‘Unprecedented’ move marks Will and Kate’s new approach

The Princess of Wales has moved to assure millions of her admirers around the world that she was “entering a new phase of recovery” in her “complex, scary and unpredictable” cancer journey.
With a highly-produced video accompanied by a deeply personal message, read by Catherine in voice-over, the update was unprecedented for showing the Wales’ at their most intimate – at home in Norfolk and relaxing as a family.
The release of the three-minute video appears to mark a new direction and approach to public information from the usually-reserved Prince William and Catherine who have always fiercely guarded their privacy.
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Shared just days after the second anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the film is reminiscent of the beloved home movies filmed by the late monarch at her own sanctuaries, Balmoral and Sandringham.
The release has also moved to confirm reports at the weekend that the princess is planning on returning to public life. In her own words Kate spoke of her hopes of “undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months”, when she can, after a turbulent nine months.
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While undoubtedly giving a positive update on her cancer journey – Kate’s third personal message since her diagnosis in March – the video will also go down in the royal history books for its candid look at the future king and queen and their children.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have been married for 13 years and together an impressive 23 years.
In that time, their public displays of affection have been rare (unlike the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, by comparison, who are regularly tactile when the cameras are around) so when we see Prince William and Kate holding hands, kissing and relaxing in each other’s arms, it shows a side to them usually reserved for behind closed doors.
Kate says her experience with cancer has given her “a new perspective on everything” and that the time has “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 added.
Perhaps both know that now, with so much scrutiny levelled at their family this year alone, it is the optimum time to give a little bit more of themselves to a public with an insatiable appetite for updates.
READ MORE: William and Kate share touching moments in new clip
After all, both need to maintain a positive relationship with the public in preparation for when the time eventually comes for William to succeed his father as king.
The last time we saw the royal couple so happy in each other’s arms was in their 10th wedding anniversary photos and video, shared in April 2021.
That video was also created by Will Warr and filmed around their Anmer Hall home in Norfolk, including Holkham Beach as seen in scenes from today’s film.
Many royal watchers will look at Kate’s video message with familiarity as parts of it look similar to home videos the late Queen filmed at the Sandringham estate and Holkham Beach.
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A home movie filmed at the beach by Queen Elizabeth in 1957 shows Prince Charles, aged eight, and Princess Anne, aged six, playing with their father and pet corgi. Prince Philip can be seen leaping from one of the dunes onto the sands below.
The footage was shown in the BBC documentary Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute, released in 2012 to mark Her late Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.
This new video message shows the Wales family lying on the sand at the beach and embracing.
Elsewhere in the video, Kate is seen driving a Land Rover on the Sandringham estate, much like the late monarch did.
Carole and Michael Middleton, Kate’s parents, are also included in the montage of family life (seen playing cards with George, Charlotte and Louis) highlighting their importance to the princess’ recovery.
Elsewhere the children are seen climbing trees and scrambling up haybales.
The Princess of Wales has chosen to keep secret the type of cancer she was diagnosed with, and the reason for her abdominal surgery in January, as is her right.
But this is the most intimate portrayal of life inside the royal family since the 1969 documentary Royal Family that was later banned by Queen Elizabeth II from being shown again.
The late Queen and Prince Philip had invited cameras into their home for the fly-on-the wall documentary which showed them, for the first time, doing completely normal things such as having breakfast, having barbeques, watching television and shopping for lollies.
But it was quickly relegated to the archives as the late Queen deemed it too intimate to be showed again.
Much like that decades-old documentary, this new video shows the royals being genuinely normal – the princess as a doting mum to her beloved children and a loving wife to Prince William.
The Princess of Wales is the star of the video but its focus on William and the children highlight the importance of family and love in what has been their most trying year since Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022.
So much has changed since that monumental event and this year alone has seen two of the monarchy’s most senior members out of action due to ill health.
Kate’s message moved to reassure the public that she will be back on the royal beat when she is able to.
So far this year the princess has made just two public appearances because of her treatment: at Trooping the Colour in June and at Wimbledon in July.
She is expected to join the King and Queen at Remembrance Sunday commemorations at the London Cenotaph on November 10 and planning is underway for Kate’s annual Together at Christmas carols concert at Westminster Abbey in December.
The event, much like this video, highlights the importance of relationships and togetherness and sees wider members of the royal family attend in support of Kate.
After a trying year of health battles for the princess and the king, the theme of togetherness will be even more poignant come Christmas time.
Prince William and Kate will one day be the head of a modern monarchy, one the Prince of Wales has previously suggested will look remarkably different from the reigns of his grandmother and father.
And with Kate by his side, the future looks to be a positive one.
As the Princess of Wales says in her message: “Out of darkness, can come light, so let that light shine bright”.
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