According to some experts, it was one of Queen Elizabeth’s most iconic speeches: her lockdown speech of April 2020, just before her 94th birthday. One that, according to experts, was warm and exactly what the people needed at that moment. “Nearly four years later, Kate gave her own speech in a similar tone,” says Ingrid Seward, author of the 2015 Elizabeth II biography The Queen’s Speech.
“The Queen spoke of the ‘increasingly challenging times’, Kate of the ‘incredibly tough few months’. Kate spoke about everyone ‘who is confronted with this disease’, the queen about ‘together we tackle this disease’. The words were similar, but what was striking was that they both came from the heart, spoken in an honest, direct tone,” Seward said.
According to the biographer, the directness and intimacy of both women, who spoke straight into the camera, would also have made a huge impression. “The Queen spoke to her subjects, Kate to others suffering from cancer. Both said they did not lose hope. The Queen spoke of better days to come and Kate assured us that everything would be fine.” Both videos were clearly a message of hope.
“The wording may not have been the same, but their messages were: ‘Be brave, don’t lose hope, it’s hard but it will be okay. We will succeed and that success will belong to each of us,’” Seward summarizes.
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The Queen gave a speech during the Covid pandemic in 2020 — © AFP
Never longer than 12 minutes
Another royal commentator, Phil Dampier, author of the 2007 book What’s In The Queen’s Handbag, believes that Kate had the air of the late queen as she reassured her children, and through them the nation, that everything would be fine.
He believes words and phrases such as “together,” “we will succeed” and “better times will come” in the late queen’s speech inspired confidence and raised morale. Kate, although discussing a different topic, captured the same universal sentiments by saying “you are not alone” and “for everyone”.
“Kate wrote every word of her speech herself and learned from the Queen. She had an uncanny ability to say more with less, she believed that short statements were remembered – for one or two lines. Even at state banquets and formal occasions, she had the golden rule that speeches should never last longer than 12 minutes.”
“In her ‘We will meet again’ speech, she thanked NHS workers, while Kate praised her own medical team. While the Queen told us that the country would be fine, Kate let us know that she had reassured her children that she would be fine too. It was a message of hope and optimism, just like the Queen’s,” said Phil.
“The Queen points to the power of prayer and meditation, and Kate says she will focus on the things that help her heal – in her mind, body and soul. This broadens the message so that it’s not just about cancer, but about life in general, and the Queen always had a holistic approach to health and happiness.
“Kate says she is thinking of others living with cancer, and the Queen’s message highlighted how people have supported each other through Covid to emerge stronger and more united on the other side. The speeches are similar in length and tone, the right mix of concern and realism with hope,” he said.
2024-03-31 14:35:23
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