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

Oh, I agree. I think it is one of the reasons, if not the reason but yes it is a massive shame if so. Think about it tho, say there were photos of her looking very different to her usual self, those photos wouldn’t just be printed once, they’d be rehashed for the rest of her life, might be used as Twitter memes etc. People would monitor every step of her journey to return to normal, always documented, not always kind. If it were me and I was able, I’d hide on my big estate and recover in private.

It's three weeks to Easter and no sign of her or statements. It's clear she isn't going to be back at work by Easter. The Rf are clearly going to have to issue another statement soon.

Why is it "clear" @Babyroobs - you've said yourself it's three weeks yet.

Reminds me of the old Connex South East train announcement boards where you'd be expecting an arrival at 10.23. At 10.23 the eta would change to 10.24 and it'd get pushed forward by a minute for every minute you were left waiting there. They didn't want to admit the train would never arrive, for some reason.

I just think surely she's not going to just resume public duties without showing some signs of getting back to normal life - doing the school run , having friends or family over etc. Of course we don't really know if she is doing those things but she's not going to go from nothing to public duties is she realistically ? It's like someone going back to work after major surgery - you'd have a phased return, maybe pop in to see colleagues, chat to colleagues. Of course we don't know what public duties she might be performing ,if any after Easter, I guess maybe it won't be much. Who knows ? !

Well, quite. Women in the public eye should not have to feel metaphorically strung up for public entertainment about matters that they are not famous for and not receiving funding to promote.

Unfortunately, many other women are complicit in the denigration of well-known women, both in the media and members of the public on social media. (Some call it 'internal misogyny'.)

And the whole 'fame industry' is driven on by Z-list wannabes who have their own disordered relationships with the paps, the tabloids, and 'sidebar of shame' journalism in general.

If Catherine Wales has decided to say a simple 'No Thanks,' to all this, 'I'm not playing till Easter', then fair enough I'd say. If there is something of import or interest going on, then we'll know soon enough.

But the language of 'rising sense of panic' is hyperbolic nonsense straight out of the Fleet Street School of Manipulate & Whip 'Em Up Tactics.

It takes a long time to recover properly from serious abdominal surgery. After a total hysterectomy, I could drive again within 6 weeks, but the resultant swelling took more than 10 weeks to go down. I couldn't fit into my clothes again for 3 months. Kate is in the public eye. Any weight gain, any puffiness will be seized on immediately by the media. To get rid of that takes time and rest.

Maybe she just needs a break ???

Yes she could just be burnt out. can't be easy being under scrutiny in the public eye all the time especially with three young kids and having had major surgery.

The Times article makes a set of jibes against KP, comparing their woeful handling of the situation to the much more successful BP comms. BP has kept up a friendly stream of updates, responses (photos of KC reading get-well-soon cards etc), and even Camilla going off on holiday this week sends the message that he is very much NOT at death's door (which had been suggested). 10/10 to their PR people for control.

By contrast, KP has been almost childish in their inflexibility. It's been a LONG time since people started noticing that she's been absent since Christmas Day, and then the story about the ambulance on the 28th of December came out.

They should have gone into action about 2 weeks ago with a photo-free super-friendly statement saying "The Princess of Wales is overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and kindness and feels loved and cherished by all around her, and is focussed on getting better really soon." But instead they are sternly saying WE SAID WHAT WE SAID. They're not being responsive to the mood at all. This should never have been a story.

Now their own communications strategy has set up a whirl of speculation about divorce or extremely serious illness, physical or mental. Obviously it was all an emergency, and very serious, and their story is very probably true (the ambulance, emergency nature of everything etc.), but they really aren't managing the vibes at all.

As someone above has said, she has been very badly let down by the people she pays enormous sums of money to to avoid this kind of nonsense.

I think the Times is trolling KP on purpose because they know all this and they're annoyed, not because they actually think anything else has happened.

Or maybe it has. Who knows.

I think this is cyber bullying myself. We have no right to private information other than "she is recovering and will be back to work after Easter" it is not our place to force her to reveal any information or parade in front of us to prove she is still here/well or whatever.

More interesting is Meghan's recent snippets re social media etc. You could argue it is in support of Kate (although many wld argue she is trying to take the limelight etc etc, maybe its just to take some of the fire off Kate)

It has to be bigger than a medical condition or surgery to warrant this silence

It isnt bigger than this. It will take time for her to recover as it would anyone no matter how fit. She could have said what she’s had done but has chosen not to, which is her right, no matter what her position in society is.

As a republican, this is one of the many things that I really dislike about the monarchy - these people get lots of public money, and people therefore consider them to be public property.

The fact is, they are still human beings and they have a right to privacy in certain areas of their lives. It's really weird how people believe that they have a right to know what's going on.

Focus on your own lives for a while and let the woman recover in peace.

I remain utterly convinced that she and the Prince are separated and thrashing out a divorce settlement. Nothing stated by BP and KP has been consistent or believable enough to buy into this surgery line.

Does she have any concrete engagements set for after Easter? Or was the cancelled army thing the only one?

So why does it have to be a divorce? Where's your evidence?

That was in response to @FriendsDrinkBook

They would surely never live it down if they had lied about surgery ?

That they can't just be left alone is astonishing to me. She's had major surgery, she wants to recover out of the lime light. Why is that impossible to understand or respect? The lack of ability to leave the poor woman alone is awful - and that's the story really. Not the battle of PR approaches but the media and social media's inability to accept that everything isn't going to be run their way. As for toxic - Sussex Squad is the most toxic group going.

I am an American. I don't expect daily updates from our First Ladies or the retired ones ( and I pay for them and their security until they die). The poor woman has been out for a little over 2 months. I live in New York where people and spouses get 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave each year. When my staff go out on FMLA, they communicate with 1 person in HR, who communicates with me. I pay my elected officials salaries and I don't expect an online social calendar to track their every move.

To be honest I thought something serious was up with the King during his first speech when he said, “throughout the remaining time God grants me”

Do think it was a tremendous act of self indulgence to spend all the money on coronation when the reign was to be so short.

Perhaps Kate’s issues were known then too? Agree it is too long for recovery for anything other than major surgery and worrying we aren’t being told what it is.

People spout the most ridiculous crap on these nasty, speculative, snide threads.

I couldn't agree more!

There seems to be a rigidity and an arrogance about KP which is surprising. They're acting as if they don't owe the public anything.
The contrast with the approach at BP couldn't be more stark.

I wonder who's calling the shots at KP, and making such a dog's breakfast of it.

Heads should roll!

Does your employer own you?

We’re not suggesting she clean our houses.