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

I don't understand this thread. I see there are several threads on here talking about the same thing. Some people want to know everything. Isn't this what the Duchess of Sussex and other panellists are talking about? People badgering others in public through social media?

It’s not about accepting things at face value, it’s about accepting what is and isn’t your business.

Once she’s back, she’s a glorified civil servant and what she does is of legitimate interest.

When she’s off sick, she’s off sick - she doesn’t need to communicate. We’ve been told when she’s back and that’s all that anyone needs to know.

I think the PR hasn’t been handled well but that’s by the by really. The kids are going back and forth to school as usual.

My assumption, because it’s the most obvious explanation for 3 months totally out of the public eye, is it’s a mental health issue. I think most people can figure that out too, which is why all the speculation is so unpleasant.

Catherine doesn't count, apparently.

Well they do up to a point.

It’s access in exchange for some control.

We own the rf they answer to us

"Subjects, know your place!"

Again, how do you know "the kids are going back and forth to school as usual"? Are you just going by what you've been told in official statements?

This an excellent (though long) article about the Royal family's relationship with the press. It also includes a detailed timeline of everything that's happened since the PoW was seen at Christmas. https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/03/this-is-just-weird-buzzfeed-news-former-royals-reporter-on-kate-middleton-palace-press-and-distrust-in-the-media/

Having read the article, I now suspect some sort of falling out between William and Catherine. She has probably had abdominal surgery also, but I suspect she's lying low trying to decide a way forward. Who know, and I could be very wrong, but I think there's more to whatever happening than we're being told. I think she's the most popular member of the family (well, jointly with William) and if she doesn't come back the rest of them are pretty well stuffed.

Agree ,but if it is MH issues then all this speculation is not going to help her recovery. Imagine how awful it must be having people gossiping about her appearance etc…it just piles even more pressure on Catherine and will make it even harder to face the General Public. She should just be left alone.

Social media accounts of public figures aren’t usually managed by the actual public figure.
William publicly thanking people for their good wishes is more meaningful than a social media post that is probably written by an employee and does anything to squash theories. The same goes with press releases, how do we know if she reads and approved anything released?

KP should have learned from their mistake of giving a vague return date and brief the press on Kate regularly even if it’s the same message every time.

I agree with regards to the speculation on the exact details of her health. It isn't right to do that.

However, much of the discussion here has been about the way the comms team are handling it and that because of the nature of her role they normally issue statements and letters of thanks directly from the royal member themselves, as in Charles case, and that is expected and to be honest, just polite.

I think some posters are missing the main focus of the discussion isn't about releasing health details or photos.

I think also that Kate is very important to the royal family from a popularity point of view. The public seem to really like her.

That's why I think KP have missed a trick here.

The only thing I think is odd is that they now seem to be implying that she won't be back to normal duties by June.
Also, I think it's very depressing if the reason she can't "be seen" is because her face would look swollen, or her body would look different in some way. She is more than her looks, as we all are.

The same goes with press releases, how do we know if she reads and approved anything released?

They would not release a statement directly from her as a quote, without permission. So its telling they have not released one.

Why should they pander to the media who are speculating for clicks. The media don't care about anyone they just want money. Why should they dignify the batshit conspiracy theories with a response, it would only encourage more speculation?

It does increasingly come across as people wanting private medical information for entertainment value and desperately making out they aren't.

King Charles is choosing to be open about his though as Head of State his health and treatment does impact more on running of state machinery.

If there is more I'm sure we'll find out in time - but until Easter passes I think most people are happy to assume she's in recovery and will pop up at some point.

Uncle Gary said on BB "if it is revealed, then I will let you know my opinion".
How do you get to have an opinion on someone else's serious illness?
I am coming round to a physical condition brought about by mental health issues. They don't want all the Diana comparisons imo.

Oh I see what you mean but in the opening post you said "What is really going on with them?" which is about more than the comms team.

I think it's fair that people want to be reassured she's OK, with more than just a vague and cagey impersonal KP statement. She's the most famous woman in the world, after all. I don't think that's the same thing as wanting to see detailed medical records, or have her make a vlog from her sickbed or something, but people are acting like it is.

