Why Kate Middleton’s Video Marks a Radical Shift in the Royal Family’s Communication Strategy

The emotional video has a soft focus and cinematic look, compared to a traditional press release or on-camera statement.

Releasing such a personal video is a surprisingly different approach than a health update for Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales.

The video is quite emotional and full of autumnal colors, which denote an almost melancholic tone, as he walks in the fields with his family.

This could have been a traditional press release or on-camera statement, but instead there’s a soft focus, cinematic feel to this message.

Instead of footnotes and explanations of the princess’s completion of chemotherapy treatment, there are stylized cutscenes and an intimate first-person narrative.

Kate revealed in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer and has been out of the public eye for much of this year.

This is clearly a well-planned approach to getting the information out: the footage, shot by cameraman Will Warr, was filmed in Norfolk, England, last month, and the costume changes suggest more than one shooting session.

It is completely different from the old-school royal communiqués, which stuck to the smallest details and remained as dry as the desert.

This much softer treatment follows the trend of celebrities and public figures taking their messages directly to the public, using the language of social media rather than conventional news or an interview.

This gives you great control over the message, with evocative background music and thoughtful image editing that drives the story, rather than any questions that might arise about your health or treatment.

We see Kate, wearing a long, flowing 70s-style dress, spending time with her family in the forest and on the beach and playfully interacting with her own parents.

These moments are framed in a way that many can relate to: a family relaxing after some pretty tough times, in a rural setting that aims to send a message about the calming powers of nature.

Above the images is the princess’s voice, in the style of a cinematic narrative, capturing her sense of cautious optimism as she welcomes the end of chemotherapy and, at the same time, acknowledges the fragility of life.

It’s where Norfolk meets Hollywood and Instagram.

There is practically an echo of a similar film A Matter of Time in the video, with its melancholic music, sad themes and an appreciative narrative about how a family’s life can be changed forever by unexpected events.

The comparisons are about film styles and flashback sequences rather than press releases.

There is also a clear awareness of how this short film can be seen by the many families who deal with cancer in their lives. It is a sensitivity that seems to remain on the surface.

And at the end it becomes practically a prayer, with the invocation: “To all those who are continuing their journey against cancer, I am with you, side by side, hand in hand. Out of the darkness may light come, so let this light shine brightly.”

Source: Terra

Rose

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.