The Guardian looks at the Princess of Wales: she has the right to heal privately | Editorial
a A cancer diagnosis is shocking for everyone, but especially for younger people, where cancer is much rarer. In Great Britain these are adults aged between 25 and 49 9% of new cases. For those with dependent children, this terrible news can be even harder to process; sometimes the person most upset by bad news is not the patient. Friday’s video recording of the Princess of Wales made it clear that the impact of her illness on her three children – aged ten, eight and five – was the main reason why the news had been kept from the public until then . Her explanation resonated with millions of people, regardless of their views on the royal family.
Sharing more details about the future queen’s health was inevitable. Her three-month absence, after a thirteen-day hospital stay and abdominal surgery in January, led to an information vacuum. The coincidence of the king’s cancer diagnosis – and the fact that the couple were in the same private hospital in London at the same time – increased interest in the royal family’s health.
The release of a digitally altered photo of Catherine with her children to mark Mother’s Day (March 10 in Britain this year) was a disastrous misstep. Rather than cool the rumors about her absence, the furore surrounding the withdrawal of the image by photo agencies – on the grounds that it had been manipulated – added fuel to the fire. However, a former adviser said this weekend that while the choreography of Friday’s announcement may have changed as a result, the timing had not. The family was determined not to tell the public until the children left school.
By appearing on camera and making the announcement herself, Catherine did what she could to calm the media frenzy. In a two-minute message filmed by the BBC, she thanked people for their support and understanding – a message echoed by Kensington Palace this weekend. But she was also very clear in her call for “time, space and privacy” while she undergoes chemotherapy.
This is an appeal that must be granted. Even for holders of high-profile public positions, illness is a deeply personal matter that unfolds within the body. Catherine, who is 42, made a point of being positive in her statement, saying she is “doing well and getting stronger.” But cancer is a serious disease and chemotherapy is a challenging treatment.
Curiosity about her condition is part of that. She is the wife of the future head of state, not an ordinary citizen. Netflix’s The Crown, Harry and Meghan’s move to the US and Prince Andrew’s disgrace have all fed the global appetite for royal drama – and blurred the line between fact and fiction. In our age of social media, anyone with an account has a platform to share their fantasies, no matter how cranky – some platforms’ algorithms even seem to positively encourage this. But in recent weeks, the rumors swirling around Catherine have become itchy and unpleasant as gossip has turned to conspiracy theories.
No politician or media organization has the power to put an end to such speculation. But journalists and public figures can set an example. Those who treated Catherine’s illness as a voyeuristic guessing game should be ashamed of themselves – as some have already admitted. Most of us have no idea what it would be like if such personal information were shared so widely. Despite her worldwide fame, Catherine has the right to privacy regarding her health. Once the excuses are out of the way, some restraint is called for.
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