Francesca Rudkin: Why are we so obsessed with Princess Kate?

OK. So what am I missing?

Why are we so obsessed with Princess Kate? How did we go from some simple facts - abdominal surgery, recovery and back to work after Easter - to conspiracy theories, divorce rumours, a photoshop fail with nefarious undertones. Even the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have got in on the story - by making it about themselves.

How has this become such a thing? How has this become a thing at all? If I concentrated, I think I could come up with 100 more important things. Every hour. For at least a week.

And before you blame the media; they’re not completely at fault. In this world of data and analytics, if the readers doesn’t click on a story it tends to go away. Clearly this is a story we can’t get enough of.

Look I get it. Princess Kate is a publicly funded member of the royal family. She is one of the most recognisable women in the world, a future Queen and mother of an heir to the throne of England. I understand some people feel we have a right to know details about her state of health, but that’s largely because we’re nosey and like a bit of gossip.

The norm is, and has always been, to respect the royal family’s privacy when it comes to their health, and I think it’s perfectly reasonable for the Princess to keep sensitive details about her health private. The medical advice was for the Princess to rest for 6 weeks post-surgery and return to work after Easter. So just leave the woman to it. We don’t know what the surgery was, but assuming it was not minor then all the more reason to leave her to recover in peace.

The public comparison to the way the King’s cancer diagnosis has been handled is also ridiculous. Of course the reigning King couldn’t just disappear for months without an explanation – imagine the column inches then! But he has hardly been open about his situation. All we know is he is being treated for cancer. We don’t even know what kind of cancer. So why should Princess Kate be required to tell us anything more than it was abdominal surgery? Why can’t we show her the same sympathy and courtesy being shown the King.

As for the photoshop debacle. Good god. Someone thought it would be nice if Kate posted a pic to say Happy Mother’s Day, and they made a hash at it. Yeah sure, Kensington Palace should have done a better job – they are slicker than this, but people have photoshop fails and bad days at the office all the time. Doesn’t make me trust the royals any less. Quite the opposite, it reminds us what we see on social is often manipulated – for better for worse.

Maybe I’m naïve and the scandal of the century is being covered up. But even if it was – would it impact any of our daily lives? Nah. So can we please drop this crazy health hunt and leave the woman in peace.

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