12 March 2024 , 17:58
538
0
If nothing else, at least this week will serve as a cautionary tale.
Any young girls - thanks to fairy tales and Disney – still dreaming of growing up to marry a handsome prince cannot have failed to be put off by what Kate Middleton has just endured. Apparently in the small print of being a princess, it says every single detail of your life is up for grabs. You’re forbidden from keeping your most personal medical information private. The audacity of her even attempting to is outrageous.
Being a member of the Royal Family is like a deal with the devil. You enjoy extreme privilege – materially – but the payoff for the castles, servants and luxury is people feel entitled to know what you’re up to. Obviously for the monarchy to continue, the great British public, and beyond, need to be heavily invested in their storyline, so that part of the transaction benefits them too, in the long term.
But here’s what makes absolutely no sense - the Princess of Wales was absolutely fulfilling her side of the bargain. She didn’t just disappear without trace or explanation, leaving her subjects confused and worried. Instead she operated with a more than acceptable level of transparency.
She provided a sick note letting any interested parties know she was having surgery, with the arguably unnecessary bonus detail it was abdominal, and she would be back at work after Easter. This shouldn’t need to be pointed out, but apparently it does: IT IS NOT EASTER YET.
Kate Middleton swears by £19.99 rosehip oil that helps 'reduce wrinkles & scars'
However, instead of letting the poor woman watch This Morning with Cat and Ben under a duvet on the sofa in peace, social media trolls began a fevered campaign of conspiracy theories. And those whispers grew so increasingly loud – despite, let’s remember, Kate having done exactly(itals) what she said she was going to – she clearly felt pressured into releasing a Mother’s Day photo in an attempt to silence them. And no one needs reminding just how brilliantly that went.
Some of the aspects of the monarchy royalists love most are the tradition, the pomp, the ceremony. But surely even the staunchest Windsor fan would accept a few slight tweaks to move with the times, especially given how much better informed we are these days about mental health. For example, I found it barbaric Charles had to perform public duties less than 24 hours after the death of his mother, would anyone have really minded they were delayed, if he’d been allowed a bit of compassionate leave?
Likewise the ordeal of women who have just given birth being forced to stand on the steps of the Lindo Wing, perfectly blow dried and probably wearing some form of adult nappy. Yes, they’re Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses, but they are also human beings. And just like us, they grieve, and bleed, and don’t want complete strangers to know the ins and outs of their medical procedures. So leave Kate alone, ffs.
And if a certain section of the public decide that’s unacceptable, because of the aforementioned deal with the devil, maybe they should step away from their keyboards and ponder exactly which role this means they’re playing in that metaphor.