I'm old enough to have vivid memories of the unprecedented outpouring of grief for Diana, which I think goes to show that many people do feel genuinely emotionally invested in the more charismatic members of the royal family, rightly or wrongly, so speculation is only natural. It's not just nosiness.

Not at all, I wouldn’t want people speculating about what was wrong with me.

Kids - no I have nieces at the same school.

I think it's possible KP and BP are not working together on the statements. I think that there is no KP statement direct from Kate because she won't agree to one, or she cannot agree to one- the latter being none of our business, but a good comms team will find a way to settle that speculation. Kate is being let down IMO.

No they haven't been able to "control" the press. The press are privately owned entities not state controlled (BBC excepted). They may have issued statements, talked to preferred journalists, cooperated on some stories, done a few arranged photo calls in exchange for not being harassed constantly etc etc, but they do not have any control. It's a cooperative arrangement at best, the fucking Wild West at worst. And the papers are also very well aware of this country's libel laws, and so have to control themselves or risk a court case. If the RF did control the press, then they simply would not have any negative press at all. There would be no need for the different camps allegedly briefing against each other - allegations made frequently on these boards and by Prince Harry - because there would simply be no bad press to need off setting.

What possible motive would they have for ramping up speculation of Kate? How is that control?

Did the army issue the inspection notice or the RF? Do the RF control the army too? How does an announcement of an engagement in June negate Catherine coming back from sick leave at Easter?

I do apologise @Pushtart. I just realised you didn't start this thread and it wasn't you that said what I quoted. It was @TallerSally. It's so easy to get mixed up with names here.

Fascinating article, thanks for sharing the link!

Here's an extract:

"Royal press offices hold a fair amount of control because they act as gatekeepers to the members of the royal family. We know that they at least attempt to wield influence behind the scenes. Royal reporters have confirmed that the Palace press offices have tried to kill false — and true — stories before publication. We also know that on at least one occasion the Palace has preemptively reached out to media outlets to warn them off reporting a particular story. We also learned this week that someone from Kensington Palace reached out to an airline to get them to delete a rude tweet about William when a rumor about him was trending on Twitter.We know that the Palace has actively concealed royal news from the press and reportedly even lied to reporters about issues concerning the health of royal family members — in November 2020, we learned that William had contracted a severe case of COVID-19 in April 2020. At the time, veteran royal reporter Robert Jobson tweeted about Kensington Palace’s “appalling” decision to lie about the prince’s health, writing, “KP were asked several times by the media whether Prince William had contracted the virus and were told categorically ‘no.’”
TMZ’s recent publication of the paparazzi photo of Kate and her mother driving in Windsor has added a new dimension to the media control discussion. Kensington Palace has let it be known that the photos were unauthorized and no U.K. media outlets have run the images, even the tabloids (although most have written up the fact that U.S. media outlets have published an image of the princess). On Wednesday, veteran royal reporter Emily Andrews said on Twitter that Kensington Palace “exerted huge pressure on the British media NOT to publish the pic,” which she said was proof that the press team didn’t set up the photo opportunity.
Safe to say that the U.K. media response to the photo’s publication isn’t doing anything to dispel the “Palace controls the media” narrative that’s running rampant on social media."

I really thought the hysteria over Diana was a one off aberration. I now realise that there are a worrying number of people in this country who seem to be completely irrational.

Apart from the odd comment no-one I know in real life has even mentioned Kate. This whole "frenzy" is exacerbated by social media and I can't begin to imagine what would have happened if social media had been around in the 80s/90s.

I'm pretty neutral about the monarchy but I'm beginning to feel very sorry for Kate.

Agree with this. It's really disturbing that the public can't just leave the poor woman to recuperate in peace for a few months without this absolute hysteria. What the hell is wrong with us as a country?

That would make them slaves. Quite a distasteful thought, isn't it? Were Harry and Meghan slaves too? Who said they could leave if they were? I'm not sure you thought through that statement.