Princess Kate’s video announcing the end of her chemotherapy won overwhelming support from Americans who watched it despite biting criticism in the British media, polling for Newsweek reveals.
The Princess of Wales shared personal footage of her with her children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis on social media.
And she opened up about how hard she found her cancer journey in a narration played on top of the private family clips.
Newspaper columnists in Britain heaped criticism on the video for its highly stylized presentation, which some said was more comparable to an advert.
Redfield & Wilton, on behalf of Newsweek, asked Americans what they thought of the message—and of those who had seen the video, 80 percent said they approved of Kate’s decision to announce the end of her chemotherapy that way, compared to 3 percent who disapproved.
In total, 71 percent said the video was was well produced. Of those, 35 percent said it was “well” produced and 36 percent said “very well” produced, compared to 5 percent who said it was “poorly” produced and 1 percent “very poorly.”
The princess’s video was seen by 27 percent of poll respondents, while 73 percent did not see it. The survey used a representative sample of 2,000 U.S. adults and was conducted between September 28 and 29.
Kate’s Chemotherapy Video in the British Media
Columnists, in particular in the Daily Mail, were at points scathing about Kate’s video, with come painting it as contrived.
Daily Mail columnist Liz Jones wrote: “Suddenly and inexplicably, what began as a heartfelt message, a tonic, a relief after all the months of obfuscation, descended into a Boden advert. Or something Marc Jacobs might use to sell scent.
“There were trees. And ferns, so many ferns. Dappled sunlight. The sort of frolicking by children among farm machinery and plowed fields that seemed to locate it not in 2024, but circa the Second World War, not least because of the old-fashioned cine camera special effects.”
Jones added: “Perhaps that was the message. Kate has been through hell, through a battle. And she is winning.
“And yet the ‘highly choreographed’ (those were the words used by the usually sycophantic ITV News at Ten), slick and soft-focus three-minute video released yesterday [on September 9] was surely as misjudged as the 1969 documentary that attempted to portray the royal family as ‘normal’, backfiring so badly the Queen made sure it was never seen again.”
Meanwhile, Richard Eden, the newspaper’s diary editor, quoted an unnamed Buckingham Palace insider saying it was manipulative and reminiscent of something Meghan Markle would make.
The headline read: “What Palace insiders tell me about Kate’s ‘manipulative’ film—and why I’m deeply concerned about the Waleses’ PR direction.”
And Marina Hyde wrote in The Guardian: “I felt nothing but immense pity for the cancer-stricken Princess of Wales before the release of her intimate family video yesterday, and the sheer weirdness of the resulting enterprise has only magnified the pathos of her situation.
“Watching the three-minute film, shot by some adman, I wondered who could possibly feel it was anything but sad that a recovering post-chemo mother should feel that this is her best option for keeping ‘well-wishers’ at bay a little longer.”
She continued: “This sort of thing appeals precisely to the grown-ups who when Diana died demanded that the then Queen leave off comforting her grieving 12- and 15-year-old grandsons in Scotland to come back to London in effect to look after them instead.
“The selfishness and self-importance of a certain stripe of loyal subject is at best demandingly prurient and at worst grotesque. We hear a lot about the male gaze. The royalist’s gaze could do with more unpicking.”
What Kate Said in her Chemotherapy Video
In the video, released on September 9, Kate said: “As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment.
“The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant, and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.
“The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you. With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before and, with that, a new perspective on everything.
“This time has above all reminded [Prince] William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved.
“Doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long, and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”
She continued: “To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey, I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand. Out of darkness can come light, so let that light shine bright.”
