This is how the British Royal House has managed the health problems of its members throughout history: “Never complain, never explain yourself.”

After two months of speculation, rumors and conspiracy theories Kate Middleton He mustered up the courage to announce that he was facing cancer. Since last January, the life of Prince William's wife has been a complete mystery, as little or nothing was known about her after it was learned that she had undergone “scheduled abdominal surgery” at a private clinic in London.

he Court The health condition of Prince William's wife sparked a media sensation, which in turn caused a reputational crisis and a communications crisis as well due to the lack of clarifications from Kensington Palace. On the other hand, when? Carlos III announced that he had cancerThe situation was completely different, because shortly after learning of his diagnosis, he reported to the King about the situation he was going through.

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The contradiction between the two cases led to the creation of the magazine time Take a package of How the British Royal Family managed health problems Of its members throughout history. Of course, considering that it has always been difficult for the Windsor family to maintain a balance between private health matters and their public disclosure.

The secrecy surrounding Kate Middleton's health seems reminiscent of those generations past in which she lived the Royal family They kept all matters relating to their personal lives strictly confidential, with the aim of conveying an image of the stability of the crown. The evidence for this is that the British people did not know this in 1950 at the time King George VI suffered from lung cancer.

So much so that when his left lung was removed in 1951, it was reported that this was the result of “Structural abnormalitiesUnfortunately, George VI died shortly after the intervention, and although his death was due to a coronary thrombosis, at no time was it mentioned that he was suffering from a malignant tumor.

“Britain was a more secretive society in the twentieth century, and in families across the country and across the social spectrum, cancer or life-threatening illnesses were not discussed as often,” explains Gareth Russell, a historian and author, who focuses on the British royal family. family. Russell, details that the Royal family “They tended to be more open about less important health problemsIn this sense, they recalled the occasion when Elizabeth II almost choked to death on a fish bone. “Only the salmon took revenge,” the Queen said in a joking statement.

However, in the case of the Princes of Wales, there is a nuance, as on more than one occasion they spoke openly about issues relating to their health, demonstrating a greater candor in relation to their ancestors. In fact, the future British Queen spoke about the difficulties she went through during her pregnancy, emphasizing her morning sickness. In addition, she also revealed what she looked like after giving birth to her son, Prince George. “Kate and William are members of a different generation, so They are not shy about being open in the face of challengessays Claire McHugh, royal historian and author.

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For Richard Fitzwilliams, an expert on the royal family, the fact that Charles III's diagnosis was reported more quickly was due to the fact that “Details of the Head of State are of public interest“. Since the public office of the Royal family It prevents them, to some extent, from maintaining a secret life, and Fitzwilliams dared to ask a rhetorical question: “To what extent does a public figure have a right to privacy?”

Currently, we find ourselves in an era where it is difficult to keep secrets, because with the arrival of the Internet, privacy has gained a slim dimension. In fact, if the Princes of Wales had previously spoken publicly about other issues related to their health, it is surprising that they now want to keep Kate Middleton's cancer silent, which has generated a media hurricane. So says Catherine Lamontaigne, a professor of social sciences at Boston University:Sometimes, saying nothing creates more buzz than addressing the issue head-on.

That is why it is said that the fact that the Princess of Wales decided to reveal her situation now is the result of a tactic. “I think they realize that in order to survive and thrive in the modern era, they have to be honest about what's happening to them,” McHugh says.It is better for them to be honest from the beginning than to spread rumors. “In the Internet.” Of course, even though Prince William's wife has decided to provide a public explanation, the truth is that she “still follows the pattern of providing very little information about her medical situation to the public,” Lamontagne says.Never complain, never explain yourself“In the words of the late Queen.”