Image source: Reuters
Article information
- Author, Daniela Relph
- Role, British royal correspondent
-
5 hours ago
The past few weeks have been difficult for Britain’s royal family.
The health problems suffered by both the King and the Princess of Wales have raised questions about what Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace want the public to know.
The advisors are trying to deal with the public’s desire for information, the speculation that spreads through social media, as well as the need to protect two people who are not well – King Charles and Princess Catherine Middleton.
All these details prove that there is a clear dilemma.
The spotlight has been focused on this issue more in recent days, especially after notice was sent – shortly before the memorial service for the King of Greece, stating that the Prince of Wales, William, was unable to attend the memorial service at Windsor Palace, as William was scheduled to participate in some memorial ceremonies for his godfather, the King. Constantine.
But less than an hour before the scheduled start of the event, a message came from Kensington Palace, saying: “Unfortunately, the Prince of Wales is no longer able to attend this morning on a personal matter.”
This was surprising, as Prince William lives on the Windsor estate, and he had work to do during the memorial, and what makes the occasion doubly important is that it was his godfather’s.
Immediately, rumors began to escalate, asking whether “this was a bad sign for Catherine?” while the prince’s team was talking about “there is no need to panic.”
They said that the princess is in good health, which means that the absence has nothing to do with his wife’s health.
But that was not enough to refute or stop the speculation.
My WhatsApp messages probably reflect what a lot of people have been wondering.
What’s wrong with Kate? Why didn’t they tell us? Is this why William didn’t show up?
If you then dig into social media and the online search landscape, you’ll find that the rumors about the princess’s condition are getting more bizarre with every passing hour.
The lack of detailed information and Prince William’s sudden withdrawal fueled speculation.
We still do not know why the prince withdrew from the event, but it is worth noting that he attended an event on Thursday as planned.
The prince’s advisors are well aware of online gossip: they read it, talk about it, and know its nature.
But they confirm that nothing has changed.
A spokesman for Catherine denied the social media speculation, adding: “Kensington Palace clarified the timeline for the princess’s recovery in January. We said we would only provide important updates, and that approach remains in place.”
Of course, there is the issue of privacy.
For Prince William, protecting his wife while she recovers is crucial.
Simply put, Kensington Palace does not want to publish details of her health condition, and her aides do not feel the need to talk about it anymore.
But when Katherine returns to public appearances, she will be under intense scrutiny – all eyes will be on her.
What do you look like? How did it appear? Does it look different?
Her team is well aware of the nature of the attention that will occur at that moment, so protecting her now has additional importance.
They will choose very carefully, when and how we see them for the first time in public again.
Things are different at Buckingham Palace as they diagnose and treat King Charles III’s cancer.
There, the courtiers feel a need to see the king perform some of his duties.
That is why we saw pictures of the King with the Prime Minister, going to church, and seeing cards wishing him well.
The King is under some influence at the moment, but he can still do some of his usual work and the Palace wants to show us that.
There’s not the same pressure on Katherine to go public.
She is not the monarch, she does not have to reassure the public in the same way, and she is a princess who wants to maintain privacy.
Yes, there is a scramble for information, but “Okay…” seems to be the norm.
