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

But he was a rubbish, daft nepo president who probably did very little actual "presidenting" thankfully. Glad he didn't actually choke to death on a pretzel though.

I wonder what she'd make of the seemingly apparent empathy Kate has received for whatever may or may not be wrong. Some upthread commented about Kate donning heels and makeup within an hour of giving birth to all her kids - again tis a curious thought.

I think that is what I mean @DojaPhat. It doesn't make sense to me why Meghan is sitting on that panel seemingly oblivious to the things that she and her husband have said about the British Royal Family. It's a bit do as say as opposed to do as I do. I just don't understand how someone can be so blind to what they have done in the past.

I don’t think it’s a case of being “too terrible to share”, I think she isn’t ready to share it. It’s not confusing. It’s her decision.

Yes, she is reported to have been unwell and yes, there has been a statement to that effect but it’s not surprising that people are questioning it if they feel they are being told to shut up and accept it without evidence or transparency.

What evidence of her illness do you think would be appropriate? Video footage of the surgery maybe? A photo of her scar? Her medical notes? A bit of abdominal tissue in a jar?

She has had planned abdominal surgery and will remain in hospital for about a fortnight. She will be back after Easter. We will not be issuing further updates unless there is new information. She is now recovering at home and doing well. She is very grateful to the hospital, the medical team and for the support she has received from well-wishers around the world.

This is all we need to know!
Unlike Charles, the PoW is not the head of state, there is no constitutional need for her to be across work stuff or seen in public. The people on here "concocting" bullshit about divorce and mental health are absolute scum imo.

Well that's certainly the message KP has attempted to communicate. None of us have any idea if it really came from Kate though. (Except for posters for whom Kate is apparently a friend of a friend, or something)

I concur.

If KP have been this rigid as a result of some deliberate “territory marking” by William, then one can foresee trouble ahead.

The UK public isn’t giving their monarchy such extraordinary and costly privileges (including billions in inheritance tax exemptions) so they can issue a few press releases and do a few zoom calls per month.

Modern doesn’t mean lazy. Sick children, firefighters, charity workers will always value an in person interaction over reading a communique of support or doing a zoom chat with their supposed king.

Geez!

I think it should also be remembered that Charles PR strategy is most likely taking into account the fact Kate is MIA and the hard line that had already been taken by the Wales’ when his cancer was diagnosed.

If they could have blitzed the media with loads of photos of W&K out at various places, especially if the trip to Rome to meet the Pope had gone ahead, then Charles could have afforded to be much less visible/open.

After a royal birth there’s always a statement from the obstetrician about how it went and details of pain Medication (though not official) and hints of if it’s a c section. There’s news of if it went well. Assuming that would also be done for a c section.

My point isn’t that, this should have been done in this instance but just that it’s funny how we respect privacy for a medical condition, but birth is considered ‘natural’ and an ‘event’ and our business. Quite sexist in my view

Might have been a very serious big cancer cut out, who knows

What details of pain medication? From whom? What obstetrician gives out details
of a mother’s pain relief? What statement from the Royal obstetrician?
Saying “ it went well” is completely bland. We were told the princess’s abdominal surgery “went well”. That isn’t giving out medical details

Good grief, how many times do we have to see the initial statement posted on here!
We've all seen it!!

Unfortunately, Roussette, those who have not RTFT keep insisting that there has never been a statement from KP. That’s why it keeps being posted 😆

No evidence of illness required @Hughs . There is no evidence of Charles’ illness either but the public have taken it at face value. What the public won’t accept is a lack of effective communication and accountability from public figures. Unfortunately this is combined with both William and Kate being noted as not engaging in as many official events as predecessors. Rightly or wrongly, the absence compounds this and it means people will question whether they are value for money at a time when cost to the public purse is a national priority. Of course anyone can be ill and had W&K been seen to be working hard before this I suspect the mood would be somewhat different.

There is low tolerance for people who take a ‘salary’ and don’t earn it. Even less tolerance for a PR outfit who take the public for fools.

I malfunctioned years ago

Because several people keep insisting no statement has been made.

So no, not everyone has seen it.

I guess people will keep posting it for as long as other posters keep saying she hasn't thanked well-wishers, she didn't need to do it herself, KP could have done it on her behalf, this PR is a disaster, they should have thanked the well-wishers on her behalf, won't someone think of the well-wishers etc etc.

Such posters obviously don't realise that KP has already done exactly that. Seems a kindness to help people cross that worry at least off the list.

This absolutely!

Feels like the public are being taken for granted here, a risky strategy for people whose extraordinary privileges depend on public support.

What on earth were the "racially aggravating earrings"?

Do you mean Princess Michael of K's brooch? It wasn't earrings.

Or do you mean the politically terrible earrings from Saudi? That wasn't a racial issue.

@TallerSally Are you going to answer my question to you about the Murdoch press? Or should we just assume you are a fan now?

I find those people who bleat on about the PPOW being lazy very similar to parents who bore on about teachers holidays and how we leave school at 3.30 every day. You’ve got no idea what the job entails behind the scenes and aren’t interested because actually it would mess with your world view too much to admit that you don’t know and are basing your opinions on guff.

The divorce suggestion is laughable!

If she has had surgery (assuming she has!) why would this conincide with a divorce? Look at the sympathy Diana got from the public post-divorce. William is going to divorce a woman who we've been told has been seriously unwell and has needed months to recover? He would appear cold and ruthless to divorce her now. Not going to happen.

And those who think she hasn't had surgery - same appplies as they've told us she has! It's not going to turn out the whole thing was a big lie! How seriously ill she is is what people might speculate about if they choose, but I can't see where the clues are to jump to divorce conclusions anyway!

What is this obsession?
Where’s William?
Where’s Kate?

As a general point, divorce isn't by any means always mutual. It can be imposed on an unwilling partner.