THE TIMES: Where is Kate? The royal family attracts more speculation by the day

[TallerSally]

On today's front page, the Times' Kate Mansey reports on the contrasting approaches taken by KP and BP's comms teams in their handling of the extraordinary situation the RF's currently in. It kicks off with the current host of the US's Daily Show (formerly hosted by the formidable Jon Stewart) asking some questions:

"While the King hosted friends and met world leaders, the Palace’s reluctance to comment on the Princess of Wales’s condition has created a rising sense of panic
One of America’s most popular TV comedy programmes was asking the question that had captured the nation. It was not about the Super Tuesday primary contests ahead of the US elections, or the State of the Union address, which elicited an exaggerated yawn from the presenter.

Instead, The Daily Show’s Ronny Chieng turned to look straight into the camera to ask: “Where is Kate Middleton? Where are you, Kate?”

There was no rush to provide reassurance this week from the Prince of Wales, who appeared to begin his working week on Friday with a visit to the Oval cricket ground for his Earthshot environmental campaign. Aides said that William had been busy all week, just not in a way that was visible to the public.

The King was doing the opposite. Away from public duties on doctors’ orders while he undergoes cancer treatment, the monarch had been expected to take this week as scheduled time off. Despite being told to “slow down” by the Queen, who took her own advice and flew to sunnier climes for a few days of relaxation, the King was ramping up.

He was photographed meeting world leaders and ambassadors from his living room at Buckingham Palace. Away from the cameras, he hosted friends who rallied round for afternoon tea and dinner dates. He insisted on the “more public” option of travelling between Buckingham Palace and his more comfortable private quarters at Clarence House in the State Bentley, so that he could “be seen”. Quite what the Queen made of it all from her sun lounger is anyone’s guess, but there are those in the palace who have an idea."

A tongue-in-cheek piece, but raises some interesting questions: have KP messed up the comms around Kate? and William? What is really going on with them? Why is the Royal family-funding public kept in the dark for so long, when usually not a couple of days go by without us having some nicely staged photo of some kind from Kensington Palace?

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/where-is-kate-prince-william-king-charles-cancer-khktpx9bm

It wasn't paparazzi, it was a staged photoshoot.

If there's any 'thrashing out' being done (which I don't think for a minute is happening) £ 000's an hour lawyers will be doing it. I don't recall Diana disappearing when her divorce was being finalised.

They did say she’d not do royal duties until Easter, but it’s a long road to recovery so it could have been an operation and then further treatments?
My guess is she’s pretty ill and it’s not ‘routine’ - even with an urgent hysterectomy you’d be back within 6 weeks. Similar recovery to a Caesarian.

It's not nice for anybody to have major surgery however she is in the very fortunate position of being able to take as much time off as she wants with an army of helpers. Lots of well wishers and probably sackfuls of cards and gifts, also, making her feel special.

The Palace could just say that? So much shit stuff going on, she's top of the tree for some gratitude.

Given that we pay for some of that it's not surprising there is speculation. A poorly princess taking up column inches. Address the speculation and be done with it.

I think it's a convenient distraction from all the bad news for the establishment that's been out in the last few weeks. Corruption at the highest level, from MOD payments to Saudi, state sponsored spying on Union officials to Irish murders by the state.

I hope she's getting a real job, one that doesn't involve her whole life being funded by our taxes. Get better yes, and then get a job.
What a strange life in the the 21st century, to obsess about marrying a prince and live with taxpayer funded luxury, without achieving any real good to society. Maybe she actually believes the right wing tabloid adulation- they only do it to sell newspapers.

It took me three months to recover/recuperate. I was actually off work for four months in all. I wouldn’t have wanted pap shots or whatever while I was recovering, so it doesn’t surprise me that she doesn’t.

I think that's another reason people are sceptical.

For example, I'm a terrible liar, I just can't do it, so if I have to say something that's not true, I just keep it to the absolute bare minimum to avoid tripping myself up. I can see why people think KP are doing similar.

For example, I'm a terrible liar, I just can't do it, so if I have to say something that's not true, I just keep it to the absolute bare minimum to avoid tripping myself up. I can see why people think KP are doing similar

If KP are lying then they're bloody stupid. And I don't think they are either lying or stupid, whatever all the royal PR experts on here think.

They always did say abdominal surgery. Guessing as they always said she'd need a long recuperation it might be something like a colostomy, which can take up to 3 months to recover from. It's also something you may not want to talk about more widely or openly.

the Palace’s reluctance to comment on the Princess of Wales’s condition has created a rising sense of panic

Only between the conspiracy theorists. The Palace said from the outset that not only would she not be back on Royal duties but there would be no further updates unless her condition changed

It's not Easter yet & presumably since they haven't - as they stated - issued any update then her recovery is going to plan.

I cant see what the issue is

Oh dear Kate, Princess Kate, where are you?

We need you to save us.

From wild speculation circulating on social media.

Oh and as you are not working at the mo’. I hope you aren’t drawing a wage from the public’s money.

🤔🙄

This !

I'm not PR expert but I should imagine that in PR, it's preferable to have some control over the narrative by moving first to create it.

Leave a vacuum instead of a credible narrative, and you cede control of the narrative to someone else, leaving you on the back foot and having to react (to the social media speculation) or act all huffy and arrogant-sounding.

KP seems to be doing both, a sign that they've failed in their PR strategy.

I also can't understand why everyone's going completely crazy.
They said she's be off until at least Easter so why the clamouring for constant updates. Various relatives of mine know exactly what surgery she had and said it takes months to recover. Ridiculous to say 'I had a hysterectomy/ appendicitis/leg fell off etc and I was fine in 2 days'. You don't know what surgery she had and you don't have a right to know just because of who she is.

Maybe I’m weird but when they said she’d be out of action till Easter I just thought, ok we won’t see her (or necessarily hear about her) till Easter. It didn’t occur to me all this fuss would be made about it.

Great. I will do likewise, and then we can all get on with the discussion.

she's going through a sex change, she's about to become "Catherhino", that's why willi is freaking out.

Or she’s reading it and laughing at how bloody ridiculous actual adults can be.

Yes agree with you both, they are failing and it is something they seem unwilling to rectify.

They actually don't pay well at all so they don't get particularly good people given they are competing with big corporations who pay much better.

Yes, didn't Simon Case work for them?

This hysteria is a symptom of the sense of entitlement that is so prevalent in society these days.

I’m 30 and remember always being told to “mind your own business” as a child.

I've heard loads of rumours and speculation. Has anyone considered that she actually doesn't give a shit about her PR/ image and just wants time off to get better? Like she's probably having a nice old chill and spending time outside with her kids on their estate. Like she literally WILL NOT GIVE A SHIT what us plebs think or speculate on! They're hardly the hardest working of royals as it is 😂

It’s absolutely beyond me why everyone keeps going on about this.

She had surgery. They said she was recovering well and she’d be back after Easter. It’s still several weeks until Easter.

So what’s the problem exactly?

She looked rough as in the photo with the sunglasses, I wouldn't want to be seen by millions looking like that either.