My thoughts about Kate's video
There's a lot more (and less) to that three-minute message than meets the eye
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THINKING ABOUT KATE’S VIDEO
The video message released by Kate, Princess of Wales, on Monday, September 9 broke the mould when it comes to video releases from any palace comms department. It’s unusual nature and the strong reaction to it made me want to take a deeper look at what’s in and what’s out of that video.
It was a deeply personal message from a woman who has been the subject of endless and intense speculation as she dealt first with major abdominal surgery and then the discovery of cancer in post-operative tests. Now, after nine months largely out of public view, she is updating the world that she’s finished her course of preventative chemotherapy and now is focused on staying cancer-free (it can take months or even years of clear tests and scans before medical personnel bestow her that status).
“It’s as if they finally got to exhale after holding their breath for the past nine months,” I wrote on Monday. “The video’s ethereal style seems to highlight the ordinary scenes of a family.” If Kate wasn’t immediately recognizable, it could easily be mistaken for a shampoo commercial or a trailer of a Merchant Ivory drama. It’s a soft-focus, sepia-toned video, whose romantic drama feel is echoed by a largely unplugged soundtrack.
The central theme of the video is the power of love. “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,” she explained. The other notable theme is the simple joys of life, which can be enjoyed by everyone. The family eschews electronics for country walks and picnics, tree climbing and communal activities, such as playing cards.
The structure of the video keeps the focus on Kate: This is her story and so she’s in every scene, with her children, husband, and parents in supporting roles.
Some have criticized the video, noting its similarity to the informally slick style of the Netflix series released by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. “We don’t want the Princess of Wales to be turned into Meghan Markle,” worried Richard Eden of the Daily Mail, adding, “I’m concerned about this glossy new public relations strategy.”
There are four notable differences between the offerings from the Sussex and Wales camps:
It’s just three minutes long, not the the nearly six hours of Harry & Meghan. Those 180 seconds don’t give Kate enough time to let it all hang out, even if that’s what she wanted.
Harry & Meghan feature intensely private occasions such as Harry’s proposal, Archie’s ultrasound, and personal videos. Sure, Kate’s video contains a lot of wholesome affection in those three minutes — William and Kate holding hands, kissing, snuggling with each other and with their children, but there are no other private moments.
The video by the Princess of Wales has a short 195-word narration compared to the extensive transcripts generated by the Netflix series, which mixed formal interviews and informal “fly on the wall” moments at home.
Harry & Meghan includes interviews with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as well as aides, friends, and family. In contrast, aside from a few seconds of hearing from George, Charlotte, and Louis, the only voice heard in Kate’s message is her own.
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