable media coverage. Diary excerpts published 50 years later revealed that the king’s doctor had injected the terminally ill monarch with morphine and cocaine to hasten his death, partly so that it could be announced in the morning newspapers. “rather than the less appropriate evening newspapers.”

Charles has been keen to be more open than his mother, Elizabeth, who Buckingham Palace has described as suffering from “Mobility problems” in the months before his death.

In January, the palace announced that Charles would be hospitalized in London for treatment for an enlarged prostate. Weeks later, the king said he would refrain from public office while he underwent treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer. However, both announcements were made in palace press releases.

A new generation of royals

But Kate and William, both 42, belong to a new generation that feels more comfortable sharing their personal problems on social media.

Kate’s video was shot by William Warr, creative director of Detail Films, who says he combines film production techniques and strategic marketing to create “beautiful brand films.”

“We exist to help brands tell stories that resonate with their audiences” the firm indicates this on its website.

In the video, Kate describes how difficult the last nine months have been for her family and expresses “relief” at the end of his treatment.

“Life as you know it can change in an instant, and we had to find a way to navigate the rough waters and the unknown road,” she said in the video, which was shot in a forest near the family’s summer home in Norfolk.

Some see the film as a reflection of a family coming together in the midst of crisis, as many do when faced with illness – sharing their thoughts with others.

“It’s a love story” Michael Cole, the BBC’s former royal correspondent, told TalkTV: “You see it there. You see what it means to a family.”

Mark Borkowski, a public relations and crisis management consultant, described the film as “a tectonic shift in how the royal family controls its image.”

“Kate’s journey is deep and deeply personal, but they have learned that emotion can be controlled – and weaponized – in small, powerful doses,” he said.By doing this through careful filmmaking, they maintain their dignity and control while still appearing endearing.

It’s the age of social media

The fact that the royal family needs new techniques to control its story in the age of TikTok and Instagram was underscored after palace officials announced in January that Kate would be hospitalized for abdominal surgery. While the palace has released few details about her condition, social media sites have been filled with speculation about what is really going on as Kate retreats from the public eye to focus on her recovery.

When the princess announced she had cancer two months later, she addressed the public directly in a somber video in which she asked “time, space and privacy” while she was undergoing treatment.

In June, Kate posted a video update, saying she had had good days and bad days.

Although the princess has avoided most public activities during her treatment, Kate has made two appearances this year. First, at the royal’s birthday parade in June, known as Trooping the Colour, and most recently at the Wimbledon men’s final in July, where she received a standing ovation.

Now that she has completed chemotherapy, Kate plans to gradually return to public duties, “undertake some additional public appearances” in the coming months.

But Kate said in her video that the road to full recovery would be long and that she “live from hand to mouth.”

“William and I are very grateful for the support we have received and have drawn great strength from everyone who is helping us at this time,” she said. “The kindness, empathy and compassion of everyone was truly humbling.”

The video should be seen as part of the king’s efforts to increase the royal family’s openness as he seeks to shore up support for the monarchy, Gross said.

“It’s an operation. It’s the whole company that’s involved,” he said.And I think it really fits that sense of being as open as possible, while still maintaining a natural sense of privacy that you need for these things.

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