We begin with trees and dappled sunlight. Then ferns, close-up in all their magical symmetry. A slow piano begins and sets the tone.
The camera shows the Princess of Wales in a simple white summer dress with black broderie anglaise at the wheel of her car as she drives through the country roads.
“As summer comes to an end,” she begins, “I can’t tell you what a relief it is to have finally finished my chemotherapy…”
The lens lingers on her hand resting gently on the gear stick, the jewels on her ring finger glowing softly. Cut to slow motion walking, some standing next to a tree, a close-up of those famous luscious locks, and then the footage jumps into a home video style film sequence. Prince William and the children, artfully dressed in mismatched weekend casual wear, frolicked in the sand dunes of Norfolk.
The princess leans her head on his shoulder as they play with their hands. They giggle as they lie in the sand with their arms crossed.
In an encouraging video message shared today, the Princess of Wales announced that she has completed her “preventive chemotherapy”.
The Princess’s personal message to the nation is accompanied by a stunning three-minute video showing her and William with their three children in Norfolk.
Catherine spoke of her “relief” that her chemotherapy was finally over
Catherine and Princess Charlotte walk arm in arm through a field
Catherine hugs Charlotte during a tender exchange caught on camera
The Cambridges and their three children climb over tree trunks near their home in Norfolk
“Is that a shot?” asks Prince George, his face zooming into the camera, while his mother smiles quietly in the background. They are playing cards with Grandma and Grandpa Middleton. Later, the Princess walks alone through a summer meadow, her fingers running through the tall grass, the evening sun beating down on the lens, before the rising crescendo of piano and strings, slightly Celtic in sound, marks the climax of this enchanting royal tableau.
The voiceover is from the princess herself; as for the rest, well, it’s pure screen. The moment on the field is unmistakably reminiscent of the opening scenes of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. Is there a subliminal message here?
However, as far as royal announcements go, this is certainly quite a departure. Not even the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have ever managed to pull off something so sophisticated and emotionally charged.
It also stands in stark contrast to the King’s approach. His Majesty has adopted a rather old-fashioned, stoic attitude to his own illness, continues to make public appearances and appears – on the surface at least – to be the embodiment of the old Churchillian adage KBO (Keep Buggering On). The Princess of Wales’s journey with cancer, meanwhile, has been – on the surface at least – quite different.
Admittedly, we don’t know the exact nature of her diagnosis – and probably never will. But whatever the physical effects, emotionally the illness seems to have hit her very hard – a “frightening and unpredictable time”, as she herself puts it.
As is often the case when a serious illness strikes, it caused her to look deep within herself, “to reflect and be grateful for the simple but important things in life that so many of us often take for granted. Simply to love and be loved.”
While the king tries to keep business running as normal as possible, the princess has almost completely withdrawn from public life. This film marks the beginning of her return.
Some royal watchers might find it a little over the top. It definitely has an Instagrammable quality, a visual sophistication that traditionalists might find a little jarring.
But I think it’s a generational thing. The Prince and Princess of Wales are members of the royal family of the millennium. They grew up in a visual age, but also in an age where the expression of emotion is not as frowned upon as it was with King Charles and his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth.
It is also clear that this is not just about the Wales family, but about William and Kate as a couple. They do not often show their affection in public, but that does not mean that they do not love each other deeply.
Princess Catherine’s mother Carole appeared in the emotional video announcing the end of Kate’s cancer
Kate Middleton’s family appeared in the emotional three-minute video
The family has a cozy picnic
Princess Charlotte hugs her parents as they look out over a beach in Norfolk
The Cambridge children can be seen playing around in intimate family scenes
Catherine kisses her eldest’s head in a tender embrace
Cheeky Louis climbs a tree while his mother watches
Catherine appeared happy and relaxed in the video, which will delight her millions of followers
Catherine and William embrace on a picnic blanket in an enchanting moment from the video
Here we see part of this love expressed physically in a way that is as unexpected as it is unusual. They present themselves not only as royals, as parents – but also as a couple in love.
At the same time, it is a tacit but highly effective refutation of the rumors that have been available to them in recent years, especially on social media.
Would I have toned down the slow-motion mood a bit? Probably. But there’s no doubting the authenticity or the sincerity of intent – and the genuine desire to connect with the public on a human level, to thank the nation for its patience and to show genuine gratitude for all the support.
But perhaps what touches me most about this film is the way the Welsh people have turned the Princess’s experience into something positive, in stark contrast to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s response to their own hardships, which only seem to have led them down an increasingly negative path.
The truth is that we all face challenges in life, whether through illness, misfortune or other things. The real test is what you learn from these experiences and where they lead you.
It seems to me that the Princess is happy despite everything (not only the cancer, but also the terrible quarrels within the Windsors). It’s nice to see that.
