The royal family's traditional ‘never complain, never explain' approach faces challenges in the age of social media.
Kate Middleton's recent radio silence has sparked a firestorm online. Between her absence from the public's eye and a photo that raised eyebrows, conspiracy theories about the Princess have been running wild. Everyone seems to have an opinion, the world has gone bonkers, from the US to the UK and beyond—everyone wants to know where the princess is. But there's one voice missing from the conversation: the Palace itself. Why the hush-hush? Whispers suggest Prince William might be fiercely guarding his family's privacy, but is there more to the story?
Why is Kensington Palace silent over Kate's conspiracy theories
The number of conspiracy theories, including cheating theories, fake death news, and many more, could prompt anyone to issue a strong statement to put an end to the speculation. However, things are different when the royal family is involved. “I would have thought that Catherine would have done a good enough job to be left in peace for three months, but evidently not … why should she have to talk about her personal and private health?” Hugo Vickers, author and a close friend to the royals told Pagesix.
Considering how difficult and upsetting it might be for Kate herself, who is still recovering from the surgery, he added. “This must be very upsetting for her. Personally, I don't think she needs to talk about it.” However, the writer didn't shy away from acknowledging that it is human nature to be curious about what's happening. “The fact that Catherine disappeared for three months, people were bound to say, ‘Well, why, what's going on?' — and the void can be filled with these ghastly conspiracy theories.”
‘Conspiracy theorists love their theories'
The insider claimed that one could have easily believed, given the numerous proofs that the Princess of Wales is happy and lively, especially after the Windsor farm video surfaced. However, “conspiracy theorists love their theories,” he added.
Prince William firm on keeping Kate's health confidential
Another reason for the palace's silence on these ‘ridiculous' allegations was reportedly Prince William's reluctance to give too much information about his wife's illness, likely due to the way his mother Diana's every move was scrutinized by the media and the public. An insider claimed that “William is justifiably worried about the parallels to his mother, Diana.” “This is haunting him. He thought [the world had] learned lessons we hadn't.” The source added.
Palace sticks to the policy of ‘never complain, never explain'
Amid all the claims from various sources and insiders, the Palace and Kate will take things one step at a time, without haste. Traditionally, the royal family has adhered to the old adage “never complain, never explain,” but branding consultant Mark Borkowski says this isn't as effective as it used to be.
“They've failed to navigate the treacherous waters of social media, sticking to traditional tactics,” he said. “The blunt truth is, in the realm of celebrity, privacy is a myth. Borkowski claims. “Even before the recent crisis, [William] has been adamant about keeping royal duties separate from family time. But this ‘half in, half out' approach has clearly faltered.”
