We open with trees and sunshine. Then the fern, close-up in all its magical symmetry. A slow piano begins, setting the tone.
The camera reveals the Princess of Wales in a simple white sundress decorated with black broderie anglaise at the wheel of a car as she drives through a country road.
‘When the summer was over,’ he began, ‘I can’t tell you what a relief it was to finally complete the chemotherapy treatment…’
The lens lingers in her hand as it rests slowly on the gearstick, the jewelry on her ring finger softly shines. Walking slowly, some standing near a tree, close to a famous lock, then the footage turns into a home movie style roll. Prince William and the children, dressed in mismatched weekend casuals, strolled the Norfolk dunes.
The princess rested her head on his shoulder as they played with his hand, giggling as they lied, arm in arm, in the sand.
In a stunning video message shared today, the Princess of Wales revealed that she had completed a course of ‘preventive chemotherapy’.
The princess’ personal message to the nation was accompanied by a stunning three-minute video showing her and William in Norfolk with their three children.
Catherine spoke of the ‘relief’ that her chemo program was finally over
Catherine and Princess Charlotte linked hands as they walked across the field
Catherine hugs Charlotte during a tender exchange caught on camera
The Cambridges and their three children were crossing a tree trunk near their Norfolk home
‘Is this a recording?’ asked Prince George, as his face zoomed in on the camera, his mother smiling quietly to herself in the background. He played cards with Grandma and Grandpa Middleton. Later, the princess walked alone through the hot field, her fingers trailing the long grass, the evening sun burning in the lens, before the crescendo soaring piano and strings, vaguely Celtic in tone, showing the climax of this charming royal tableau.
The voiceover belongs to the princess; as for the rest – well, it’s a pure silver screen. That moment on the field is as memorable as the opening frames of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. Is there a subliminal message here?
Either way, when the royal announcement is made, it always means goodbye. Even the Duke and Duchess of Sussex can’t produce anything so beautiful or emotional.
It also stands in stark contrast to King’s own approach. His Excellency has adopted a fairly old-school, stoical attitude to his own illness, continuing to make public appearances and seeming – on the surface at least – to be the very personification of the old Churchillian maxim, KBO (Keep Buggering On). The Princess of Wales’ current cancer journey is – at least on the surface – a little different.
Of course, we do not know – and certainly will never know – the exact nature of the diagnosis. However, whatever the physical effects, emotionally it seems to have taken its toll – ‘a scary and unpredictable time’, as she puts it.
As is often the case when a serious illness strikes, it has caused him to look deep into himself, to ‘reflect and be grateful for the simple but important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Just love and be loved’.
Where the King coped by trying to maintain business as usual, the princess almost completely withdrew from public life. This film marks the beginning of his comeback.
There may be some royal watchers who will judge this. It certainly has an Instagrammable quality, a visual sophistication that traditionalists can appreciate.
But I think it’s a hereditary thing. The Prince and Princess of Wales are millennial royalty. They grew up in a visual age, but also an age where expressing one’s feelings is not frowned upon as for King Charles and his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth.
There is also a strong sense here that this is not just about Wales as a family – but William and Kate as a couple. They don’t often show PDA – public displays of affection – but that doesn’t mean they don’t love each other very much.
Princess Catherine’s mother Carole appeared in an emotional video announcing the end of Kate’s cancer
Kate Middleton’s family appeared in an emotional three-minute video
Family sharing a fun picnic
Princess Charlotte hugs her parents as they look out on the beach in Norfolk
The Cambridge kids were seen frolicking in an intimate family scene
Catherine kissed the oldest’s head in a gentle hug
Cheeky Louis is seen climbing a tree as his mother watches
Catherine looks happy and relaxed in the video, which will delight her millions of supporters
Catherine and William hug each other on a picnic blanket in an adorable video moment
Here we get to see a little of that love physically in an unexpected and unfamiliar way. They present themselves not only as Royals, parents – but also as lovers.
It is also a tacit but very effective rebuttal to the rumours, mostly spread on social media, that have taken hold in recent years.
Have I dialed down a little slow motion whimsy? Probably. But there is no doubt about his authenticity, or his sincere intentions – and his genuine desire to connect with the community on a human level, to thank the nation for its patience, and show real gratitude for all the support.
However, for me, what is most striking about this film is the way in which the Welsh turn the princess’s experience into a positive one; Such a contrast to the response of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to their own travais, which only seems to have led them down another and more negative path.
The truth is that we all face challenges in life, whether through illness, misfortune or something else. The real test is what you learn from the experience, and where it will take you.
It seems to me that, despite everything (not only cancer but the terrible Windsor infighting), the daughter is in a happy place. It’s a joy to see.