Princess Kate released an unprecedented video to announce the end of her chemotherapy treatment – and commentators believe it contained a hidden message to internet trolls
The Princess of Wales made headlines around the world when she released an unprecedented family video to mark the end of her chemotherapy treatment.
The emotional and highly-personal recording featured William and Kate with their three young children, playing games and spending time together in the Norfolk countryside.
There were also touching private moments between the couple. Indeed, William and Kate appeared more in love than ever as they offered up intimate, tender moments from their life together, with shots of the two embracing, kissing, and holding hands.
And according to one commentator, it sent a message to cruel social media trolls who had spread fake news and false malicious claims about her illness and the state of her marriage to the future king.
Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine said the video was not just about the Wales family, but William and Kate as a couple. She said while they are “not often given to PDAs” that “does not mean they don’t love each other deeply”.
“Here we see a little of that love expressed physically in a way that is as unexpected as it is unfamiliar,” she noted. “They are presenting themselves not only as royals, parents – but also as sweethearts. It’s also a tacit but highly effective rebuttal of the rumours, largely put about on social media, that have dogged them in recent years.”
The video was filmed by Will Warr in Norfolk, where the family’s country home, Anmer Hall, is located. The montage, overlaid with a message from Princess Kate, opened with the Wales family on a walk outdoors, followed by footage of Kate driving a car and solo shots of the royal.
“As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” the Princess began. “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant, and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.”
“The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you. With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything,” she continued.
“This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved.”
Kate started her cancer treatment in late February. She announced the news the following month in a moving video, revealing that she had been diagnosed after undergoing a planned abdominal surgery in January. “At the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous,” she said at the time. “The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.”
Kate described the diagnosis as a “huge shock” for her and William, and that they hoped to “manage this privately for the sake of our young family”. “As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment,” she said. “But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George , Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.”