Two press releases, published on the same day. The British royal family took everyone by surprise by announcing on Wednesday the hospitalization of Kate Middleton and the upcoming operation of King Charles III. Prince William’s wife was hospitalized in a London clinic on Tuesday for “abdominal surgery”. The operation was planned, Kensington Palace explained, but the Princess of Wales must remain in hospital “between ten to fourteen days” and should only resume her public engagements after Easter.
As for King Charles III, he in turn must be operated on next week for an enlarged prostate. “What Her Majesty is suffering from is benign,” Buckingham Palace said.
With these two announcements, the royal family’s communicators are, in part, playing the card of transparency, especially by announcing the king’s operation in advance, a gesture which departs from the customs in force at the time of the queen. Elizabeth II. “I remember that the queen had been hospitalized three or four years before her death,” confides to 20 minutes Thomas Pernette, journalist at Point of view. THE Royal Standard [le drapeau qui flotte au-dessus des résidences officielles de la monarchie quand le souverain y est présent] continued to float over Windsor Castle overnight, while the Queen was hospitalized. Everyone thought she was still at the palace. » The subterfuge had been little tasted by the British press.
” They did not have a choice “
The exercise of transparency, however, has its limits. It is very unlikely that Kensington Palace will release a full health report from the Princess of Wales or the King. According to information from the British press, Kate Middleton was not operated on due to cancer – this is the only information that has leaked. This Thursday, sources confirmed with these same titles that the wife of Prince William “was doing well”.
Moreover, in the Kensington press release, “there is immediately an expressed desire to respect the private life of the Princess of Wales,” notes Thomas Pernette. The princess “hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality as possible for her children, and her wish that her personal medical information remain private,” the palace writes.
If the royal communicators announced these two operations, it is also because ultimately “they had no choice”, analyzes Thomas Pernette. Kate Middleton is thus forced to cancel her public trips for several months. Such a long absence without justification is unimaginable. The Princess of Wales and her husband were due to go to Italy in the spring, a trip which risks being postponed. Prince William himself canceled trips to be with his children and wife. He was seen this Thursday going to the clinic.
King Charles III was also forced to postpone commitments “for a short time” in order to recover. These are the most prominent personalities of the royal family who are thus temporarily unavailable. To represent it, with Harry out of the picture, the monarchy will therefore have to temporarily count on the older generations: Camilla, her sisters-in-law Anne and Sophie, and her brother-in-law Edouard. Faithful to Charles, but who do not move the crowds.