King Charles protected Princess Kate’s privacy by deliberately announcing his own health details on the same day, according to a royal commentator.
Buckingham Palace released a statement detailing the King’s condition less than two hours after Kensington Palace announced that had undergone abdominal surgery.
The King’s statement explained that Charles was going to hospital for an enlarged prostate, whereas Kate’s announcement was vaguer, only stating that she underwent “abdominal surgery.”
Dr Tessa Dunlop, a royal commentator and historian stated: “Buckingham Palace doesn’t do spontaneity; the release of a statement containing private matters about the King’s health immediately after news of the Princess of Wales’s major abdominal surgery was deliberate.
King Charles used ‘powerful’ strategy to ‘protect’ Princess Kate
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“The timing deflected from his daughter-in-law’s major operation, likewise, the private detail concerning his prostate gave the public something else to think about.”
Following the news about the King’s prostate surgery there was a surge of interest in the condition.
An NHS webpage offering advice on prostate enlargement saw an increase of 11 times the number of visitors after the announcement.
Dunlop continued: “But beyond the obvious strategy, I believe there was something else to play.
“By sharing a slice of the personal, Charles’s statement served to underline the absence of any real detail concerning Kate’s condition.”
In the statement about Kate’s operation, it states that the princess wished to keep her personal medical information private and maintain as much normality for her children as possible.
The royal commentator suggests that the King gave his own personal medical details to limit speculation about the princess’s condition.
Dunlop stated: “The protective King may as well have said, ‘Here, have some information on me, but keep your prying eyes away from my daughter-in-law.’
King Charles is set to go to hospital next week for an enlarged prostate.
PA
“Read side-by-side the statements are a powerful example of well-coordinated PR.
“Here was a modern, public service Royal Family, but one with very clear boundaries.”
Princess Kate is currently recovering at The London Clinic and will not return to royal duties until after Easter.
The King is also awaiting surgery this week and is not expected to return to work for some time.
