Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace alerted the public on Wednesday that Kate Middleton and King Charles III. struggling with various health problems.
The royal statements, released less than two hours apart, revealed that Kate will remain in hospital for up to two weeks following “planned abdominal surgery”, while Charles will visit the hospital next week to be treated for an “enlarged prostate.” to get treatment.
The rapid timing and candor of the announcements deviate sharply from the monarchy's usual approach to releasing important health updates.
Business Insider spoke with PR experts Eric Schiffer and Kelcey Kintner about how Kate and Charles' hospital announcements prove the royals are pursuing a new PR strategy and whether transparency in public opinion will win them points.
The royals are in control of the narrative and are not at their mercy
In the world of PR, it's always better to control the news cycle than react to it.
Kintner, senior vice president of international crisis firm Red Banyan, said the hospitalizations announcement on the same day was a prime example of this public relations strategy.
“It gives the royal family the opportunity to announce these health issues together in one news cycle, which is always helpful when breaking news that might be perceived as concerning by some,” she said.
Kate Middleton during the opening of Evelina London's new children's day surgery department on December 5, 2023 in London. Ian Vogler – WPA Pool/Getty Images
“It is far more beneficial to confront the story, be transparent and spread the truthful narrative,” Kintner added. “That doesn’t mean they have to publish every detail about the health of King Charles or the Princess of Wales, but the strategy is likely to help reduce or avoid an onslaught of false headlines and frantic media attention where they are being treated .”
Schiffer agreed, adding that it also minimizes the rumor cycle.
“You concentrate the message, and by doing it on the same day, in some ways it reduces the likelihood that there will be rumors and controversy,” he said.
Schiffer said the news would have inevitably led to another royal PR disaster if the palace had kept Kate or Charles' condition secret.
“If they hadn't done that, there would have been a leak and then there would have been gossip for a week,” he said. “Both announcements were carefully communicated to further increase public confidence and demonstrate a desire to provide transparency while dispelling rumors.”
The announcements mark a clear departure from the traditional royal PR strategy
Experts say the announcements were not only a smart PR move, but also represented a break from the “never explain, never complain” strategy that the royals often rely on.
As an example, Schiffer pointed to the palace's vague health announcements during Queen Elizabeth II's final years.
In October 2021, the late queen was hospitalized overnight for what Buckingham Palace described as “preliminary investigations.” News of the hospitalization was only made public after the monarch returned to Windsor Castle to rest – and no further comment was made on her condition at the time.
Queen Elizabeth II during Prince Philip's funeral at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021. Victoria Jones – WPA Pool/Getty Images
These announcements prove that the royals are “no longer following the same pattern as before when the queen was struggling with her health,” Schiffer said.
“People care and want to know what's going on with the king and Kate,” he said, adding that through its transparency the palace “shows respect and cares about the relationship with the public.”
Kintner echoed Schiffer: “In the past, the monarchy was much more secretive about health issues, and that actually just led to outlandish speculation and rumors.”
King Charles has an enlarged prostate and is being taken to hospital for treatment, Buckingham Palace said. WPA Pool / Getty Images
In addition to mitigating rumors, promoting transparency could also help the royals use their platform for good, Kintner said.
“Everyone has health problems at some point, so it's also a way for the royals to connect with average people who may have similar complaints or concerns,” she said. “In King Charles' case, many older men suffer from an enlarged prostate and his willingness to be honest about the condition makes him truly human and could encourage other men to get checked – potentially saving lives.”
Schiffer added that the royals are now also benefiting from a PR strategy that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have “prudently pursued” for years, “which removes some of the walls of intimacy and provides greater transparency in the representation of your humanity.”
“They learned from Megan and Harry,” he said, referring to the royal family. “They’ve seen the public respond to it, particularly young people who want to feel connected.”